Mitsubishi Auto Door Lock Disable: Here's How You Can Do It

Despite the many benefits of automatic car door locks, some drivers find them annoying. Fortunately, manufacturers like Mitsubishi allow you to disable the auto door lock feature. 

To disable the Mitsubishi auto door lock, press the lock button on the driver's armrest. Hold down on the button till you hear the lock engage and release. Then release the lock button and take the car for a test drive.

In general, disabling your car's automatic lock depends on the make and specific model. For some brands, the methods of deactivating the auto lock vary according to the model. Hence, it's better to consult your owner's manual for answers.

Let's get into everything you should know about disabling the automatic door lock on your Mitsubishi car.

How Does an Automatic Car Door Lock System Work?

Safety is a major concern for car owners. Whether it's safety from road accidents or theft, drivers need assurance of their safety. For this reason, numerous car features are geared toward security.

The automatic car door lock system is one such feature. Before auto door locks came about, drivers had to manually open and lock their cars all the time. With an auto lock system, drivers can now lock or unlock all doors including the tailgate through a button.

The automatic lock system works with sensors and the car's electronic control unit (ECU). Some people might ask; "what exactly is the point of the automatic lock system?". Well, the entire point is to secure car passengers and increase convenience.

For instance, a driver could forget to lock their doors while in traffic. Drivers always get advice to lock their cars whenever they're inside. Still, mistakes happen and the driver could leave their car doors unlocked.

In this type of situation, the automatic lock system sends signals to all the doors. If the doors are open, the system shuts the door automatically. An unlocked car door means that a carjacker can easily attack your car. 

Also, unlocked car doors can pose a safety risk for children. The auto-lock prevents children from leaving the car while the car is not in park mode. For this system to work, some cars use an auto lock on speed while others just automatically lock when the car is in shift mode.

Different Types of Auto Lock Systems

There are two types of car door auto lock systems. These systems serve the same purpose but their mode of operation are different. The main types of auto lock systems are;

1) Auto Lock by Speed / Speed Lock:

In this system, the manufacturer specifies a maximum speed. Once the vehicle surpasses the set speed, all the doors automatically lock up. Some drivers refer to this as speed-sensing doors.

Car brands like Mitsubishi, Nissan, Suzuki, Toyota, and Mazda make use of the speed lock system.

In the event of a fatal accident where the airbags release, the car will automatically unlock. Also, the system will auto-unlock if the driver does hard braking.

2) Auto Lock By Shift

Here, the vehicle automatically locks when you shift the gear outside P (park). To unlock the doors, you have to shift the gear to park. Depending on the manufacturer, there can be other ways to automatically unlock the car in case of an emergency.

For example, some cars with auto lock by shift will unlock if the car gets hit. 

While these systems usually come with cars, you can purchase and install a speed lock mechanism in your car. Some car models also have both a speed lock and an auto lock-by-shift system available. Most times, none of the auto lock features are default, so you have to choose and enable one.

What Are The Benefits of Auto Lock?

Like every other feature in vehicles, the auto lock has many benefits. The safety feature is the manufacturers' response to theft and accidents. Here are some benefits of auto locks;

1) It Reduces The Chances Of Accidents

Collisions between open car doors and other vehicles account for a sizable amount of road accidents. With automatic locks, the chances of such collisions happening reduce considerably.

Also, it's relatively safer to drive with locked doors. When cars crash, the doors can either jam shut or fly open. Of course, if the doors fly open, it means less protection for both the driver and passengers.

Driving with locked doors ensures that the passengers don't fly out of the doors. If a rollover occurs, locked doors absorb some of the impact. In other words, auto locks serve as an extra layer of security.

2) It Improves Child Safety

While carrying children in your car, you need to make sure you're using the right restraint. There are also car accessories and features for the sole purpose of keeping children safe in cars. 

Besides protecting the car from theft, auto lock helps to improve child safety. While the car is moving on the road, the auto lock stops children from opening the doors.

What Are The Downsides Of Auto Locks?

Like every other innovation, auto locks have both advantages and disadvantages. Some downsides of automatic car locks are;

1) It Is Inconvenient

Amongst all the complaints about auto locks, this one seems the loudest. While some drivers love auto locks, others find the feature inconvenient and annoying. You might be wondering why some drivers would find a safety feature annoying.

Well, picture this scenario. Imagine you're driving and then you stop to pick up a passenger. For the passenger to get in, you'd have to manually unlock the car or shift the gear to park. 

Now, this might sound like a little issue, but many drivers find it frustrating. Some drivers even try to disable the auto lock, so that they don't have to deal with the inconvenience.

2) It Can Complicate Matters In An Accident

Earlier, I mentioned that auto locks relatively reduce the chances of road accidents. At the same time, they could also complicate matters.

Most modern cars with auto locks will unlock the doors if the airbags release in an accident. However, not all accidents cause the airbags to come out. In cases like this, the doors might automatically unlock.

Worse still, the driver might be unresponsive and medics won't be able to help immediately because the doors are locked.

Can I Disable My Mitsubishi Auto Door Lock?

Yes, you can disable your Mitsubishi auto door lock. In some Mitsubishi models, the auto door lock is not default. Though, you can enable the feature by using the ETACS decoder.

The Electronic Time and Alarm Control System (ETACS) is Mitsubishi's unique technology. As the name suggests, the ETACS system controls the electric parts of the vehicle. Through an ETACS decoder, you can set up your Mitsubishi auto lock.

There are multiple solutions if you want to disable the auto lock. Similarly to other manufacturers, Mitsubishi offers a way to disable the auto door lock. Deactivating the auto lock doesn't have a negative effect on the car.

However, you should be aware that the auto door lock is a safety feature. When you disable the system, you'll lose the benefits that come with the feature. Disabling your car's auto-lock will make the vehicle more vulnerable to carjacking and theft.

Also, you need to realize that cars are complex and different. The methods for deactivating the auto lock differ between car brands and models.

How to Disable A Mitsubishi Auto Door Lock

To disable a Mitsubishi auto door lock, you can go through some of the methods listed below.

1) Method 1

• Turn on the vehicle's ignition
• Press the unlock button on the driver's door three times.
• Next, turn off the ignition.
• Repeat the second step and press the unlock button three times.
• Turn the ignition on again and then listen for a beep sound.
• Press the unlock button three times and press the lock button.
• Finally, take the car for a test drive and check if everything is in order.

2) Method 2

• Press down on the lock button at the driver's armrest.
• Hold down on the button till you hear the lock engage and then disengage.
• Next, test drive your car.

3) Consult Your Car's Owner's Manual

Since the methods vary according to car model, you're better off consulting the manual. Simply go through the table of content and find the area for auto door locks.

After finding this area, read through it and find information on how to disable the system. 

4) Use A Diagnostic Tool

You can try using a diagnostic tool to disable the auto lock. If you don't have a diagnostic tool, you can get a quality OBD scanner. For this to work, you connect the car and scanner via an OBD port.

There are third-party brands that sell OBD scanners for about $20 and more. If you don't know how to use a diagnostic tool like the OBD scanner, I'll suggest that you seek professional help.

5) Visit Your Local Dealership

To get the best and quick results, visit your local dealership. At the dealership, a professional will work on your vehicle and use a diagnostic tool to disable the auto lock.

For tasks like this, dealerships can charge a fee of around $100 or more. The price mostly depends on your location.