nick whitchurch

Central locking problem solved!.. I was getting close to despair but you guys on the forum kept me on the case as you led me through the various things to check. By this morning, I realised that you'd covered most everything so reckoned I was going to have to consider things like the general wiring. But I thought I'd start with the boot hatch (as it wasn't opening) and see if I could do something from the inside. Cut a long story short... I got the inside panel detached enough to shine a light down the middle and to locate, and rock back and forth the white electric contact door switch (see pics). I got out.. tried the key buttons and all was fine again ! But conscious that others may meet the same problem one day I've just added a few extra photos to show how to get in to reach the switch: - the strut panels by the window have to come off first (they are only clicked on.. no screws) - to remove the lower big panel you have to expose and remove two hidden clips (see pic) at the top either side of the panel. - Then remove the handle down the bottom (held in by hidden screws (see pic) - the panel is held to the door by click-on poppers across the door surface. as it turned out, I only needed to detach the pop-on clippers sufficient to access the white rocker switch (see pic) .. and I then found the central locking was happily working again.. as too of course was the boot hatch. I do still have the passenger window switch on the driver's side and the rear windows switches on the driver's side to sort out, but these are only minor issues . So in closing, my very great thanks for all the kind help given.. I'm a rookie with electrics, but I've learned a lot about the systematic methodology of how I must work through the lines of possibility... not to mention the incredible depths of knowledge in this forum! I'm just so glad I'm a part of it now. All the best to you all, Nick

Brilliant ! Thanks so much Gordio21 .. that's so useful to know. All the best, Nick

Well... 'Couple of days up north' for funeral turned out to include the clutch going on the M1, on my 2014 Citroen C4 Picasso (my first and possibly last french car). Far from home meant that took priority.. but at the same time, I tracked down an independent Toyota specialist in Brighton (Grove Garage) in Brighton who used to handle my spacecruiser and previa camper years ago (they had moved premises). So today, while my Picasso was ferried south to 'Mr Clutch Crawley', I dropped my Alphard in to Brighton. Grove Garage are a great lot and spent a good three hours checking what they could... but alas, problem still not traced. (typically, they never like to charge if they can't trace the cause and I had to twist their arm to at least take something). One thing positive.. they had another Alphard come in the same day so they tried swapping over the switches array on the driver's side door. The good panel from the other car came up with the same faults as previous when fitted to my car. The panel from my car worked perfectly well in the other car, with every switch working. So clearly we can conclude that there is nothing wrong with the driver's side switches panel in my car . Conclusions therefore are: - the wires to the switches for the driver's window and the moon roof lock have power and are working (as is the moon roof open/close switch) - there is no power in the wires to the rear window switches and to the driver's side passenger window switch . One new factor to consider: When I got home and turned off the Alphard's engine, a constant quite rapid ticking sound started from somewhere between the passenger side fuse box and to the rear of the passenger side storage cabinet. (video with sound attached plus pic of driver's side switches panel). A half-hour later and the sound still persisted. I had to disconnect the battery for a moment to stop it carrying on. Questions: 1. Would anybody possibly know what that sound could be ? Might it be related to the central locking problem? 2. Now knowing that there is nothing actually wrong with the Driver's side switch panel... does this help narrow down the search area for the loss of central locking? ... and one more thing - my Grove Garage guy added that he still has a gut feeling the central locking problem is to do with some reset procedure that we're missing and if he can discover what it is he'll be in touch. He's a great sincere guy and though I'm still looking for a solution, I can well recommend them to any Toyota owners out there. 2. Now knowing that there is nothing actually wrong with the Driver's side switch panel... does this help narrow down the search area for the loss of central locking? ... and one more thing - my Grove Garage guy added that he still has a gut feeling the central locking problem is to do with some reset procedure that we're missing and if he can discover what it is he'll be in touch. He's a great sincere guy and though I'm still looking for a solution, I can well recommend them to any Toyota owners out there. As before... my sincere thanks to any who feel they can cast further light on my dilemna. Nick Youtube link to sound:

Just a quick apology that I'm away up North at a cousin's funeral, but will be back at the task soon as I return... Many many thanks, Nick

I did try that one earlier on Rojie.. but I've tried it again this morning (now that my battery is sorted) but still no luck. I do feel rather guilty taking advantage of the generous and free advice I'm getting on this wonderful forum. It's not that I'm stingey - if only I knew of a garage or car electrics firm somewhere that knew all about Alphards... but they're about as esay to find as gold dust in a desert 'round here! I'd be only too willing to pay for it all to be sorted - and even prepared to drive long distance if necessary. I've starting to get the feeling it might prove to be something unusual.. foreinstance, at the moment I'm wondering if say one of the doors was not registering as fully closed, would that completely stop the central locking responding to the car key? Oh by the way... if anyone knows a means of somehow getting the rear hatch door open manually do let me know - it would be a great advance... Many thanks Roji.. and Chris... I wish I had a tenth of your Alphard knowledge ! Nick

That's curious.. the lights do not come on when I open the doors (though they work ok when using manual switches) I then took out fuse 12 (the brown 7.5 A one in the earlier pic above of the fusebox) and then the lights didn't work - even on the manual switches. So presumably, that means that fuse is ok and it's something else somewhere. I'd also previously had the 30A doorlock fuse (fuse 11 ) out as well but that was not indicating it to be burnt out. ( I though at first that the fuse was missing its prongs, but when I saw the 7.5A one didn't have them either, I realised that they were simply a different kind of fuse. Will try and find a supply online for those.. although at the moment they don't seem to be the the root cause . So whatever it is, it's affecting several things: - the central locking no working - the boot door not opening - the courtesy lights not coming on when the front doors are opened - the interiod door lock rocker swith on the drivers side doesn't work. The problem hasn't affected: - the power sun roof controls or roof lock - the sliding doors. I now have the evening to ponder my predicament as I've just realised I've left the ignition on and headlamps blazing.. so battery has had to go on charge. (Actually, think I'd best pop down Halfords tomorrow and buy a brand new one - I don't want the problem further obscured by any uncertainty over the battery !)

Hi Chris.. This Dome Fuse really sounds worth checking but don't seem to know where to find it or what it looks like. The references to Dome fuses in my handbook page 286 are just for interior lights (numbers 4 and 12). Is it something quite separate from these uses (or maybe could send a pic of where it is on your Alphard)? I'm wondering if perhaps it's situated somewhere near to the battery.... Thanks so much for your support ! Nick

... and hopefully, fuse 7 may provide the answer to the rear door problem as well....

Good evening Chris.ac.... You're right... I can hardly believe it but there IS a fuse panel.. almost impossible to see and even harder to access ! The only way I could get a look at it was using my mobile phone to take photo's looking up at it from the floor through the gaps in the hose-works. Couldn't even see whether the camera was aligned so just took various snapshots at different angles and then sifted through them and found one good pic among them. I'm really hopeful that it's going to be fuse 11 (pics below). I'm going to hold off till tomorrow morning though... it's starting to get dark and weather's turning bad, so keen as I am, it's not worth my possibly messing things up by rushing at it (especially at my age). I can see it's going to be pretty tricky - I'll have to try long nosed pliers as no way one could reach it with the standard fuse extractor peg. Thanks so much for pinpointing where to look.. It's almost as if the designers were keen for no one to ever find it ! All the best, Nick

Good morning Rojie and Chris.ac, Just managed a moment to go on line and to read through your emails and wanted to immediately say a sincere thank you for the knowledgable advice and clues you've given me to follow up . Can't wait to end the working day so I can get inside my Alphard again and try any make more progress armed with what you've given me (I'm a 70 year old who forgot to retire). Those electrical circuits look really useful Chris (and it translates to english ok). And you're right Rojie.. I've too many curious little grandchildren with well practised fingers who often sit in the back, looking for things to play about with on journeys. This is a rather wonderful site with folk so kind and helpful ! All the best, Nick

More good news.. As mentioned, the offside slide door made a noise for a couple of seconds but didn't open the door, However.. when I then got out the car and tried the door handle manually, it opened ! If only I could get the central locking working again (and the boot to open would be a nice bonus). Time for dinner on a tray while I carry on searching the manual...

Thanks Rojie..I have in the past successfully reset the passenger window after disconnecting battery but doesn't work this time (have just tried again but without success). Also, just noticed the driver's door lock rocker switchdoesn't work (or make any sound). The moon roof seems to be working fine and the driver's rock lock switch for the roof is also fine. Some major good news! I've got the nearside slide door working. There's a little manual slide lock button immediately below the inside handle. I slid it back (so red was showing) then tried the driver's slide door switch and hey presto.. door opening and closing! Then tried the same for the offside slide door but no success. When I try the driver's slide door button the door makes a sound for about 2 seconds then stops. It sounds like it might possibly be trying to open but can't. Can't see any interior means of manually opening the boot and it doesn't have an exterior keyhole. I've attached pictures of the two keys. One of them I had made by a mobile car key company (as the car came with just one key) Going to do as you suggest and read up some more on the door locks. I've been reading page 13 on the security function which gives a list of circumstances when the disabling feature will come into play. The more you read through the list the more it seems like gobelty gouch ! But will persevere. Thanks so much Rojie, Nick

Good morning to everybody, What I thought would be a simple problem on my 2006 Alphard is proving rather more difficult. I came out the other morning to find that the central locking was not working. I've tried both keys - replaced key batteries and tried again - but nothing happens.. no sound at all. I popped down the local village garage (nice guy who's always handled my cars). He hadn't worked on an Alphard before and told me that he'd checked 'any fuses he could find' but hadn't managed to find the answer. So armed with my electrical knowledge (a bare pass in A level phsics at the village school in 1969) and the JPNZ Alphard Owner's Manual, I've been trying to hunt the problem down. And I'm wondering if I'm missing a fuse box somewhere? I've attached pics of those I've found and notice that the passenger side doesn't seem to have an actual panel of fuses... so wondering if there might be a box I've missed? And in the back of my mind, I'm also wondering if it might be something other than a fuse? The only doors with a manual key are the front ones so can't get in the sliding doors or rear hatch door and having to climb over seats. Can't physically open any of them from inside either (the rocker lock switches seem to be dead). Also, the rear windows and passenger-side window work on their local switches, but not from the driver's switches. Sliding roof works fine. (not so worried about the windows at the moment, but mention them in case it might be relevant information for someone far wiser than me. Also if relevant, I did disconnect battery recently when it ran flat and had it for a couple of days on trickle charge). Have also managed to trace online a pic of the wiring layout that corresponds to the vehicle frame number MNH10-0091098. It would be truly fantastic if ayone could actually diagnose my problem... but even if someone can perhaps point me to things I've not considered would be so much appreciated and such a blessing! Many thanks, Nick. (hope the pics help)

Hi to all, Just introducing myself as a new member. I'm Nick... from Steyning, West Sussex. I currently have a 2006 white Alphard. I've previously had a Spacecruiser and a Previa (self-designed camper conversion). Have to say I was impressed with the Alphard right from the start. I've had a couple of Lexus RX300's in the past and the quality, comfort and engine that sounds brand new.. (oh, and the foot handbrake!) all reminded me of those Lexuses. Looking forward to getting to know you all. All the best, Nick.