2001 Driver Door Lock Cylinder Issue

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Jan 5, 2019 | 01:02 PM

BTC89LS400

Thread Starter

Pit Crew

Joined: Dec 2016

Posts: 102

Likes: 18

From: Maryland

2001 Driver Door Lock Cylinder Issue

So for as long as I've had this car, the driver door key lock cylinder has never unlocked or locked the doors. However, the trunk lock cylinder does work.
I've popped open the black cover on the door insert and the cylinder is in there (some people have found out they're missing the cylinder

) and noticed that when I put the key in the cylinder does turn both ways, however, it does not lock or unlock the doors. Is something lose or has the cylinder just pooped from 18 years of use?

Another question, if the key lock cylinder is bad, can I go to the dealership or somewhere else and order a new cylinder that will match my key? I've read that as long as I have the VIN (and paperwork to prove I own the car) I can have the cylinder match my key.

Jan 6, 2019 | 07:27 AM

HLamar

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Joined: Aug 2015

Posts: 43

Likes: 14

From: Florida

Your drivers side lock actuator has a problem most likely. There is a slender metal bar which protrudes from the rear of your drivers side door lock cylinder. This metal bar mates with the door lock actuator which allows a mechanical actuation of the lock mechanism. Either your sleeve is bent, missing or misalighened. Sometimes when mx was attempted the metal sleeve will not be aligned correctly and ruin the socket on the actuator. Or the actuator socket will be cracked and nonfunctional when someone attempted to unlock the door with the key and actuator motor intermitten. The actuator socket in which I refer is located bottom right (white piece) in link attached. The cure is new actuator which isn’t a hard r/r. If you need help with that it isn’t a hard r/r but there is some points to be aware of which simplifies the work. OE actuators are a wise choice for this part. You can try the Motor swap process but imho if able the OE actuator is a wise choice. Your present key and cylinder will not be need of replacement if you r/r the actuator if the cylinder bar isn’t destroyed.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lexus-LS430...-/251733167814

Last edited by HLamar; Jan 6, 2019 at 07:35 AM.