Hi Guys and Gals... Here's my issue: Parked car w/no problems. Went to open the next day and the lights flash when I push the buttons on the FOB, but nothing unlocks. I manually unlocked driver's door with my key and noticed a flashing RED light on the TOW button meaning that "something" is activated. That will NOT deactivate by pushing the rocker switch, and using the fobs doesn't change it either. I can start and move the car, but cannot open the trunk or the FUEL DOOR (so I can refuel my vehicle!). Anyone have an idea of what's going on? Again... lights flash when I push buttons on the FOB, so it's transmitting, but nothing is unlocking on the vehicle. 2005 SRT6. Thanks in advance!! BoB

 

Possible water in the right bay under the hatch where the central locking pump module is. A test of this, poke a hole in the right side lower bay rubber grommet (from underneath rear of car slightly behind rear axles). If you find water, that is a major clue to what is wrong. IF there is water (unless it already dried), you will still have to open the hatch for access to check/replace the pump module. There are methods to opening the hatch when the pump will not (or could not) open the hatch involving removal of the license plate lamp assembly (help file listed in the site document collection). Come back after seeing if there is water coming out of that rubber plug, if not you might still have to open that hatch anyway to see if there ever was water in the pump assembly. Good luck!


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Thanks for your response. I have already removed the "brain" from that tub in the back, repaired connectors that rotted off, drilled a drain hole in the bottom and reassembled everything. It "should" be dry, but I've been needing to get back to the 'brain' because I lost my interior lights and the headlamp delay functions a year ago... SOMETHING is going on with the brain in the trunk. I have a complete 2nd brain if I need to replace this one. What is the "module" you're writing of? How can I "ID" it so I can test it? Where might I look on this unit to see what may be causing my other problems? Thanks!!!

 

Hi Bob,
I've had issues with my central locking pump / security system module (CLP/SSM) from a plugged drain and it sitting in water for many weeks. My symptoms were quick battery drain, stalling, and intermittent FOB operation. This may not apply to your situation, but this was my experience. I cleaned my CLP, but noticed that some of the pins in the connector had rotted out. Fortunately, there were unused pins in the board connector, so I swapped them with the rotted ones, and my pump has been working for 5 years now. I have two roadster crossfires, an automatic and a manual, so the water in the truck happened to the other one as well. The second CLP electronics survived the water okay, but the motor that drives the pump failed, so I replaced the motor. That didn't turn out as well, so that's my spare. Anyways, there are many ways the CLP can fail, but when you mentioned you repaired the connectors it bought back memories that the pins corroded away - yours may physically still be there, but they may not be electrically connected. Just a guess.
Good Luck
-Jerry

 

Hi Jerry... Yeah, that water issue is VERY common. I keep seeing "pump" for the central locking... are the locks vacuum operated? If so, I always used to hear a little motor (pump?) when I started the car, but haven't heard it lately. I wonder...

 

Another common failure after water in the trunk is corrosion of the electrical plugs and connectors.

 

Indeed, it is, thus in my earlier reply I admitted to "knowing" that something is wrong with the "brain" in the trunk. Though physically 'connected', there may be very low (or NO) voltage flow with poor, corroded, connections. I will be pulling the interior apart (once I get the hatch open) and going into the tub, removing the brain and inspecting closely ALL the connectors/connections to see if I can find, correct, and "seal" everything for the future.

 

Best bet it to buy a good used one with the connectors and replace the entire thing. Mercedese also fits.

 

Hi Bob,
yes, all the locks except on the gear shift assembly and hood are vacuum operated. The yellow lines running from the top of the CLP are vacuum lines. I think the way it works is by using a diaphragm and spring - to lock, a vacuum is generated in a particular line, and a plunger connected to a lever is pulled down opening the lock. When the vacuum is released, the spring pushes the lever back up (it maybe more complicated than that - there could be stable positions on the plunger, door locks have manual overrides, etc..). I think the pump goes on if the vacuum leaks out. You might have a different issue in that a vacuum line may be broken. I don't know which locks are on which vacuum circuits - the service manual might help.
-Jerry

 

Thanks for confirming about the vacuum. Good info.

 

Where did you get the replacement wiring harness and CLP/SSM? Was it from a wrecked car? You didn't change either but tried to FIX THEM? THere is your problem. You need the items from a junked car, you cannot fix water damage to the CLP/SSM or its' harness.

All CLP/SSMs are the same, but the wiring harnesses are NOT the same. Tthe harness has to come from a Coupe or Roadster in the case you have a Coupe or a Roadster in case you have a Roadster. THere is an extra wire in the Roadster harness, the lock airline plumbing is the same, cept you have an extra airline for the console door in the Roadster, but this is tapped off the (I think) driver's door air line.

The reason they call it the "Central locking pump/security system module" is because it has the air pump to operate the door (driver, passenger, fuel) and trunk lock as well as the console door lock in the Roadsters; it also has the brains of the security system.

MORE INFO:
When you press the FOB, it talks to the SKREEM which flashes the turn signals. The SKREEM then tells the BCM to tell the CLP/SSM to lock or unlock. The CLP/SSM also flashes the fog lights/tail lights and operates the alarm siren. Your FOB is OK because the turn signals flash, your CLP/SSM is the problem.

When you press the button on the switch panel, it tells the BCM to tell the CLP/SSM to lock or unlock. Again, your CLP/SSM is the problem.

If water seeped down the wires enough to "rot the connectors off" it then traveled into the CLP/SSM and ruined the circuit boards. Again, your CLP/SSM is the problem.

SHould I repeat myself again or did I make my point?

I have lost count of the number of cars I've fixed with this problem, water leaking in there is a real threat to all cars cept mine, cause mine sits in the garage, period.

 

I think I get your "point". I was thinking on the way home in THIS car (it still drives fine) that I really ought to swap out this CLP/SSM unit (which I refer to as "the brain") with the one I got from down south. My 1st repair was splicing in a large replacement connector since the females in it were ruined, while the males were salvageable on the other end. Everything worked fine for a while--perhaps a year or so, and then my h/lamp delay ceased to operate and I lost all my interior lights... I started "dreaming" of disassembling that trunk area again (UGH!). Now I stopped hearing the little motor running when I 1st fire up the car (Pump??) so THAT may be the real issue. Are these little pumps available separately? Chrysler? Mercedes? Also, why is the RED light blinking (signaling "engaged") for the "TOW" button, and why can't I shut it off at the rocker switch? That has me a bit worried too. I'll be feeding back here what I eventually find out. For now, I am away again on Southern Baptist Disaster Relief down near Cape Cod where a tornado touched down a week ago, so it'll be a few days before I can get to looking into this. I am SO thankful for ALL the kind words and GOOD INFO shared here (as usual), and really appreciate this FORUM!!

 

The blinking light tells you the anti-theft systems is armed. Before taking things apart you might try disconnecting the battery for 20 seconds and then reconnect. Hopefully the theft system will reset. That's a lot easier than opening the hatch through the license plate light hole. It may not work, but give it a try. You do need to replace the CLP/SSM! The siren located under the windshield plastic cowl also should be disconnected or replaced with new.

 

Since 1983, I've seen this SO MANY TIMES: You are having weird issues, all related to the security system, because you never fixed the initial problem.

Wrong. NONE of those pins are usable. EVEN IF the CLP/SSM was not ruined (it was), you cannot clean those pins.
Because cleaning the pins does not clean them.

What I mean: You can "clean" the pins all you want to, you are wasting your time. The pins are NOT SOLDERED to the wires, they are CRIMPED. There is no way to clean and remove the corrosion between the pin conductor and the wires - see the arrows below. So, not only did the water seep into the CLP/SSM, the corrosion set into the crimps is also a problem. (The photo is low res, I could not find a good photo.)

You MUST obtain the last 2 or 3 feet of the wiring harness and connect it well "up the line". WHY? Why not just cut the cable off two inches from the CLP/SSM?
Because, as water soaked into the wires, it started to set up corrosion on those wires as well, so, if you try to splice on the new harness, you run the risk of "splicing" or "crimping" onto wires so corroded, you have handicapped yourself.

From 1983 to 2011, component-level electronics, often in automotive settings, is how I earned a living. I've seen what techniques work and what techniques do not work. Your only path now, is to replace the CLP/SSM AND the last 2-3 feet of wiring harness - far enough up, that it is beyond where the water got on the wires, and soaked in. Do that, and the car will be the source of joy you want it to be.

I've seen this on four Roadsters since 2009, the story is the same. (While Ive heard of this happening DOZENS of time, I fixed four cars myself, the story is the same every time.)

And keep in mind, the security system, locks, lights, alarm, wing, both trunk locks (the pneumatic and electric), rear window heating element and door windows are all operated by the CLP/SSM or are operated by the BCM in co-operation with the CLP/SSM. You can have all sorts of WEIRD issues with the car that SEEM like are caused by other items, but are unfix able, because the issue is in the CLP/SSM - which no one ever suspects.

In all the help I've given people on electrical issues (Im not a mechanic, you do not want me fixing your brakes), I seldom will make a 100% certain statement, but I will now: Replacement of the CLP/SSM and wiring harness leading up to it will fix it all: All these security-system related issues will end - provided the CLP/SSM you get is not also water damaged. Yes, that is a risk. SO MANY of them get wet....

 

Okay, I fully understand what you're writing regarding water wicking up the copper inside the insulation, and yes, when I spliced in the new connector, I included a foot or so of the wiring attached to the connector, and soldered it in. Perhaps I didn't go far enough? I saw no green corrosion when I stripped the wiring. Anyway, I also just tried the battery trick... sigh. No good, but now the lights are flashing that emergency stuff (no siren yet? Perhaps that is fried too?) so I've disconnected the battery until I get to the bottom of this issue. I watched the U-Tube video on removing the LEFT side license plate lamp and pushing the lock mechanism open. So, I've got the lens w/bulb off, but the black plastic "socket" with the bulb connectors won't budge from that hole, thus I have NO access yet to the locking mechanism. I don't wish to break this lamp's body, so what am I doing wrong? I've pried a bit with a small flat blade screwdriver but it seems very solid. Is this just "stuck"? Again, I don't want to break anything because I didn't ask questions. Thanks for ALL of you much appreciated inputs. BoB

 

There are two ways to open the trunk in a Roadster thru a tag light:

Left side tag light: Use a j hook to snag the emergency release and pop the trunk.
Right side tag light: Use a flat blade to move the cam and pop the trunk.

I BELIEVE that the only way to open the hatch in a coupe like this is thru the right hole as described.

 

Okay... I tried again and the lamp's base DID come out... with both tabs now broken. I'm not sure it would have come out intact from the bottom like this anyway, so there's ONE replacement part I'll need (sigh). Got the trunk open and now am "disassembling" the rear panels that will allow me access to removing the styro-foam shields over the "CLP/SSM"... "Step by step... INCH by inch..."

 

I've got the Coupe, and not a Roadster model, so I was able to pop it open from the LEFT side tag light. Sadly, these are "pop and lock" type lamps and both tabs snapped off so I'll have to replace that little lamp (and buy an extra just in case!).

 

Gotta be age getting us. I know in my three Roadsters, I can pop the light assembly out without harming them. But I've never owned a coupe.

 

Here's the update. I got the old "CLP/SSM" out and replaced it with the used one I got a few years ago. There is NO evidence of any water having been on this unit... all connectors have shiny copper showing--no discoloration or "green" at all. Plastic has NO sign of water, nor does the foam around it. So, I plugged everything in, and as usual... NOPE... the little vacuum motor is not operating, thus I can't LOCK or UNlock the doors. Lights flash with the FOB, but nothing else happens... sigh. The blinking red light is now off, so that is good (I think), but that little electric motor isn't running, and I would have thought it would immediately after powering it up by connecting the battery again. I've started the vehicle and tried the lock/unlock with NO movements, then shut the car off and tried with NO movements. I did notice that I can 'hear' what sounds like a solenoid operating when I push the "lock" button on the dash, but that's probably the electric lock for the fuel cap? Sigh... great cars when they work, but...