Ford KA Central locking problem - HELP

Very common problem this.

between the door and pillar of the car there is a loom within a shield...... it attaches at the pillar at a bayonet fitted multiplug..... give this multiplug 1/2 turn anticlockwise and pull the multiplug apart...... either the pins at this joint are completely corroded or a wire between this plug and the door is broken (most common)...... you can solder it back again......if the pin in the multiplug is corroded/broken/rotten ... I have removed the multiplug from the pillar....... easily done from behind the dash......and attached the multiplug together outside the confines of the pillar... then you can drill a small 1/8 hole through the multiplug at the point where the pin is corroded and run a wire through and solder each end to the loom's. Ford don't do a replacement loom (if they did they probably would be the best looms in the world)!!! .... but a new door loom will set you back about £65.00=vat and the loom at the car side is all part of the main loom.... they do a pin repair kit ... but dealer only supply....but it is crap anyway................ it can be repaired if you take your time and do the repair I listed above. hope this helps.

JK

Great - thanks a lot JK, I'll take a look later - might save myself a bit, but even if not, at least I'll be able to show them exactly what the problem is and hopefully keep the cost down...

I don't suppose you know anything about a strange rear wiper issue, where it doesn't come on all the time, but, if you leave them turned on, it will then just start. Doesn't happen always, but I've checked connections, etc, and there doesn't seem to be a loose one.

And (I know - taking the piss or what!), how about the 15 minutes for the heaters to warm up - with the engine running!!! I think I read a long time ago that this was an early KA issue too...

Cheers again

CandT

Happened on mine, was the earth connection from the wiper (possibly on the boot hinge IIRC).

Hmm engine doing what tho? Just idling or being driven?

Rear wiper is easy repair..... It earths via the hinges on the tailgate........ make up a small loom with

100mm of wire with 2 eyelets on them..... bore a 1/8 hole on the tailgate and the car body... attach wire across them.........or simpler still... knock the hinge pins over about 1mm each with a hammer and a drift...will cure it sometimes...

The heater in the Ka/Fiestas have a tendency to play up the control valve..... fitted in the Ka below the wiper scuttle....... try this test.. Start the car from cold and after 5 minutes or so hold on to the 2 pipes attached to the bulk head that feeds the heater matrix and see if the temp in them is good/warm enough.....if so then remove the wiper scuttle and perform the test on the other side where the pipes leave the valve......if it is cold then it MAY be the valve....... the only way to know is to remove the heater pipes after the valve and see if you can attach a hose to them to determine if the heater matrix isn't blocked...if it has not blocked then replace the valve....... If you would have said that the heater stays cold then I would definitely have said replace the valve.. Hope this helps,

JK

And of course you need to establish if the engine is getting up to normal operating temp in the first place..... bit difficult...No temp gauge in those... I have renewed quite a lot of thermostats on those too.

JK

take off the door card, 3 screws and some push fittings. Drill out the two rivets and undo the three screws holding the lock on the outside edge of the door. pull off the weather protection at the lock end of the door. Inside you'll see or feel a protective metal plate which will be loose where the rivets held it in place before. The edge fixed to the door skin is just a mastic, so run a sharp knife down the join and that panel should lift out with a wiggle. The lock and handle are held in by clips which are easier to work out how to free up by gently pulling the lock mechanism towards you. unclip and lift out and you can finally access the electrical connector. Then degrease, clean and thoroughly lubricate the lock mechanism, and chances are that if you open up the motor housing and clean all the contacts where the parts move to activate the lock, your problem should be solved. Check the body to door wires for breaks too.. its a quarter turn connector between the two.

16 years FFS

It may be one of the 25K that are left from around 250K of the first gen sold in UK.

Yes - it's a very thorough answer. To a question no one asked on here within living memory. ;-)