I have a 1997 explorer sport. I can get out lock the doors and as I am walking away, it will unlock it self. Also I have noticed when looking out the window at it at night that the interior lights will go on as if I was unlocking the vehicle.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

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I have even noted when I get into the truck in the morning, sometimes it continues to try and unlock it self when it is already unlocked. I know that the little security light in the dash does not come on anymore when I lock it. <o:p></o:p>

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Has any one ever replaced the Remote Anti-theft Personality (RAP) modual?<o:p></o:p>

Is this the black box in the left rear fender with my door code on it?<o:p></o:p>

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Any ideas? <o:p></o:p>

 

I also wanted to add the the vehicle still locks the doors after I get in and put it in gear. At that point, while driving, it does not try to unlock the doors until I put it in park.

 

The interior lights being on is a sure sign that your vehicle continues to unlock itself. Have you taken note of the outside temperature when this occurs?

It's below 30f, isn't it?

I wasn't able to fully test the components on my explorer, there have been other fires burning.

Last week, I had a lenghty conversation and a short one. The lengthy one entailed my trying to get information out of a service manager at my local ford *******ship. He acted like I was crazy and he'd never heard of thsi before.

During this call, he addressed one of his mechanics by name. Later I called back and asked for that guy pretending to be a regular customer. That guy said two things. Yes- it is a well known problem. And YES, it is the control unit in the rear of the vehicle.

Replacement to the tune of $182 for the part and 45 minutes of my time.

Can't wait til it gets cold again.

 

You know it has been only since september, I did take the time to pull that entire left inside panel off on Friday to look for bad wiring, and I ended up disconecting one of the plugs that goes into the (Rap) module. The Ford key fob and the outside door entery does not function, niether does the automatic locking of the doors when I put it in gear. But the vehicle has stayed locked for the last three days. I have a after market alarm system (Viper) which I have not been able to use for several months due to the vehicle unlocking it self and setting it off, the remote for that and the inside door swiches still lock and unlock the doors.

 

Rap module...
Yes, that's what it was. If you figure out which lead sends the unlock signal, attach a meter and stick it in the freezer. You'll see what I mean.

I'd just keep using the alarm if I was you. The only issue there is the damned security light staying on all of the time. It might not, but it could.

Good luck.

 

I almost forgot. Look forward to reprogramming the key pad and your key fobs. They said I shouldn't have to, but the vehicle lost the programming. I'm not sure where it's kept, but I'd love to know. I think there's a thread somewhere here on how to program fob and vehicle to recognize each other. If not, I have a friend who gave it to me a while ago. Scanning it in and posting it won't be a problem after I get permission from the moderators of the board.

Either way, let me know if you need it.

 

I read everyone's posts and i disconnected the RAP module in the rear left trunk panel. i wanted to make sure this is the culprit. A few times a week the doors still unlock themselves... (though not nearly as often as it did with the RAP module connected.) If i replace the RAP module with a new unit will this problem stop 100%?? Money is real tight. need to make sure i am replacing/fixing the right thing? Thanks for any advice or suggestions...

 

Has anything worked?! I have a similar problem where my locks lock/unlock when I start/stop my engine. They do it repeatedly until it sounds like the locking motor dies. I have only noticed my light turn on once while I walked away, it was pretty creepy. My problem started when I cleaned the terminals one battery. Before that, I had no problems. Please help. I bought the car used and it is rather defeating to have this annoying issue pop up after everything else I have already had to replace/fix?

 

Since this issue started after you cleaned the battery terminals, I'd start there. Are you certain that you got the battery clamps tight when you reinstalled? What was the reason you decided to clean the terminals in the first place? Were you having electrical issues or was there stuff growing on them?

-Rod

 

I am very certain that I got the clamps tight enough. I cleaned them because there was corrosion on one of the terminals.I was not having electrical issues before hand.I have also already tried to take off the battery connections and put them back on.

 

Apparently it was the one thing that I completely disregarded. It was an old alarm system. For some reason after I cleaned my battery terminal, it must have made a better connection which caused the short/fault in the alarm box itself to cause my locking problem. I disregarded it because I bought the car used and didn't know of any alarm system, cuz I have never had a keyless entry or an alarm system on it. But it was there, not being used, and not working properly. He removed the box and associated wiring and it is no longer doing it. Yay!

 

Congratulations on that find. And thank you for following up with what you found!

-Rod