Adding a switch to power door lock actuator

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CRXratedR

Member
I have a 96 Civic DX and got power door locks installed along with a Viper 600 ESP alarm. I want to be able to lock and unlock the doors from the inside, without using the remote or activating the alarm. I dont want to lean over to unlock or lock the doors. I thought that there would be some kind of switch included with the power door lock conversion, but I guess not. Can I just run a momentary switch to one of the 2 wires coming from the power door lock actuator? Or is it more complicated than that? Wiring diagrams and installation tips will help greatly. Thanks.
 
I did some research. And so far, I think, I have 2 options. I can either use 2 relays or get that SPAL door lock switch. I'm not too sure if the SPAL switch will work but the 2-wire door lock actuator in my car looks the same as the one in the SPAL kit. What do you guys think?

And the with the 2 relays, how can I activate the door locks with a switch? In the relay/wiring diagram, it doesnt show a switch. It just shows power, ground, lock output, unlock output, vehicle lock and vehicle unlock. I believe the lock output and unlock output go to the alarm. I had the power door locks installed with the Viper alarm. I'm not sure how a switch will effect that. But if anyone can tell me how to do it, that will be great. Thanks in advance.
 
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Another option? 96-00 Honda Civic EX door lock switch. It'll make the car look stock and there are 3 prongs on the back of the switch. Where do they go? Lock, unlock and positive? Will it work?
 
Your best option is to program your alarm for ignition controlled door locks. When you turn the key on, the doors will lock. When you pull the key out, they'll unlock. Look for this option in the manual. If you don't have the manual, you can download it from Car Alarm, Car Stereo, and Cruise Control Info for Installers, but you will have to register.

If you want to have manually operated switches, you'll need a normally open momentary push button switch for each lock and unlock on each door. You'll also need some inline fuse holders.

Yes, you could wire OEM door lock switches. Honda uses the same negative trigger as your aftermarket actuators.
 
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My alarm is already programmed for ignition controlled locks. But what I want is to add a manual switch to lock and unlock the doors; especially the passenger side, I hate leaning over to unlock or lock the door.

So the OEM EX door lock switch will work? Can I just T in the switch off of the lines coming off the actuator? My main concern is the alarm; I don't want to mess that up. Do I need relays or something?
 
Yes, just tap into it. That's how I install alarms onto Civic EXs and other cars everyday.

Why would you ever need to unlock the passenger door from inside the vehicle? With keyless entry and ignition controlled door locks, there is never a time when the driver's door is unlocked and the passengers door is locked. Is your alarm wired for driver's door priority unlock? If so, just tap the unlock button a second time to unlock the passenger side.
 
he's talking about when the car is already running, 10 sec's after you start the car it will lock the doors when your inside, problem is he wants to be able to unlock the door with a switch and not manually. i just use the turbo timer feature, that always unlocks the car for me. but you have to have the remote start to do that.
 
Yeah, what he said. I have a 96 Civic DX with no power options. No power windows, power door locks, power steering, moonroof, or anything like that. I had an alarm installed, professionally. Its a Viper 600 ESP. I wanted to be able to lock the doors when the alarm arms, so I had power door locks installed (actuators).

There are 2 wires coming off the actuator, a green one and the other wire blue. I am guessing these wires run to the alarm's brain, where the locks are controlled. I want to add a door lock switch so I can lock and unlock the doors at any time (like OEM). Can I just add a simple momentary switch? Where do I put it? How do I wire it? Do I need relays? I got a OEM 98 Civic EX door lock switch from a friend. Will that work?

I was looking at the Viper 600 ESP alarm installation manual on this site and was trying to figure out the 3 wire system and aftermarket actuator system but I am in no way a certified electrician. My main concern is the alarm. I don't want to mess that up in any way.
 
i'm sure there are ways of going about this, let me look some stuff up and get back to ya, i acctually am going to do the same thing, but i'm going to tackle a harder hill, i'm going to convert my manual system(i.e. windows, door locks and mirrors) to power. from what i've read, its pretty extensive work, but well worth it.
 
Cool, thanks mang, I appreciate it. I recommend the SPAL deluxe power window kit and power door lock conversion kit. The kit uses the stock regulator and spins it with a motor. Getting their (SPAL) switch kit for both the windows and locks will make things a lot easier. Installation is a piece of cake. As for the power mirrors. I think the stock ones work best. But that requires a bit of work and quite a few parts. Just my 20/5-2 cents.
 
I already answered your question, at least partially. The cleanest way would be to use that OEM switch panel you have. Just tag it's unlock wire to the actuator's unlock, and it's lock to the actuators lock. You will not hurt the alarm. This is how alarms are designed to be hooked up.

If you wanted to use a normally open momentary push button switch, you would run a 15A inline fuse from your under dash fuse box (there are several male quick disconnect outputs, you will want the one on the far left which is a constant 12v). Use a female quick disconnect to connect the inline fuse holder to the fusebox. Then solder or crimp the other end of the inline fuse holder to your 16-18 gauge wire, run it to your momentary pushbutton, then the other end of the momentary pushbutton to one of the wires on the actuator. You will need to do this twice actually, one for lock, one for unlock. Simply branch two inline fuse holders in parallel from the fuse box output. Or maybe you just want an unlock.

Put it in reach of the driver. Maybe mount it to an empty pop out panel or in the dash kit if you have an aftermarket stereo.

You do not need relays.

Basically when one of the actuators wires gets a momentary 12v, it will trigger the actuator to either push or pull depending on which wire you're using.


The best/cheapest way to add power door locks to a car with manual locks is the use of aftermarket actuators and an aftermarket keyless entry system or alarm. Adding power windows unfortunately requires OEM parts.
 
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OEM Civic EX door lock switch
-lock terminal- goes to actuator
-middle terminal- ground?
-unlock terminal- goes to actuator

Is that correct? Seems easy but wasn't sure. I don't need relays, or do I? How about that 5 wire alternating relay setup? I just want to make sure before I rip my doors apart. Thanks for any and all of the help.
 
Middle terminal goes to power as you originally guessed.

You don't need 5 wire relays unless you're putting Ford locks in.
 
Under dash fuse box, male quick disconnects
When you said far left, do you mean, far-far left? Because the first 3 are like together, like its suppose to be for a plug or something. Then there are like 3 more single plug things after that. The second single plug has a white wire with a female quick connect running to it. I guess its for the alarm?
But do I connect the 15A fused wire to the left terminal of the first plug thing, or is it the first single plug thing? Then run this wire to the middle terminal of the OEM switch.
I hope I'm not confusing you. Well, lets do this, count them from left to right, theres: 1-2-3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 or something like that. But when you said far left, do you mean the first terminal? Or the fourth? The fifth one is the one that has a white wire with a female quick disconnect.
 
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I tried it today. I ran the middle terminal, 15a fused, to one of the male quick disconnect terminals under-dash-fuse-box. Then I connected one terminal from the switch to both actuator lock wires. I did the same with the remaining terminal but ran that to the 2 unlock wires off the actuator. IT DIDNT WORK. I don't know if I did it wrong or what not, but it doesn't work. Help? Anybody..
 
Taken directly from my own website, which I use as a reference. You should too.


fuseBlock.jpg


EGfuseBlockDiagram.gif


These empty slots on the fuse block provide a constant 12 volts, accessory 12 volts (key-on 12v), and a connection to your parking lights. On the fifth gen Civic (shown), the two leftmost slots are constant 12 volts, and the third and fifth from the left are accessory 12 volts, the fourth is the parking lights. Other Hondas/Acuras similar.

96-00 Civic specific:
1996 Honda Civic Wire Colors/Locations
 
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suspendedHatch said:
Yes, just tap into it. That's how I install alarms onto Civic EXs and other cars everyday.
Say his middle terminal has ground only, and actuators (both lock and unlock wires) require 12v to work, then toggling the OEM switch either way doesn't seem to do anything. In this situation, what is his best option if he wants to stick with the OEM switch?

1) get constant 12v and run a 15A inline fuse, solder that to the middle terminal of the OEM switch
2) get a relay that can convert polarity
3) suggestion please

For (2), can you show me a diagram?

When you splice the wire from the switch to the wire of actuator-to-alarm control unit, and when the switch is triggered, the 12v goes into which (actuator or alarm) direction? I am worrying like CRXratedR, don't want this 12v to go back to the alarm unit and burn it out rather than the actuator itself.
 
O man, exactly. In the same situation eh? I tried it the other day. I wired the middle OEM terminal to a constant 12V (under dash fuse box male terminal) and ran the other 2 wires the the lock and unlock wires on each of the actuators. I T'd it off, and like you said, I dont know which way the current was going but I tried it a couple of times. I was in fear, thinking that I would mess up the alarm if I do too much. But nothing happened. The doors didnt look or unlock. I checked my connections and wiring but everything looks okay. And the alarm still works but I am afraid to try it again. Someone help us, please?
 
CRXratedR said:
O man, exactly. In the same situation eh?
Almost the same but even worse off. You can lean over to toggle the lock, but I can't even toggle it. I broke 2 door handles already. I can toggle it without breaking it only when I hold the handle at the same time. But then when I hold the door handle, the door will open. Can you imagine how inconvenience that'd be?
Say I just want to drop someone off, I have to turn off the engine just to let my passenger to get out. So I disabled that ignition autolock feature via programming.
BTW, my car is an s14 base model which I just brought recently.

and ran the other 2 wires to the lock and unlock wires on each of the actuators.
Have you tried to unplug the door lock harness on the alarm unit, then run a constant 12v (fused) and probing then connecting the 2 pins (one for lock the other for unlock), like bypassing the alarm unit? I believe the actuator itself is self-grounding, so either of the lock-wire or unlock-wire just need to have a contact with 12V, that should be enough to trigger the motor inside the actuator to lock or unlock the door.

I dont know which way the current was going but I tried it a couple of times. I was in fear, thinking that I would mess up the alarm if I do too much.
Exactly. And i know the current will go both ways, the actuator and the alarm unit, to complete circuit. I just don't understand when suspendedHatch said "just tap into it. That's how I install alarms onto Civic EXs and other cars everyday". When you splice another wire with 12v (doesn't matter from OEM switch or a new momentary switch) into an existing wire from the alarm unit straight to the actuator. Also what would happen if I toggle and hold the door switch and press the unlock/lock on my alarm remote button, seems like 2 separate circuits will join at the actuator and something bad could happen.

I checked my connections and wiring but everything looks okay. And the alarm still works but I am afraid to try it again. Someone help us, please?
When it comes to electrical stuffs, I am next-to-clueless. But I do have a digital multimeter, I know a little on how to check continuity/resistence/voltage and all that. I assume that's how you check your connections and wiring.

Anyhow, I haven't even started this whole process yet, just brought the OEM switch, read the owner manual or so, I am just trying to get some suggestions.

Middle terminal goes to power as you originally guessed
But my car can't do that if I use the factory harness because the middle terminal has continuity (with constant ground) and such pin on the harness is shared by power window as well.

You don't need 5 wire relays unless you're putting Ford locks in
When you say you don't, does it necessary mean you can't? I thought using a relay is ALWAYS much cleaner and safer than getting constant 12v directly from fuse box.

Anyway, to put everything in short, what is the right way to do to have keyless entry and an addon power door lock switch (OEM switch or a new momentary switch)?
 
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ok if you have a 600 esp doesnt it already have two external relays wired up to run the door actuators, or does it have built in relays for the door locks. if it has external then the blue and green wires coming from the brains door lock harness should go to two relays. depending on if the relays were wired to use the neg. or the pos. pulses from the brain you just need to take your switch and tap its outputs into these wires accordingly, and then feed the switch 12(very small fuse, relays take less than .5 amps) or ground (depending on if the relays are triggering from + or - pulses from the brain) and your door locks should work.

suspended hatch- im not sure if i understood you to tell him to take a 12v out of his switch and go straight into the wires going to his actuators or not. usually the relays running the aftermarket actuators keep the wires going to them resting at ground until a relay is triggered, then it will switch from ground to 12v on that particular wire, thus still having the other wire resting at ground and completing the circuit. if he were to send 12v directly into an actuator wire, and not using the relays to do it he would cause a short to ground coming from his switch. so please clarify if i misunderstood.
 
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