Questions and Answers

Nissan Altima Power Door Locks Q. Dear Vince: I just bought a 1997 Nissan Altima and the Power Door Lock switch will unlock the locks on all four doors but will not lock them. I also noticed that after I activate this switch, there is a consistent clicking sound coming from underneath the dash from some type of module close to the steering column.

If I lock the driver's door manually while I am driving, it will automatically unlock after a few seconds. Sometimes it will not lock manually and I feel the door lock lever pulsating. I shut off the car and locked all four doors manually. When I unlock the car with the key and start the car, the clicking noise will only start up again if I activate the door lock switch. This is really annoying. I would appreciate your help in identifying the problem. Thank you.

Regards,
Stephen

A. Here is how the system is supposed to operate:

• The lock and unlock switch on driver's door trim can lock and unlock all doors.
• With the lock knob on front LH or RH door set to LOCKED, all doors are locked.
• With the door key inserted in the key cylinder on front LH or RH door, turning it to LOCK, will lock all doors; turning it to UNLOCK once unlocks the corresponding door; turning it to UNLOCK again within 5 seconds after the first unlock operation unlocks all of the other doors.

However, if the ignition key is in the ignition key cylinder and one or more of the front doors are open, setting the lock and unlock switch, lock knob, or the door key to LOCK locks the doors once but then immediately unlocks them. (KEY REMINDER DOOR SYSTEM) If any of the following symptoms occur, key reminder door system is malfunctioning.

• With ignition key removed from the ignition key cylinder and all doors closed, operating the lock and unlock switch or lock knob on the front LH or RH door trim unlocks all doors the instant they are locked.
• With ignition key inserted into the ignition key cylinder and front LH or RH door opened, operating the lock and unlock switch or lock knob on the front LH or RH door trim to LOCK does not unlock all doors.

If I'm reading you correctly, it is operating normally.