I have a 1996 Outback, and the door locks stopped working...I checked the fuse and it was alright. Put in new battery in remote and still no luck....I can hear a clicking sound and the lights flash when the remote is pushed....is there a re-set button somewhere?
Do the locks work using the buttons on the doors? Did you reset the remote after the battery-ectomy? Check your manual, I think there is a procedure that requires you to do a certain number of button presses after changing the battery to teach the remote the code sequence.
I too have a 96 Outback with 99k miles. If your problem is the same as mine, I offer my sympathy.
In warm weather, my remote door locks work normally. As it gets cooler, and the problem is happening now here in Northern VA where it now gets into 60s and lower at night, the locks start acting up. It is as if the locks are lasy, sometimes working normally and sometimes clicking but failing to unlock. The primary doors involved are the LR and tailgate. Repeatedly cycling the locks with the remote often gets them to unlock. Using the driver's door switch usually unlocks all of the doors.
The obvious is to check for poor electrical connections in the affected doors and the driver's door. Unfortunately, that hasn't helped in my case and I think the controller is the problem. It hangs from the wiring harness above the driver's left foot area, in the corner against the firewall. I priced the controller once and it was over a $100 and I have decided to put up with the problem.
Ed P
i too have 1996 outback
I got the same problem in last week . My battery was gone. so i connect the power from the other card . The nightmare was start . when the card engine are start , I lost my radio , door light and central door locks power . But the other power still ok .
I check the fuse, it's ok .
So any body has the solution , or somewhere i need to check . Please help us .
Billy Chang
My 96 does not have remote locks but does have the "Master" on the drivers door that locks/unlocks all of the other doors. This stopped working a little while back. I took the lock switch apart, cleaned the contacts and it has worked like a charm since. I think dirt just cruds the switch up and it doesn't get enough electrons through to trigger the other doors. If the remote actuates through the main door, (I don't know) it might not necessarily be the remote but the contacts on the main switch. It was definately worth the 20 minute job to get the darn door locks to work right. And whats with having to turn the key different directions depending on which door you are unlocking?
Good luck
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