Preface = by automatically locking I mean having the doors lock when the vehicle gets moving. I don't need the doors to lock on their own when we leave the vehicle. No problem pressing a button on the remote to accomplish that.

We lost the remote for the Ram van so I fitted an aftermarket RKE unit in parallel with the factory RKE. The aftermarket RKE has a goofy autolock feature that takes a +12V trigger. Energized = lock, unenergized = unlock. I prefer the Caravan factory system that locks the doors at 17mph but doesn't unlock the doors on its own. The Caravan integrated body control module will be hell to retrofit in the Ram.

What can I do to have a similar autolock feature in the Ram? I've been futzing with triggers and relays in my mind but I can't come up with a combination that will energize the trigger wire and keep it energized until the doors are manually unlocked. Positive trigger to lock and unlock, BTW. Ideally it will lock the first time the shifter goes out of park. I should be able to fit a momentary switch along the shift lever path or a switch that's closed only in park.

Ideas?

Thanks,
Sixto

Why don't you just push the lock button after you get in , or didn't you get a OEM remote on ebay for 10 or 20 bucks? Is it really worth the effort to modify your vehicle with homemade or aftermarket stuff that is questionable in operation?

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Question Authority before it Questions you.

The aftermarket RKE unit was sitting in the garage so it's a sunk cost vs a replacement remote. Since it has the automatic locking feature, I'd like to use it. Unfortunately I can't disable the automatic unlocking feature.

To your point, yes, it is more trouble than it's worth Hobbies typically are.

Sixto

I don't have any advice for you, but I do have a question - why you want to do this?

I can't think of a scenario where I want to be locked in my own car. I'm just asking out of curiosity; it seems that every new car I get into lately has a feature like this and I've always wondered what the point of it is... Is it something to do with kids or pets or carjackings? I usually get out the owners manual and try to figure out how to disable the feature because I personally find it super-annoying, but it must be useful to lots of people or it wouldn't be so popular...

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1989 250TD Wagon 5-speed, 160,000mi ::: Dark gray metallic / black cloth
1984 190D-2.2 5-speed, 287,000mi ::: Silver-blue metallic / black MB-tex ::: SOLD

Partially for kids, partially to avoid someone getting into the car. The biggest reason is that we just grew up that way (not in the US). That said, I don't know why it's a popular feature in the US. Fender mounted turn signals are a heck of a lot more useful and those haven't found their way into the mainstream.

Many non-taxi MBs I've been in outside North America have such a feature. In fact an early 80s 280E I rode in Hong Kong had in place of door lock buttons a clear capsule with a red indicator. When the car hit a certain speed, the red indicator would retract within the clear capsule and the outside door handles were disabled. I don't know if the driver could override this feature.

You're not locked in the car because the inside door handles override the lock. Only the front doors in some cars and seemingly not any door in Japanese cars. Some Euro MBs have door lock buttons that retract completely into the door lining such that opening a door unlocks only that door. Only the driver's door handle controls central locking.

It can be disabled in the Caravan.

Sixto

Oh, the aftermarket RKE also has provision to chirp the horn when the doors lock via remote. The factory RKE left us guessing.

We're slaves to convenience... what can I say?

Sixto

I see... If the inside door handles override the lock, that would significantly reduce the annoyance factor of a feature like this.

Thanks for your response!

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1989 250TD Wagon 5-speed, 160,000mi ::: Dark gray metallic / black cloth
1984 190D-2.2 5-speed, 287,000mi ::: Silver-blue metallic / black MB-tex ::: SOLD