Esprit S4 remote central locking project

[tomcattom]

I've been wanting to try and retrofit central locking to my Esprit for a while, but rather than using an aftermarket alarm I wanted to do it in an OE manner with Vauxhall sourced parts since that is what the current alarm is based on; specifially the mk2 Cavalier, or Vectra A to those on the continent.

Over the past few months in my spare time I've been researching the period Vauxhall forums and consulting various wiring diagrams to work out what would be required to make this work. Breaking it down to its simplest it seems that remote CDL is plug and play, you should be able to just replace the CDL module in the passenger footwell with the right one from a Vectra B and away you go. However in doing this you do not get the deadlocking capability operable from the remotes which requires replacement of the driver's CDL actuator with one from the passenger side and some wiring alterations to make the CDL module talk to the alarm module, which is a separate unit on the Esprit. Now all this is just information based on research at this stage and rather than muddy my main project thread I'm going to keep all the research and progress on this project in this separate thread for the benefit of others.

To kick the project off I needed to buy some hardware, specifically the CDL module (with both the 12 and 28-pin loom connectors included for deadlocking) and some remotes. It seems that the Vectra B, which is the source of all the necessary parts used a number of different CDL modules throughout production, primarily Kiekert and Megamos manufactured units. The difference appears to be that the Megamos units integrates the alarm functionality, whereas the Kiekert unit has a separate alarm module. It looks like you could use either unit, but I decided that the Kiekert type unit would be easier to work with because the Esprit already has separate CDL and alarm modules too. The module I selected has the GM part number 90 564 349 and the alpha code "CG". The units on their own are reasonably easy to come by online, but I had real trouble finding one that came with any paired remotes. Luckily for me it turns out my trusty Omiscan code reader can program said remotes so I ended up buying a CDL unit and remotes separately. I also bought a 16-pin OBD2 extension loom for a tenner from Amazon to chop up and use to interface with my Omiscan to program the remotes.

These are all the parts I bought.

 

Before going anywhere near the car I needed to create a loom to connect everything up on the bench to check I could program the remotes - there isn't much point pugging in the remote CDL unit into the car if the remotes don't work or couldn't be programmed. To do this you need to connect the diagnortic K-line signal wire (pin 3) on the female OBD connector to pin 21 on the 28-pin connector on the Kiekert unit. OBD2 scanners draw power from the OBD port so you need to connect pin 16 to 12V and pins 4 and 5 to ground on the OBD2 connector. This is the loom when I finighed making it up.

 

The CDL unit itself also needs power to program it, this is done by connecting pins 3 and 9 to 12V and pin 11 to ground on the smaller 12-pin connector of the CDL unit. You could do this by plugging it into the car, but I made up this small power lead to connect up to my benchtop power supply for ease.

 

And once everything was hooked up I had this mess of wires

 

I selected the 1996 Vectra B option from the Omiscan vehicale selection menus and proceded to delete the previously learnt remotes and program the new virgin remotes I bought. A word of warning, if you buy the unit and remotes separately make sure you buy the correct remotes. There are three different types that outwardly look identical but all have different innards, so you need to make sure you get Kiekert compatible remotes.

This screen shows that two remotes are already programmed to the unit but are out of range (1).

 

After wiping all remote slots now show empty on the code reader (0).

 

Then I selected two remotes to program in and followed the onscreen steps to code them to the unit.

 

And both now showing as programmed and in range (2).

 

Here is a short video showing the Omiscan in monitoring mode to check the remotes are functioning correctly.

 

The next step now will be to swap out the existing key-only CDL module on the Esprit and plug this unit in to see if the remote CDL works as expected, minus deadlocking. If that hurdle passes I'll move onto enabling the deadlocking features.

[JimmytheTurbo]

I have central locking in my 1985 TE fricken nightmare. Will lock its self with the keys inside sometimes. I plan to remove the actuators. Just hate it. Seems to complicate an easy thing.

[tomcattom]

Don't know much about the 85 TE. The S4 comes factory fit with key operated central locking and I'm not aware its known to cause any problems, mine certainly works fine. I'm just converting it to remote operated central locking instead.

[Chillidoggy]

My S4s has remote central locking, so presumably that is an aftermarket fit?

[tomcattom]

I guess so @Chillidoggy. There is only one part number (A082M6529F) for the CDL controller listed in the parts list I have and the picture of it matches the GM controller module for key operated CDL only, which has the 12-pin connector and what I currently have installed in my car.

The remote CDL module has the same 12-pin connector and an additional 28-pin connector for a whole bunch of other features I plan to explore if/when I get remote locking working.

[jonwat]

16 hours ago, Chillidoggy said:

My S4s has remote central locking, so presumably that is an aftermarket fit?

My '95 S4s had factory fitted central locking & I had a remote option professionally fitted to it.

[tomcattom]

I had planned to try the new remote CDL unit last night, but the car had other ideas. Battery has gone flat despite being connected to the trickle charger; it was showing a bad battery light on the unit. It's charging again now, so hopefully it will allow me to get it out the garage later today to try and fit the unit.

While I couldn't access the unit to remove it last night, I was able to shove my phone up under the dashboard and get a photo of the unit that will be replaced. It's buried deep in the passenger footwell on the inside of the front bulkhead. It's going to be an utter sod to get at and unplug I fear. I don't think I'll be removing the old unit because I don't think there is room to place the new unit in that space, so I may need to relocate it, but there does appear to be some slack in the loom to place the new one elsewhere at least.

[tomcattom]

Battery all charged again so back on with the CDL project. Contrary to what I thought, disconnecting the loom from the existing CDL module in the footwell without removing it wasn't difficult at all. Ten minutes after starting the replacement remote CDL module was connected, albeit just hanging in the footwell for now.

 

With that done I was able to do the initial test and the locking worked perfectly. Here is a quick video of it in action

 

 

As expected the deadlocking doesn't work with the remote, so further work to be done there, but I can still use the deadlocking with the key if required, so I've not totally lost the ability. Enabling deadlocking will be the topic of the next update, when I have time to strip the door down and worked out what and how to patch the new CDL module into the existing wiring.

Now that I know the remote locking works I'll get a key blank cut for the car to clip onto the remote. Unfortunately the blades supplied with the remotes I bought are the wrong type, so hopefully my local locksmith has some, otherwise it'll be back onto ebay.

[Giniw]

On 08/06/2023 at 09:26, jonwat said:

My '95 S4s had factory fitted central locking & I had a remote option professionally fitted to it.

Yes as far as I know central locking was standard, and later they introduced a remote control on the V8 (and possibly the GT3?)

[tomcattom]

Tried to test the deadlocking capability of the new remote CDL unit. A combination of my own research in the wiring diagrams and some online research suggests I just need to connect pin 10 on the larger 28-pin connector on the Kiekert CDL unit to pin 20 on the existing alarm controller unit on the back of the glovebox, but it didn't seem to have any effect. Upon further inspection it appear the alarm isn't working correctly on my car to start with, so I need to fix that before I can progress this again.

The alarm has power and the cabin telltale lamp up on the passenger B-pillar works, but it doesn't flash as expected when the alarm is armed and the passenger door isn't deadlocking. Only thing that has occurred to me since I got in from the garage is that the trunk lamps are currently disconnected and they are linked to the alarm, so I'm going to try and reconnect them on the hope that the alarm works again 🤞.

In other news I bought an AliExpress special flip key conversion fob for the CDL system.

The fob is pretty good quality but the supplied screws are hopeless, so I have plans to improve that. I also need to source a 14mm decal to go on the back.

[tomcattom]

Reconnecting the trunk lights didn't change anything, the alarm still won't arm. Next candidate is to check the switch and wiring from the driver's door that should enable the OE alarm.

While I was out in the garage I inadvertently made the discovery that the total closure feature of the new module works, but only from the key and not the fob. If you hold the key in the lock position it will trigger the windows to close until you release the key. I was planning to investigate this feature of the module once I'd got the alarm and deadlocking sussed, hopefully I can sort the fob operation easily enough now that the wiring appears to support that feature for the most part 😁

[tomcattom]

Done some further diagnostics today on the Alarm ECU and there are no faults there when I bridged pin 5 to ground on the alarm ALDL connector; so it's looking more and more like the door switch is the likely culprit for the alarm not arming at all. Next step is to take the drivers door card off and check the switch and continuity from it back to the alarm controller, which will be easier said than done because some PO has mullered the head of one of the two door card screws 😧

Also turns our the discovery of the total closure feature to close the windows using the key exists on the standard CDL unit (I clearly missed that in the handbook when I read it five years ago). So that's not a new feature of the remote unit, but at least it still works with the key on the new unit. Will still be a separate task to try and patch that feature into the remote locking at a later date.

[Clarky5150]

Top work Tom, just caught up on this. As an electrical numbskull myself i may be wrong but are you saying that you didn't have to touch any wiring on the car itself and the only programming required was to the module due to no remotes being paired?

[tomcattom]

You're sort of correct @Clarky5150. If you just swap the OE CDL unit with a Vectra B remote CDL unit I used, no other wiring is required to get the remote locking feature working, subject to having paired remotes supplied with the unit. But if you do only that you will still have to deadlock and arm the alarm with the key as before.

My plan is to get the deadlocking/alarm working with the remote through extra wiring and CDL motor changes, but I'm still to get the alarm working properly on my car without the new unit in the first place yet. I've not had time to tinker lately, but I will get back to it and update again as I go when time allows.

[Clarky5150]

10 hours ago, tomcattom said:

You're sort of correct @Clarky5150. If you just swap the OE CDL unit with a Vectra B remote CDL unit I used, no other wiring is required to get the remote locking feature working, subject to having paired remotes supplied with the unit. But if you do only that you will still have to deadlock and arm the alarm with the key as before.

My plan is to get the deadlocking/alarm working with the remote through extra wiring and CDL motor changes, but I'm still to get the alarm working properly on my car without the new unit in the first place yet. I've not had time to tinker lately, but I will get back to it and update again as I go when time allows.

I have an aftermarket alarm as the original one was tampered with many years ago. I could never figure how to splice into the loom to get the doors to activate properly due to the back to front nature of the fiberglass car system so left it on the key.

I did buy an alarm system from a UK company called Hawk for one of my M100 Elans which came with full schematics for the specific car and that worked a treat.

[tomcattom]

I don't think my alarm is completely dead @Clarky5150, or at least I hope not. I can run diagnostics on it and it comes back okay, I just can't activate it with the key.

Most likely candidate is the switch on the driver's door handle that activates ilthe alarm. From reading the period Vauxhall forums it seems that switch failures are not unheard of. It's also quite common for the little metal clip that holds the switch to the handle to break/fall off leaving the switch dangling inside the door. So my next port of call is to poke about inside the drivers door, which I need to do ultimately to get the alarm to work with the remote.

[Clarky5150]

It would be a good place to start. I have door card duties in the coming days as the 2 week = 18 month engine refresh period has not blessed the passenger window with movement. To get the factory alarm working with a flip key would be a great upgrade. i had genuinely forgot while doing the engine that i had to use the key to lock the door.