ron2368 Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 If I lock the car from the inside lever, I can hardly get the key to turn in the driver door, when the car is unlocked it turns alot better. Usually turning the key in the locked driver door would open all the locks so I am wondering if some electrical part or motor is bad, My haynes manual has no info on this. thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbhrps Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 You may have more than one problem. For starters use some lock graphite to loosen up the tumbler in the door lock itself. That may be part of your problem with the lock being difficult to turn. Check your fuse panel for fuses or relays that may be defective. Over and above that, you'll have to remove the inside door panel from the driver's door, in order to get to your remaining problem with the locks. A 17 year old car may find corroded connectors on the lock solenoid or the lock tumbler switch, a broken wire, or a defective lock solenoid or tumbler switch. A remote 12 volt supply to the lock solenoid should decipher whether it works or not, and a continuity test with the tumbler switch should decide its proper operation as well. Don't forget to check the wiring at the driver's door hinge area. As wiring ages it becomes brittle and you may find a broken wire in the corrugated rubber boot that the door wiring goes through on its way to the interior of the car. While in the door's interior, check that the rod from the key tumbler to the latching assembly is properly attached and lubed, as well as not bent. Be sure the latch assembly is properly lubed and not binding at the locking portion. Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legacy777 Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 The first gen legacies are kind of an oddity. They have power locks, but they're not really your typically power locks, at the driver's door. For the older subarus, including the first generation legacy. If you turned the key, it would unlock the driver's door, if you turned it a little further, it would unlock all the doors. Because of this there was no electric actuator on the drivers's door lock system. It does sound like you may have more than one problem. First thing you need to do is remove the door panel. That will let you see the locking mechanism & rods. I'd start with the key lock assembly. There are rods going up to the key lock cylinder and door handle. There are plastic clips you can slide off the rods to allow them to detach from the lock cylinder and handle. Then you can remove the door handle by removing the two 10mm nuts. Once it's out of the car you can test the lock cylinder and see if it's turning freely. Once you do that, you can check out the locking mechanism rods and plastic connector joints to make sure nothing is binding, and they are lubed. Hope that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyBoy83 Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I have a 96 Legacy Outback with intermittent lock issues and the haynes/chiltons manual isn't much help is tracing wires. I'm also not sure how the "features" of this locking system are supposed to work. is the locking control switch only in the drivers door or is it in both front doors? when is it only supposed to unlock the driver's door verse the other passenger doors and when does it unlock the rear hatch? some times it unlocks every thing some times it doesn't and it is random. you can hear the other locks try on the times that it doesn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 lubricate locking mechanisms and tumbler. is it related to cold weather? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyBoy83 Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 even when it is 40-50 degrees it does the same thing. (yes this am it was a balmy 2 degrees f when I left for work). all the locks work or they all don't. I can hear something click in that dash when I flip the lock on the drivers door. it almost acts like a relay that doesn't connect long enough to actually unlock the doors. it always locks them though. I need a good wiring diagram of the locking system... where do you get one with out having to trade the car in for the book? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lneulicht Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Message me your email address and I will send you the PDF file I downloaded from my county library's automotive database. I don't think I can attach a pdf here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BB's93LegacyL Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 (edited) Some years ago I had a problem with my door locks failing to actuate. It turned out to be a worn ignition key. Having a new key cut fixed the problem. But I know the locking system is a little inconsistent, where sometimes turning the key in the driver's door unlocks all the doors & hatch, other times not, even when I think I'm using the same technique all the time. It seems like sometimes I have to consciously hold the key in the open or lock position a little more, and the message finally gets to all the locks. In my '93 Legacy wagon the driver's door is the only lock that can actuate the other locks. Edited January 18, 2014 by BB's93LegacyL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 even when it is 40-50 degrees it does the same thing. (yes this am it was a balmy 2 degrees f when I left for work). all the locks work or they all don't. I can hear something click in that dash when I flip the lock on the drivers door. it almost acts like a relay that doesn't connect long enough to actually unlock the doors. it always locks them though. I need a good wiring diagram of the locking system... where do you get one with out having to trade the car in for the book? try here: http://jdmfsm.info/Auto/Japan/Subaru/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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