Drivers door lock not working
Thread Starter
Pit Crew
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 228
Likes: 31
From: Georgia
Drivers door lock not working
My drivers door lock has stopped functioning completely. It doesn’t lock via my key fob or the button on the door. It started intermittently malfunctioning a couple of months ago and has now transitioned to complete inoperability.
Googling around suggests a failed locking motor as that appears to common with many models of Lexus and Toyota vehicles. Can anyone confirm if this is the right path for me to pursue? If not, any alternative suggestions?
Googling around suggests a failed locking motor as that appears to common with many models of Lexus and Toyota vehicles. Can anyone confirm if this is the right path for me to pursue? If not, any alternative suggestions?
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 295
Likes: 64
From: Texas
Common Toyota lock actuator malfunction. Get it replaced. Here's what I have done to help insure my Lexus does not have this problem, by putting less stress/less use on these actuators.
1. Turned off auto door lock feature that automatically locks doors at about 5mph or so.
2. Turned off auto lock when leaving car. Almost 1/2 of my destinations are returns to my locked garage at home, so don't need the car locked. Yea, need to use the remote to lock the car everywhere else I go, but I don't mind this hassle knowing the lock mechanism won't be needed when I return home to the garage.
3. 95% of the time, do not have a passenger, so have I do not have the passenger side lock set to lock/unlock whenever the driver's side door is needed.
1. Turned off auto door lock feature that automatically locks doors at about 5mph or so.
2. Turned off auto lock when leaving car. Almost 1/2 of my destinations are returns to my locked garage at home, so don't need the car locked. Yea, need to use the remote to lock the car everywhere else I go, but I don't mind this hassle knowing the lock mechanism won't be needed when I return home to the garage.
3. 95% of the time, do not have a passenger, so have I do not have the passenger side lock set to lock/unlock whenever the driver's side door is needed.
Common Toyota lock actuator malfunction. Get it replaced. Here's what I have done to help insure my Lexus does not have this problem, by putting less stress/less use on these actuators.
1. Turned off auto door lock feature that automatically locks doors at about 5mph or so.
2. Turned off auto lock when leaving car. Almost 1/2 of my destinations are returns to my locked garage at home, so don't need the car locked. Yea, need to use the remote to lock the car everywhere else I go, but I don't mind this hassle knowing the lock mechanism won't be needed when I return home to the garage.
3. 95% of the time, do not have a passenger, so have I do not have the passenger side lock set to lock/unlock whenever the driver's side door is needed.
1. Turned off auto door lock feature that automatically locks doors at about 5mph or so.
2. Turned off auto lock when leaving car. Almost 1/2 of my destinations are returns to my locked garage at home, so don't need the car locked. Yea, need to use the remote to lock the car everywhere else I go, but I don't mind this hassle knowing the lock mechanism won't be needed when I return home to the garage.
3. 95% of the time, do not have a passenger, so have I do not have the passenger side lock set to lock/unlock whenever the driver's side door is needed.
#2 - yes - but I use the switch on the door, not the remote because I have credit card keys
#3 - does nothing to reduce wear on the driver's side which is the one most people care about.
My 1993 Supra still has the original lock actuators and they work just fine with the rather ancient remote. I have 160K miles on my Supra and it's been a daily for a very long time before I bought my IS. My IS is 11 years old and all four doors unlock every time without fail. It has 170k miles on the odometer.
Stuff breaks. It's a fact. Using something as designed rarely breaks it if it survives infant mortality.
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 667
Likes: 158
From: IL
I am to the point right now where I tell anyone, even first time riders or people I hardly know at all, "please don't slam the door" as they approach or get in. It's become common speak, like "hello" or "goodbye" or "excuse me" or "uno mas."
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Rookie
Joined: Jul 2024
Posts: 25
Likes: 3
Common Toyota lock actuator malfunction. Get it replaced. Here's what I have done to help insure my Lexus does not have this problem, by putting less stress/less use on these actuators.
1. Turned off auto door lock feature that automatically locks doors at about 5mph or so.
2. Turned off auto lock when leaving car. Almost 1/2 of my destinations are returns to my locked garage at home, so don't need the car locked. Yea, need to use the remote to lock the car everywhere else I go, but I don't mind this hassle knowing the lock mechanism won't be needed when I return home to the garage.
3. 95% of the time, do not have a passenger, so have I do not have the passenger side lock set to lock/unlock whenever the driver's side door is needed.
1. Turned off auto door lock feature that automatically locks doors at about 5mph or so.
2. Turned off auto lock when leaving car. Almost 1/2 of my destinations are returns to my locked garage at home, so don't need the car locked. Yea, need to use the remote to lock the car everywhere else I go, but I don't mind this hassle knowing the lock mechanism won't be needed when I return home to the garage.
3. 95% of the time, do not have a passenger, so have I do not have the passenger side lock set to lock/unlock whenever the driver's side door is needed.
please see my message above. I started this thread asking how to do what you suggested. However if you read my post nothing seems to work. Please go to the thread start and read my situation.
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Rookie
Joined: Jul 2024
Posts: 25
Likes: 3
Common Toyota lock actuator malfunction. Get it replaced. Here's what I have done to help insure my Lexus does not have this problem, by putting less stress/less use on these actuators.
1. Turned off auto door lock feature that automatically locks doors at about 5mph or so.
2. Turned off auto lock when leaving car. Almost 1/2 of my destinations are returns to my locked garage at home, so don't need the car locked. Yea, need to use the remote to lock the car everywhere else I go, but I don't mind this hassle knowing the lock mechanism won't be needed when I return home to the garage.
3. 95% of the time, do not have a passenger, so have I do not have the passenger side lock set to lock/unlock whenever the driver's side door is needed.
1. Turned off auto door lock feature that automatically locks doors at about 5mph or so.
2. Turned off auto lock when leaving car. Almost 1/2 of my destinations are returns to my locked garage at home, so don't need the car locked. Yea, need to use the remote to lock the car everywhere else I go, but I don't mind this hassle knowing the lock mechanism won't be needed when I return home to the garage.
3. 95% of the time, do not have a passenger, so have I do not have the passenger side lock set to lock/unlock whenever the driver's side door is needed.
What program are you using to set/turn off these features? I used Techstream on mine.
This is really confusing. I don't see a message above from your account. Did you really want to post this in the IS F forum when your car is a 2020 LC500? I doubt there are many similarities in models this far apart.
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