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Getting at the Central Locking ECU

964 views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  Janiap 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi Guys - its been a while since Ive been on....but was wondering if anyone knows how to take off the round clips that holds the trim under the drivers side dash. I.e. where the vents are? I am trying to get at the Central Locking ECU but don't want to break all the clips to do it.
Is there a way of dong or do I have to break them and replace them???
Its a Saab 9000 Aero auto 1996!!
BTW the main reason why I am doing it is that my central locking is intermittent. The indicators flash when I hit the remote.....but sometimes the central locking doesn't work. Also when i am persistant with pressing the button it works again!!! Any ideas on that as well whilst I am posting. Has anyone else had the same problem????
Many thanks
Jon:roll:
 
#2 ·
Posted by janiap:The indicators flash when I hit the remote.....but sometimes the central locking doesn't work. Also when i am persistant with pressing the button it works again!!! Any ideas on that..
I think you are dead right - double-check to make sure that the controller is indeed on the driver's side before you begin!
In many cases, it's just a case of re-melting the solder at the connections on the board (I once saw a write-up of how to go about it, but can't remember where).

Personally, I was so fed up with the problem that I got a new controller board, and everything has worked perfectly ever since.
 
#4 ·
Have to admit that the controller was so expensive that I got my Saab mechanic to do it. Whenever this happens, I usually watch carefully and note the procedure so that next time.... but on this occasion, I wasn't there.

I do know, however, that the mechanic wasn't sure which side to open, and first opened up the passenger side in error. Big mess, had to repack some cladding and replace a few studs afterwards. Apparently, the driver's side was much easier, and also correct! There was no mention of having to break any retaining clips on that side.

Of course, my car is LH drive, and I don't even know if the controller is located on the left of the car (as you look forward) or always on the driver side. Hopefully, someone else on this forum can supply that info.
 
#5 ·
I am trying to track down a similar problem with my central locking, and am therefore confronted with those very annoying fasteners. I have yet to find a reliable technique for removing them with out breaking them. One person on another forum insisted that they were easy to remove by pushing in on the "plunger" in the center of the fastener about 1/8" I was able to remove on fastener that way but two others broke. Just yesterday, I asked a fairly knowledgeable parts guy at a Saab dealership how to remove them. He didn't have any good ideas. I am now on the lookout for easy to reuse replacements. I will post if I find something
 
#6 ·
Janiap said:
Hi Robin
Many thanks for replying - but do i have to break all the black retaining clips for the trim/foam to get to the ecu or is there a more intelligent way of freeing/undoing them????
Thanks again
Jon
I think it should be possible to push the pin into the clip from outside, this way the part that goes through the hole can collapse and get out. But in my car I just usually pull them out, they usually come out with minimal effort.

X2 about the resoldering on the circuit board of the controller. I had exactly the same symptom in my '96 aero and solved it that way.
The controller is definately in the driver side in LHD cars. Not sure on RHD ones, but I would guess that it's on the opposite side of the fuse box and relay tray (which are on passenger side in LHD cars).
 
#7 ·
Some of those retainers can be sourced from Dorman / Motormite. I found some similar by measuring my old ones' and looking at listings and matching at the part store. Luckily for me I have an Autozone, Advance Auto, O'reilly, and a Car Quest less than a mile from my home, NAPA is 3 miles. So if I had a Chevy.........:lol:

Anyway the trim clips might have to be trimmed to use them but should work. The original one's that I have on my car won't hold anymore so I will have to up size them a bit and trim the outer round part to size. Hope this is slightly helpful.....John
 
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