Bought Car With Dead Door Locks

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Mar 24, 2004 | 01:01 PM

CleanSC

Thread Starter

Pole Position

Joined: Mar 2004

Posts: 2,365

Likes: 29

From: Florida

Bought Car With Dead Door Locks

Hey All. I tried a search on this and only got threads where the locks died after work was done inside the door.

My problem is a bit different. I bought the car this way, and it's only the door locks. The windows, sunroof, seats and tilt wheel all work.

When I hit the door lock switch, the locks "twitch" but don't move to locked position. Like they want to, but they decide not to. The usual clicks are heard at the door lock ECU. So there's power. If you do it manually with the key or your finger they move fine, so they are not jammed.

Is this an actuator fault or perhaps the switch? ECU? Any thougts, recommendations?

Thanks.

Mar 24, 2004 | 01:24 PM

Pianoman72

Lexus Test Driver

Joined: Mar 2002

Posts: 1,497

Likes: 1

From: Texas

Does it not work on both switches, pass and driver's door?

What does it do if you already have the doors locked and you hit the door lock switch? Just wondering.

I assume both your door open sensors are working fine, not that that would cause this problem...thinking out loud.

Mar 24, 2004 | 01:37 PM

CleanSC

Thread Starter

Pole Position

Joined: Mar 2004

Posts: 2,365

Likes: 29

From: Florida

Quote:

Originally posted by Pianoman72
Does it not work on both switches, pass and driver's door?

What does it do if you already have the doors locked and you hit the door lock switch? Just wondering.

I assume both your door open sensors are working fine, not that that would cause this problem...thinking out loud.

Both switches do the same thing. Both locks just twitch. If both are locked and I hit the unlock, they twitch in the locked position and don't move. Door sensors are good.

Mar 24, 2004 | 03:43 PM

VVT-i

Lexus Champion

Joined: May 2002

Posts: 2,781

Likes: 6

From: Georgia

O.K, I'm gonna jump in on this one with some wild a$$ guess. You may have a broken wire in the harness. if you open the driver door, you will see a rubber boot covered the the harness from the door to the body. This harness is attached to the left side kick panel fuse block and after the door has been opened and closed for so many times over the years, it may stretch some of the wire and broke it. This is my best guess without checking the car. Good luck and let us know what's wrong with the car.

Jun 29, 2004 | 12:20 PM

CleanSC

Thread Starter

Pole Position

Joined: Mar 2004

Posts: 2,365

Likes: 29

From: Florida

Follow Up and Solution

Months later I am reviving this thread to follow up on the solution for future readers.

The door lock actuators themselves were dead. I scored some used ones and replaced them. Now they work great.

Installation is straight forward. The only hitch being you have to remove the windows to free the actuators. Also for the record: Junkyards *HATE* breaking up their doors so finding these actuators used is not exactly easy. I called over 40 junkyards until I found one in New York that was willing to part out a door for me since it was "sitting" for so long. Took a few days to locate but it's possible.

Jun 29, 2004 | 09:58 PM

gserep1

Lead Lap

Joined: Nov 2001

Posts: 705

Likes: 3

From: California

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH THE ACTUATORS ARE NEW?

Thanks for the post. I was beginning to think only I had this problem. My 1999 GS4 has a problem with a door lock actuator on the front passenger door ONLY. The door always unlocks, but after 2 or three tries in quick succession, the lock barely moves. Wait a minute or two, and it works normally for 2 or three tries, then back to malfunctioning again.

I don't think I wil lbe able to find the right doorlock actuators used, so I have resigned myself to getting a new one. They have been working since Dec 1998, so I guess it is about time.

If you have any idea of the cost, please post at your earliest convenience,

Thanks

Last edited by gserep1; Jun 29, 2004 at 10:01 PM.

Jul 7, 2004 | 10:15 PM

Bluesman

Driver

Joined: Mar 2003

Posts: 192

Likes: 0

From: Illinois

May I ask how much the used actuator cost ? I need to find one myself.

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Jul 8, 2004 | 05:37 AM

CleanSC

Thread Starter

Pole Position

Joined: Mar 2004

Posts: 2,365

Likes: 29

From: Florida

Cost

For the driver's side I was lucky and picked one up right here on CL for $30. I only picked it up because it was a cheap way to see if the actuators were the culprit in my situation. I took off the door panel and just plugged in the new one. Sure enough it worked. Then came the hard part of changing them (in the SC you have to remove the window glass).

Literally a week later I was in the body shop and had all the glass removed as part of the stripping process. I figured NOW was the time to find the passenger side and QUICK because I was not about to take this damn door apart again.

I was on the phone with junkyards for literally two days. They do NOT like to part out their doors so finding these is not easy. Finally one junkyard admitted they have been sitting and he'd break one up for me. Cost me $100 but the locks work now. A little pricey but the low cost of the other side (plus the fact the car was apart already) helps me justify it.