LS_4Will

Hey Everyone,

Well I go to open my drivers door by pulling up on the handle and instead of the door opening, I hear this click sound. I first thought the door was just locked but I unlocked it again and I still could not get the door to open. All the other doors work. I crawl in from the passenger door and try to open it from the inside but it still does not work. The door lock moves to the "lock" position when i lock the doors but when i unlock the doors, the lock only moves half way to the "unlocked" position. I thought of opening the panel to see what went wrong inside but i cant open the door to do that... Is there any other way to open the door? Help please.....

EXE.UCF10

iTrader: (3)

Have you tried opening the door while pushing/holding down the door lock to the unlocked position?

LS_4Will

Yup, I tried everything. I was able to get the top part of the door panel off so I could look down the door and I bypassed the door lock switch so I was just pushing and pulling the actually lever and it still would not budge. When I try opening the door with the key, locking the door is normal but when I unlock the door by turning the key to the right , it feels like it is stuck and won't turn. It still registers and opens the other doors but the drivers door is still stuck. I could see from the otherside of the door that the keyhole is attached to another lever which also appears to be blocked from moving because it can move up to lock the door but won't move down to unlock the door. Does anyone know if there is a solenoid that locks and unlocks the door lock? Repair manuals say anything anybody? I am desperate. It looks kinda funny getting out of a Lexus Nascar-style or climbing out of the passenger side like spider-man. Are there any other ways to open the door manually?

Thanks for the reply BR1AN!

VVT-i

Your door actuator is jammed and it's time for a new actuator. I recommend to take the car to Lexus dealer. I know the part and labor will be expensive, but to get the door to open is the hardest part. I hate to deal with this problem on the 1st gen LS.

LS_4Will

wow thanks VVT-i. I was planning to bring it to the dealer only as a last resort. After trying everything, I think I have just about reached it. Does anyone have any idea how much it would be around to replace the actuator?

singh99999

Oh man, a new actuator is not going to be cheap. I spent $300 bucks on a brand new actuator and labor, and that was all done by my mechanic. My mechanic only charged me $20 dollars to install it, so it's obvious that it's not a cheap part to replace. It's actually not all that difficult to replace, but then again since your door won't open, it's a completely different story. Cheapest place you're going to find an actuator is going to be online...maybe check with irontoad.com?

VVT-i

Be prepare to spend around $500.00 or more for both part and labor. It will not be cheap because part alone is about $300.00 and then labor to destroy the old actuator.

I mean destroy it. You will have to pry the top part of the door panel open with the window all the way down. Then you will have to use a very long screw driver( 24 inches) and a hammer. Yeah, you got it right, a hammer.

Then, you will have to destroy the white plastic that protected the actuator itselt, by using the hammer and a long screw driver, beating the crap out of it. The hardest part is, not to miss of what your're tring to hit and hit the GLASS. After you destroy the plastic, then you will have to find the mechanical link to unlock the door and beat the crap out of it. It not a fun job to do, because you will need 3 people to do this job, one with the hammer and a long screw driver, one holding the flash light to see what you are hitting and another one work the outside door handle in case you're hit the right door link.... I know one guy at the dealership missed his target and accidently hit the glass... , so the customer got a new actuator and a free driver window...