...i'm doing searches but can't find any info so far...
DIY on replacing door actuator ?
Thread Starter
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 11,243
Likes: 6
From: USA
DIY on replacing door actuator ?
i'm in the process of replacing my bad actuautor on my front passenger door. any diy's on it? do i need to remove the actual door handle in order to get to the 2 hinges that clip to the back of it? any help would be appreciated..
i asked a fellow member how to do this and this is their reply.
You needa a t-30 wrench (star looking socket)
the door lock actuator is the white box with the two cables coming out of it. you do not need to replace any of the door handle mechanisms...as those will never give out. they arent electrical..the door lock acuator is...so to answer your question...yes they are the same thing. You can't just replace the cables...the whole unit has to be replaced. to dis-engage it...as you are saying...is just unplugging it from the wiring harness in the door.
I've never done this my self.
good luck
You needa a t-30 wrench (star looking socket)
the door lock actuator is the white box with the two cables coming out of it. you do not need to replace any of the door handle mechanisms...as those will never give out. they arent electrical..the door lock acuator is...so to answer your question...yes they are the same thing. You can't just replace the cables...the whole unit has to be replaced. to dis-engage it...as you are saying...is just unplugging it from the wiring harness in the door.
I've never done this my self.
good luck
Thread Starter
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 11,243
Likes: 6
From: USA
Originally Posted by corkycal
i asked a fellow member how to do this and this is their reply.
You needa a t-30 wrench (star looking socket)
the door lock actuator is the white box with the two cables coming out of it. you do not need to replace any of the door handle mechanisms...as those will never give out. they arent electrical..the door lock acuator is...so to answer your question...yes they are the same thing. You can't just replace the cables...the whole unit has to be replaced. to dis-engage it...as you are saying...is just unplugging it from the wiring harness in the door.
I've never done this my self.
good luck
You needa a t-30 wrench (star looking socket)
the door lock actuator is the white box with the two cables coming out of it. you do not need to replace any of the door handle mechanisms...as those will never give out. they arent electrical..the door lock acuator is...so to answer your question...yes they are the same thing. You can't just replace the cables...the whole unit has to be replaced. to dis-engage it...as you are saying...is just unplugging it from the wiring harness in the door.
I've never done this my self.
good luck
Thread Starter
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 11,243
Likes: 6
From: USA
thanx again man, after looking a little harder I finally found the trick to do it and i finished it.
for anyone who ever needs to know heres my quick tips. sorry no pics..
1. remove 4 t-30 hex bolts from actuator , 3 are on the side of the door and one small one is on the inside of the door.
2. useing a long 10mm socket wrench remove the 3 10mm bolts that hold the door handle, you'll find the aligning holes for them on the inside of the door
3. remove the 10mm bolt from the window track which is located to the right of the open gap on the inside metal of the door.
4. unplug the 2 plugs which go from the car to the actuator..
5. gently push the door handle and from the other side pull out the door handle, it has two rods which are from the actuator, disconnect those and than you can carefully pull out the actuator. after this just do the opposite and install the new one. honestly with what I know now its a 25 min. job at the most, no need to pay lexus a couple hundreds to do the same...
I can't lie , I went for about a year with a broken actuator and was just manually locking/unlocking the door but than the cable rod's clips broke and the door wouldn't lock at all so after 4 months of this I finnaly gave in and bought a new one. Big thanx again to Alsilverbullet...
for anyone who ever needs to know heres my quick tips. sorry no pics..
1. remove 4 t-30 hex bolts from actuator , 3 are on the side of the door and one small one is on the inside of the door.
2. useing a long 10mm socket wrench remove the 3 10mm bolts that hold the door handle, you'll find the aligning holes for them on the inside of the door
3. remove the 10mm bolt from the window track which is located to the right of the open gap on the inside metal of the door.
4. unplug the 2 plugs which go from the car to the actuator..
5. gently push the door handle and from the other side pull out the door handle, it has two rods which are from the actuator, disconnect those and than you can carefully pull out the actuator. after this just do the opposite and install the new one. honestly with what I know now its a 25 min. job at the most, no need to pay lexus a couple hundreds to do the same...
I can't lie , I went for about a year with a broken actuator and was just manually locking/unlocking the door but than the cable rod's clips broke and the door wouldn't lock at all so after 4 months of this I finnaly gave in and bought a new one. Big thanx again to Alsilverbullet...
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Lexus Champion
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 3,006
Likes: 1
From: New York (NY)
Can you just buy the cable rod clips separately? Mine are all broke on all 4 doors. The doors would open and close but the open/close switch inside my driver's side door won't even budge. I won't even know if it's open or closed!
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,159
Likes: 0
From: California
Originally Posted by rominl
nice info there bluelex, when it comes the time to replace the actuators on my car i will definitely refer to this!
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