05 STS front driver's door not opening

[kevm14]

Saving this for future door handle micro-switch replacement if that should become necessary.

Part 1: http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/ca ... t-how.html
Part 2: http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/ca ... t-how.html

And actually this is really the switch replacement thread that I wanted: http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/ca ... witch.html

Says $4. Ha.

Good logic to save:

Generally speaking, if you press the unlock button on your fob, pull the handle and the door opens, the problem is quite likely the antenna. If you unlock the car but the door doesn't open when you pull the handle, switch(es) are quite likely the cause. The testing matrix will help to better pinpoint where the problem is.

This makes sense as it does not request the presence of the fob if you pull the handle with the car unlocked. So if it opens unlocked, it is an antenna issue. I will try that next time this happens. Of course if it is somehow both the antenna and switch then I pretty much need a new handle. They are paint to match, of course.

Well this is handy. Driver's door handle has been intermittent. This morning I had to open from inside. When I got to work I fiddled with it and eventually it started actuating the solenoid. So I probably should just replace the microswitch (I think there are 2, the other works but I may want to replace that one, too). Don't really feel like having to mess around with this in super cold weather when the snow is blowing or whatever.

I think the antenna is working fine as is the door module stuff. I think I just need a couple $4 microswitches. And a couple hours to replace them. I am not touching the passenger side until symptoms appear. Though I may order 4 switches to have on hand. That would make sense...

[kevm14]

The STS uses a proximity key system. The door handle includes an integrated antenna and two microswitches. One of the microswitches, depending on vehicle settings, will immediately unlock all doors when the handle is pulled halfway while the fob is detected nearby. This works fine. But when you pull all the way, it is supposed to actuate the door popper solenoid (I think the C6 and CTS coupe had the same deal). That has been intermittent per my post in my General STS thread.

Here is one source for a new switch ($7.15/ea qty 5+):
https://www.newark.com/honeywell/zd30s2 ... U20R2e9%2B

And another with the wires attached ($8.91/ea):
https://www.onlinecomponents.com/honeyw ... 57439.html

I don't know what happened to $4. Do trade tarrifs double the prices of everything?

Data sheet on the first one: http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/23322 ... 1540218025
Data sheet on the second one: http://download.siliconexpert.com/pdfs/ ... 8-1-en.pdf

Look at that, they are the same. I like the one with the wire pigtails installed I guess.

[kevm14]

Potential Applications:
Automotive, truck, and boat wire harnesses
Throttle control
Indicator lights
Applications where a pre-wired sealed on/off switch is required

TRANSPORTATION
Electric window control for automobiles
Automobile seat belt latch detection
Engine hood or trunk latch detection
Vehicle door latch detection
Vehicle mounted wheelchair lifts

PERFORMS IN WET, DIRTY, AND DUSTY ENVIRONMENTS
Catalog listings with pre-leaded wires are sealed to IP67 for use in environments where exposure to liquid ingress or particulate contaminant could occur.

Ah, you only get IP67 with pre-leaded wires. So that's the one I want.

Well, that all sounds good.

Mechanical endurance (cycles). 500,000 min. @ 120 cycles per min. max. Electrical endurance (cycles) Up to 100,000 @ 30 cycles/minute max.

Damn, 100,000. If my front door was opened 4 times per day (from the OUTSIDE), every single day, for the past 13 years, that adds up to just under 19,000 cycles...maybe GM did not use this Honeywell switch. At least the replacement should outlast the vehicle...

[kevm14]

Just replaced my drivers side switches, soldered the connections then hot glued the housing like it is originally, works like a charm. I might make a spare pass side if anyone is interested, seeing that I have 2 extra switches and a harness for the pass side.

Well this all sounds doable. I assume I need to remove the door panel which I guess is the hardest part (and probably not that hard).

[kevm14]

Door panel and handle removal, part 1: https://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/c ... t-how.html
Part 2: https://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/c ... t-how.html

[kevm14]

Ordered the wired ones. $43.63 for qty 4. Still not bad as that is two door's worth. Paid for it out of my TV parts fund on Paypal.

[kevm14]

Est arrival Monday. Because it has to come from Arizona. Sigh.

Door opened this morning. But then I pulled the handle again once it was open and it did not actuate the solenoid. I tried several more times. Nothing. It is definitely due and I will miss this weekend unfortunately.

[kevm14]

Door has been opening occasionally on the first try and usually after a dozen attempts. This morning I had to open from inside by reaching across the passenger seat. It is due for microswitches...

[kevm14]

Finished. took 7 hours. Didn't even stop for lunch. This wasn't supposed to be terrible, and by terrible I mean you have to remove 700 things just to get to what you need to replace. But there were a couple major points where it was just....difficult to complete the step. I took 55 pictures. Let's see how far I get before my pizza is done reheating.

Step 1 remove door panel. Approx steps:
- 2 screws behind grab handle leather flap (because hidden screws). Flap came up fine with my plastic trim tools.
- 1 screw behind inside door handle cover. Again just a quick pry and it came right out.
- I think there were 7 push pins and several other locating tabs.
- Lift up from top of door. This part was at least as difficult as a B-body which annoyed me. Took a while. Don't worry, reinstallation was way harder.
- Remove door handle cable and cable retainer.
- Panel comes off.

DDM. No need to unplug anything. I'll explain.

Wow, never saw this before. The whole door panel gets power from this one plug, and it is built into the door and door panel. It just unplugs when you pull the panel out. That is pretty cool. Obviously it is to speed original assembly but it also means there aren't 37 plugs to unplug which is kind of what I was expecting. The CAN network enables simplified wiring like this.

Holy schnikes that is fancy. That isn't even the speaker cone. It think it is on the opposite side.

Made in OO-SA.

One removed door panel. The plastics were pretty high quality. Nothing broke. The door panel was surprisingly heavy also.

Stickers just for my records or curiosity. If this car was hit on the side, this was a NOS door panel as it looks to have been made before the car was.

Apparently this is a GMX-295 platform. It would be hilarious if the X was for "Crossover." Actually I think the SRX was GMT-265 so maybe this is something else...

Ooo, Japan. I think this is the power lock switch (which never gets used - well I guess I do unlock when Adam gets in the car for lunch).

The plug on the door panel.

So I had no idea what this was. It is kind of chalky. It has its own hole to go into the door through. After thinking about it, I THINK it is a zinc anode. That is crazy. Anyone seen this before? Obviously it is to help keep the inside of the door from rusting. I don't believe it is rusting so that's something.

I will continue with disassembly next.

[kevm14]

Inside the door, unmount the plug and disconnect it. This is the handle harness. It has 6 wires. 2 for the antenna, and 2 each for each microswitch (there are two).

This is the manual key lock shaft. I don't know if this just tells the computer the door can be opened, or if it is a mechanical bypass of all the electronics. Never tried it.

Disconnect the antenna plug.

The handle assembly.

Remove the grommet and stick a torx driver through to back out the screw which sandwiches the handle assembly into the lock cylinder cover. That is the retention for the lock cylinder side of the handle.

Remove handle by holding back on the spring and counterweight, pull slightly out, slide back, and the handle comes out with the antenna plug. The antenna is actually integrated into the handle itself.

This is the other fastener holding the handle assembly against the door.

Remove that and carefully finagle the inner handle assembly out of the door.

There are the microswitches. Nice and filthy. They are inline. One triggers about 40% of the way out and the other maybe 75% of the way out. The first one unlocks all the doors or whatever function you have that set to (I think can be pass front only, or nothing, I like to unlock all). The second switch actually pops the door.

Potting material. I will have to dig this out to remove the switches.

The new switches. Outside of the handle it struck me how tiny these are. I guess that's why people kept calling them microswitches.

Next I begin disassembly of the handle to get at the switches. I only had 45 mins to an hour max into it at this point.