ftrain

So,

I replaced both actuators on the front doors a few days ago. Since then I can no longer manually lock/unlock either the passenger or drivers door from the outside with the key. I saw a post in August where Salimshah mentioned that the door lock on the outside was an electro-mechanical function. Does that mean that the rod connected to the door handle and to the striker is not completely manual? Reason I ask is that if you have a dead battery that seems to me that would inhibit you from being able to open the car with the key, which I would assume is far from ideal.
Previously, even with the bad actuator, I could lock and unlock the drivers door with the key but I am not at all sure if it was being "assisted" in that with the lock actuator.

My problem:
1) using the key in either drivers or passengers door will not actually lock/unlock that door. The door lock rod is properly connected to the handle. If I reach inside of the door and push the rod down or up just a bit (a few mm) further than the key turning motion would do I can get the inside lock to at the handle to move to the lock/unlock position. There is quite a bit of "play" in the door striker mechanism with regards to this lock rod, wondering if somehow I need to undertake some sort of adjustment procedure on the rod. it does seem that if the rod were longer this problem may get solved. I am playing with the bend on the rod to see if I can bend it in such a way to lengthen the travel but so far only can get the door lock to move partially. I put the original actuator back into the mechanism and things are not back to like they were, which is why i think maybe I am missing something.

This is a short video of the manual movement of the door lock rod, notice the amount of travel required to fully engage/disengage the lock mechanism. I assume that is normal to allow for the travel of the lock cylinder, but it seems that somewhere between this amount of travel and the amount of travel of the cylinder I am out of whack. I further assume this is actually the right location for the lock rod to be connected to? There is another open hole that connects directly to the locking mechanism on the striker plate but I could not find any way for that to be connected to still route properly in the door.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4J...ew?usp=sharing

2) I dont have a fob key for this car so the key is primarily used for locking /unlocking all doors. Since the change, locking the drivers door used to lock all doors, now nothing happens. Unlocking (by turning twice in the unlock direction) occasionally works but not very often.

I have been working on this for days, and have looked at many posts here and just am at a loss. Being driven a bit insane so could really use some assistance....Basically cant let my young son drive this thing as I am worried its going to lock him out.

A few other pics..

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4J...ew?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4J...ew?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4J...ew?usp=sharing

ftrain

I actually just found someone who had the same issue in another post.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...-actuator.html

This makes me wonder i maybe these lock strikers get worn and just a bit too loose over time. I am going to attempt the adjustment mentioned in the other post to see if i can come up with the proper alignment.

salimshah

Mechanical has a override, [you dont need the electronics to unlock, but the vehicle can lock itself electronically], but there is quite a bit of electronics involved based on security and other functions
example: If the security system thinks there is breach it will lock itself out within 1 sec. When the battery is dead or not connected, the self auto lock will not work.
If you unlock and hold the windows start rolling down.
With the mechanical action of the key, you can lock/iunlock all doors.

Are the rods routed properly? Is the handle loose?

Salim

BsRodeo7s

did you replace the sleeves at to lock mechanism? Their just plastic sleeves, but if you go to auto zone you have to buy them in a pack with other types. You could always save them for another car. Or it may just be that the ones you have just need to be pressed in a little more, there connections have to be tight. If you have any play on any of those it makes a big difference. I had to replace mine on the passenger side and those were the issues I had to deal with.

Hope this is helpful, try using a flashlight and inspection mirror and check those joints.

also so check the cables if your cable isn’t in the bracket at the inside door handle you’ll have problems.

ftrain

Hmm..didnt replace any sleeves. Could you please elaborate on where they are and what I am looking for?

I have everything connected back and the cable connections at the inside handle and lock are there. The fact that both drivers and passenger side did this after reassembly has me still thinking its some sort of adjustment still.

The main issue remains that I cannot lock/unlock the doors with the key from the outside on either front door...seems like that door lock actuator rod needs to be longer somehow...maybe its something inside of the latch mechanism itself?

salimshah

I think the sleeves are the nylon locks. They provide the pivot point as well as lock (grab the rods). BSRodeo7s can give a better explanation.

Other things to consider are ... was force applied in disassembly that could have bent them?

When things are right there is nothing under tension.

Salim

ftrain

Yeah, the "force applied" idea was the only one i could wrap my head around. Nothing else makes sense. I am worried I inherited a problem from the previous owner that may not have done the passenger side properly as well since it has never worked very well either, so i really dont have anything to compare the drivers side rod to. i did notice with some bending of the rod i can get one direction to work (either lock or unlock).

Here is something i would like to confirm if anyone can.
Back to this photo:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4J...ew?usp=sharing

So you see where the lock rod is connected....there is another opening on the right side of the latch in the picture that "looks" like it could hold the actuator rod (I added a white arrow to show it). Problem is I didnt see a way that looked natural to connect the rod there and make the rod still "route" around the various parts of the latch to be connected to the door handle. That being said, that open hole on the right attaches directly to the latch's locking mechanism, so i am curious about the reason for its existence as an open hole...

At this point I just ordered an entire latch assembly from ebay in the hopes that will at least provide a base line for the proper operation. if that works then maybe a compare to the passenger side will yield something.

So stinking frustrated

BsRodeo7s

the end of the rod has a sleeve that goes inside the bracket, then clips onto the rod to hold it secure. Make sure that everything is connected, secure, and that you test things. Mine was a pain in the a$$ cuz there’s no space in there. I think that pic you showed should have another rod connected to the hole with your arrow. One goes to the exterior handle, one goes to the interior via a cable. You should try to take pics before you take things apart. There should be a rod that goes up from the latch to the key mechanism and it connects with a plastic sleeve that the end of the rod slides through, then sleeve with rod through the hole, then sleeve clips goes over the rod. I’ll try to find you a link for the sleeves

ftrain

Thanks. Hindsight being 20/20 and all, I was kicking myself for not taking pics ahead of this. I thought to myself, nah, this is an in and out deal with just changing out the actuator. Sigh...

ftrain

So, closing on this thread just in case it helps others. it seems that an amount of play developed in the locking latches for this car. After playing around with the bends of the lock rod i was able to get some functionality, but in the end ordering an entire latch that was not so worn did the trick. I am going to perform the same latch replacement on the passenger side and call this done.

I know all of these because when I received the new latch assembly, i could see less effort and travel is required on the new latch to engage the lock/unlock position than the latch in the car.

The locking mechanism does seem to be a weak point in Lexus/Toyota, as I have also heard of other tales of stuck keys and wear causing things like this as well. Oh well, every car has something, hopefully these repairs will not be wasted money and this car with actually last another 5 years . Have saved a ton doing the work myself with some input and advice from the forum.

sktn77a

iTrader: (2)

Got a pic of the part and a price?

ftrain

https://www.ebay.com/itm/201015861115

As the entire assembly, latch, actuator, cables, rods, but not the inside handle.

PS, I do not endorse in any way this vendor at this link nor am i advertising for them in any way. They just happened to have what I needed and it fixed my issue

1a2b

I likely signed up before but could not find my login info. At any rate I had 2002 LS400 and currently have 2002 ES300 and just acquired 2001 RX300. Door lock problems in the latter brought me back here. Thanks ahead of time for any help I can find here. John