Trouble with door-locks

[Menophanes]

My 2001 HDI90 saloon has a single key of the transponder (non-remote) type. Some time ago the driver's-door lock stopped working (it will not turn either way), so that I had to rely on the passenger-door lock; this too has had its problems, but until lately a squirt of WD40has always revived it.Within the last few weeks, however, it has needed more and more jiggling and has no longer responded to the usual medicine. Finally, last night, it refused to unlock altogether. I had already established that at a pinch I could crawl into the back seat after releasing one of the sections from inside the boot and folding it down*, and I thought I could then unlock the doors from inside. However, the doors remained stubbornly locked. There seemed to be nothing I could do except drive home (surprisingly the immobiliser did not prevent me from starting up) and hoping that on arrival I would be able to climb out of a window. In the event the doors unlocked themselves spontaneously after about ten minutes, allowing me to exit normally. So far so good. But now I have got a car which cannot be locked, and first indications are that professional help will not be easy to find; Kwik-Fit, for example say that they cannot deal with this problem at all.

Can anyone tell me what parts I should look for? Is there any chance that the existing barrels (and therefore the existing key) can be mated to new lock assemblies? Also, is there any regular procedure for unlocking the car from within?

*Just occasionally there is something to be said for having the physique of a Gollum.

Oliver Mundy.

[peugeot30v6]

Maybe try installing a Key-less entry kit so that you don't have to use the locks manually. Maybe the doors locking by themselves could be a actuator or something that would need replacing. What I would do is get a central locking kit plus key-less entry and install new actuators and control box.

[Menophanes]

Thank you! I must confess that I had no idea that there were such things as aftermarket remote-locking conversions available. I have now ordered a kit. As my electrical knowledge is hopelessly stuck in the 1950s (the era of two-fuse systems, rubber-sheathed bullet-connectors and one-page wiring diagrams), I shall almost certainly have to resort to a garage or an auto-electrical specialist for the actual fitting; nonetheless, I feel much happier than I did yesterday morning.

Oliver Mundy.

[peugeot30v6]

I dont blame you about the electrical work. Peugeots are extreamly complicated, even my garage has trouble!

[Menophanes]

Since I last wrote, another squirt of WD40 has at last found the right spot and the passenger-side lock, which had seemed to be utterly dead, has returned to perfect normality. The conversion kit (£24.95 from Amazon) remains in reserve.

Oliver Mundy.