# Central locking on NEW 2008 habitation door



## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Has anyone with a new 2008 habitation door to their Auto-trail had any problems.

I have come up to the dealers for some work. Locked the motorhome, so I thought by the central locking fob and cab doors lock ok but NOT THE HABITATION DOOR!!

Have tried every which way from outside the mh, from using the deadlock inside the mh but all to no avail. 

So we cannot lock ourselves in for the night!!!!! How bad is that. What if we were touring abroad.

There is no other way of manually locking the door from inside, HOW RIDICULOUS IS THAT!!! So much for security. We feel very vulnerable and even if we were at home right now the mh would be insecure!!!


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Isn't there a skinny little button you can press down Rita?

There is on ours (which is a Seitz door) though you could be mistaken for not realising what it is. It's very skinny and quite heavily knurled, which makes it look as if it's meant to be turned. It's also quite stiff to press down.

There has to be a manual lock inside the hab door. I'm sure it would be a health and safety requirement.

Regards


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## Chascass (May 10, 2007)

Hi Rita
Have you tried locking the cab door using just the key, to ckeck if the habitation door locks this way. 
The only other thought is to disconnect the neutral form the battery, then reconnect, to see if the alarm reboots.

Charlie


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## seamusog (May 10, 2005)

Rita,there are three buttons on my key,the first two open and close the cab doors but,as you say,not the habitation door,the third button locks and opens the habitation door.If your fob has three buttons then I would say its the same set up as ours.I should say that we have just had an alarm fitted (toad) the fitter had to identify the wire which activated the habitation door central locking and join that into the alarm system,otherwise the habitation door would not lock from the alarm fob,seamus.


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Thanks for the replies.

Zebedee: My habitation door is new on my 2008 model auto-trail cheyenne. the 2007 had a long thin button to press but this one doesn't.

Charlie: I cannot use the cab key as there isn't an outside lock on this new mh only able to use the central locking fob outside or the central locking/deadlock buttons in the cab.

Seamus: Yes my fob has three buttons. Top for unlocking cab, middle for central locking, and bottom for unlocking habitation door (didn't know you could use bottom 3rd button for locking habitation door). 

I have two buttons in the cab for locking and unlocking of doors which when we pressed the lock one did lock ALL doors and same for unlocking when useing the unlocking button.

NOW though neither the fob buttons or the cab buttons will lock the habitation door.

On the habitation door there are two silver levers together, one longer than the other, usually when the door is locked they move inwards and are flush together. We pull the longer lever to open the door when leaving the cab doors locked. (this from the inside).
both of these levers are sticking out a bit (not flush) I have tried pressing each one in, in turn, together or just the small one but nothing seems to work. So much for having a manual option!!


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Seamus,

I have just tried the third button and yes I can see it does lock/unlock only it isn't locking if you know what I mean. I can see the silver levers trying to move but they are not going in properly when trying to lock the door but do come out more when I press to unlock it.

Although I have had an alarm fitted I did not have this tied into the central locking. I prefer to lock the mh and then press the alarm fob. ( It is a strikeback alarm which I find very good, but as it isn't tied into the central locking don't think this can be the cause of the door not locking). It is obviously trying to lock the door when I press the fob.

Another question, as there is only one fob for the central locking. We can use the door key for the habitation door to unlock it if one of us returns without the main fob. However if we want to lock the habitation door then this key doesn't seem to do anything. certainly not lock the door from the outside which is a real pain with only one fob and two people needing to lock and unlock the door. Not always together if ie one comes back to see to the dog. Is this usual on this new door? or is it a fault?

Just hope nobody tries the door tonight!


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## seamusog (May 10, 2005)

Rita,just tried my main key,sorry,got it wrong a little(us guys will never admit to being completely wrong).You are right of course,middle botton operates the central locking,bottom button only UNLOCKS the habitation door   So it looks like you have a problem with the habitation door! But I guess you knew that already. seamus.


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## andynkim (Apr 9, 2007)

Hi Rita
I have just checked with our new 660 and ours locks with middle button of the remote, it also locks with the lock button in the cab, it also locks manually with the locker key in the habitation door lock.
You can also lock the door from the inside by pressing the silver lever to the right of the inside habitation door handle.

Sound like something has broken or come adrift if you can't even lock with the key in the outside lock.

Cheers


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## seamusog (May 10, 2005)

Rita,I can see this getting silly :lol: :lol: My keys are doing exactly the same as yours,so either we both have a central locking problem,or maybe,just maybe,that is the way the system is designed.
I prefere our system where the alarm fob operates the C/L.I tried a strikeback alarm but could not get used to the alarm fob not operating the C/L,besides,eddies place is too far for us to travel to have one fitted,bit more expensive too :roll: :roll: 
If you have your system checked out please let me know if everything is as it should be,seamus.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Rita said:


> I cannot use the cab key as there isn't an outside lock on this new mh only able to use the central locking fob outside or the central locking/deadlock buttons in the cab.


I'm concerned to hear that Rita's new truck, and presumably lots more 2008 models no longer have an exterior keyhole in the habitation door. This means the habitation door cannot be locked manually from either inside or out. This, I presume, is called "progress". :evil: :evil: :evil:

Ours does have a keyhole and a button for inside locking, but I don't like the habitation door being in the central locking circuit, and am thinking of disabling it completely. It's too convenient, and therefore very easy to unlock (_all the doors_) with the key fob when you come in after a pint in the pub, then lock the habitation door manually from the inside when you go to bed . . . forgetting that the cab doors are still unlocked.

I would far rather lock the cab doors on arrival at the site and use the key for the habitation door, knowing that the cab doors are secure because they have remained locked from the start. With only one key fob the second person has no option but to use the key anyway, and it's not much of a hardship!!

Am I a dinosaur, going senile, or do others wish for a bit less sophistication in some things? 8O

Cheers


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## andynkim (Apr 9, 2007)

Hi Guys
As in my previous post I have a new 2008 Cheyenne 660 and I have got an external lock on my habitation door that is keyed alike with the lockers ect.

Andy


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## seamusog (May 10, 2005)

Just tried that Andy,and my van has the same set up,but I can only lock/unlock the habitation door once I have unlocked the cab doors with the key fob! I think I might have to put this whiskey away for now,cannot think straight! seamus.


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## andynkim (Apr 9, 2007)

Hi Seamus
I have just popped out and with the van locked (checked the door and def locked) I can unlock the habitation door manualy with the key and set the alarm off  .
Thats woke the neighbours.

I can also with the van locked and me inside then unlock the habitation door just by pulling the door handle and again setting the alarm off  

Looks like there may be a few door problems here.


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## seamusog (May 10, 2005)

andypenn said:


> Hi Seamus
> I have just popped out and with the van locked (checked the door and def locked) I can unlock the habitation door manualy with the key and set the alarm off  .
> Thats woke the neighbours.
> 
> ...


Dont worry about it Andy,Rita's on the case,once she gets her van checked out we will know where we stand,but wait! I think she got her van from Brownhills! Arrrrrggggg! We're doomed I tells ye,doomed.seamus.


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

andypenn: thanks, I have never from day one been able to lock my habitation door with the locker key, only unlock it.

I haven't been able to lock the habitation door once inside via the silver levers, short, long or both together tried all ways. 

I have only been able to lock it via the central locking fob or via the central locking on the cab side button.

Zebedee I do have an external habitation lock but not on cab doors.

The mh is now at the service station so will see what happens. Seems if andypenn can lock his habitation door with the key then there are others who have problems. i myself would say it makes sense if there is only one fob for central locking that the locker key can UNLOCK AND LOCK the habitation doo. likewise we should be able to do the sam with the silver levers!!

I am concerned when touring if this should happen again as I felt very unsafe last night knowing anyone could open the habitation door. With this new door it isn't very easy to fit any extra locks on it.


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

ps; seamus,

I didn't buy the mh from Brownhills


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

I can report back on my habitation door (new type for 2008 models).

The door is now locking properly and it seems just needed some lubricating and the metal bits on the door frame adjusted a bit.

We now find we can both unlock and lock the habitation door with the key (locker key) as well as use the fob and cab buttons. We can now also push in the Silver lever inside and the door locks (this wasn't possible before)

The technician explained there was a technique for locking this door with a key. before with other doors you turned the key clockwise to lock and back again to pull out the key.

With this NEW door your turn the key clockwise and then pull out the key straight away (no turning back again) and hey presto the door is locked. 

So now we are safe and secure again :wink:


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## 108176 (Nov 8, 2007)

Hi , just rad your letter with interest.
We have had our Chieftan G for about 7 weeks and are still waiting for parts for our door.
It fails to either centrally lock or lock with key.
To make matters worth the bottom latch was failing to catch from the day we collected.
We fed up !!!!!!


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