CandiMan

iTrader: (1)

Now I'm confused. Can anyone confirm the above pic is a "door lock timer" or is it something else. After all these years, I've always thought it was the DLT that needed to be repaired. Even this thread states it's the time control unit that needs to be repaired.

CandiMan

iTrader: (1)

Now I'm really confused. So I decided not to be a newb and actually go outside and remove my time control unit. I know for sure, the pic I posted is of a time control unit and not a door lock timer. But here's the confusing part. As I was removing the time control unit and with the harness disconnected, the door locks were still working as design. No biggie I thought, let me open the time control unit and maybe I'll see something. So I opened it and nothing, it looked just as good as my spare time control unit.

So my question, is it the time control unit or the door lock timer that needs to be resoildered?

And as a point of interest, whenever my door locks acts up, I can hear a faint click under the dash every time I press the master switch button. So that leaves me to believe the door lock master switch is working.

ghostmax

iTrader: (4)

I traced my problem to the door lock timer. I removed the lower dash and found that if I moved the wiring harness that connects to the door lock timer to the right just slightly, that the locks would work. I taped the harness so that it would stay and worked fine for a few days until the harness moved again.

Try manipulating the harness a bit to see if it makes any difference for you.

CandiMan

iTrader: (1)

Bingo, that's exactly what was causing my issues. The door lock timer harness plug was loose. With a pick tool, I attempted to close the female connector pins and also used a zip tie after I plug it back in. Everything is working as design, the clock even looks like it's illuminating better

nickdoof

iTrader: (2)

Just in case anyone was confused about this process I will upload the pictures I took when I did this repair...

To get to the door lock timer you need to remove around 6 screws/bolts from the trim piece underneath the steering wheel. There is also one screw on the side of the pannel by the drivers side door.

Here is were the door lock timer is located(it mounts on the shiny part):



This is what the door lock timer looks like when you take it out. (there is also a flasher that mounts to this unit):



This is how you open the case to access the circuit board inside:



And this was the cracked solder joint on my particular board. I used some very fine, silver solder to fill in the cracks.



I found some good info in this thread. I hope this consolidates it for the most part!

dhughes214

Do you know if my 89 max would have that same door lock timer? I have a grey/black box that looks just like that one, but it doesn't have a sticker on it that says "door lock timer", and I've heard before that 89-91 maximas don't have door lock timers. I'm trying to figure out why none of my door locks work.

dhughes214

after looking at my grey/black box again, it is NOT the same. It only has one plug and that one has 2. So if I don't have a door lock timer, and I replaced my time control unit and my master switch, then ????