I go to unlock my CL today with the remote. It yelps like normal, however instead of unlocking the driver door it made a mechanical winding sound. I pressed the unlock button again, and it unlocked (just the driver door). After I hit it a third time, both doors unlocked. Back to normal for the rest of the afternoon.

Later this evening, it started acting up again. It did the same thing as stated above, and this time, when I went to lock it, the lights flashed on and off almost instantaneously, before the yelp (its usually after the yelp). It didn't lock. I pressed the lock button again, and it made the winding sound. Lock button try number 3, it locked. I then unlocked it, both doors, no problem, then I pressed the lock button again and it repeated the process.

Cliffnotes: Weird alarm/locking behavior.
Winding noise replacing actual lock/unlock.
Lights flashing at unusual times.

What could be the problem here, and is there a quick/easy/cheap fix?

Muchos gracias

 

Stock alarm? Sounds like your driver's lock actuator is going bad

 

yes its the stock alarm.