power doors lock problem

My Chevy Venture 1998 power lock doors will unlock but won't lock. Checked fuse and is ok. Any ideas? Thanks.

will they unlock with the key, hold your key in the unlock position in the door and it should unlock all the doors. How about with the keyless entry button? You could have a bad switch.

The key works fine, but the switch won't lock. I don't know why the unlock works but won't lock. Do you think I have to replace the switch?

I just fixed this problem on my '98 Montana last weekend. The A/C drain tube is probably off from the firewall, and you probably have a bad splice in either the light blue or white (I don't know which is unlock and which is lock) just forward of the door opening on the pass side.

To fix it, pull up the sill plate trim on the pass side (front) door, and lift back the carpeting under the floor. Look in the big bundle of wires in there, and follow the light blue and white wires toward the firewall about 12" until you see several taped splices. These are probably corroded. Untape the wires, cut out the damaged wires, and solder new wire in place, followed by heatshrink. Probably best to do both wires, although one of your seems to work right now, it may be just about gone.

The other problem regards the tube that is probably missing from the A/C drain in front of the firewall. It's nearly impossible to see, but it's about 6" behind the engine, toward the driver side from the gap on the side witht he drive belt, anout 6" up from the bottom of the firewall. The tube is necessary because the a/c water drains FORWARD (Duh, nice design) and when you drive it blows back in, and overflows under the carpet. A new "L fitting" tube only costs $4.30 (dealer price) and it'll fix the "water in the pass footwell area" problem.

Good luck!
hth, Tom

I just fixed this problem on my '98 Montana last weekend. The A/C drain tube is probably off from the firewall, and you probably have a bad splice in either the light blue or white (I don't know which is unlock and which is lock) just forward of the door opening on the pass side.

To fix it, pull up the sill plate trim on the pass side (front) door, and lift back the carpeting under the floor. Look in the big bundle of wires in there, and follow the light blue and white wires toward the firewall about 12" until you see several taped splices. These are probably corroded. Untape the wires, cut out the damaged wires, and solder new wire in place, followed by heatshrink. Probably best to do both wires, although one of your seems to work right now, it may be just about gone.

The other problem regards the tube that is probably missing from the A/C drain in front of the firewall. It's nearly impossible to see, but it's about 6" behind the engine, toward the driver side from the gap on the side witht he drive belt, anout 6" up from the bottom of the firewall. The tube is necessary because the a/c water drains FORWARD (Duh, nice design) and when you drive it blows back in, and overflows under the carpet. A new "L fitting" tube only costs $4.30 (dealer price) and it'll fix the "water in the pass footwell area" problem.

Good luck!
hth, Tom


Thank you very much for your help. I will check those wires this weekend.

I will check those wires this weekend.

Hi gardan,

did you check wires? did it help?
I have the same problem this morning...

Hi gardan,

did you check wires? did it help?
I have the same problem this morning...


I found the light blue wires and reattached them and now works fine. Thank you all VERY MUCH for the advice.

Gabe

Bump.
My passenger door switch works intermittently. Not predictable.
My drivers side switch does not work.
Do you think the above advice applies? I have not noticed condensate leakage and have not explored the hose fix described.

I have a 99 Venture, and just noticed this:
I can lock/unlock with the remote. I have it programmed to lock when out of park, and unlock when in park, even with engine running.

I just noticed that on the Driver's Door lock switch, inside, I can lock, but the doors will not unlock. This is true whether engine on or not. The passenger side switch will lock and unlock.

Do you think this is a switch thing? OR a programming thing? And if so, what can I do to lock/unlock with the drivers side switch?

Thank you.

I would suggest you first look at the door contacts. They are located on sliding door and door piller. I just cleaned them and mine works fine. Just bit of corrosion.

shogunl, thank you, but I don't understand. My doors do lock and unlock with switches or remotes, but from the driver's side, when I push unlock, nothing happens. What does that have to do with teh sliding door and door contacts? It's pouring rain here today and tomorrow, so I won't do it, but if you still think its a contacts thing, I'll check when rain lets up.

Thanks,

Do you think this is a switch thing? OR a programming thing? And if so, what can I do to lock/unlock with the drivers side switch?

If it was me, I would go for the driver's side switch first. Easy to get to and test.

Hi,
It works now...I just hit the "Unlock" real hard, and it now works.
Thanks

I have been having a similar problem with my 2005 Venture. And like you folk, it started with the air conditioning. In my case however, the mat that was soaked was the driver's side. My lock buttons began unlocking but would not relock the doors. The remote worked though.

I took the air conditioning problem to the dealer originally but they didn't have a clue what was wrong. I checked out a forum where I learned about the elbow. I had to tell the dealer what the part number was and how to install it. But happily, no more water. Thanks for the advice about the wires. I will check into that immediately.