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Bad Door Lock Actuators?

Discussion in 'Technical Chat' started by Blake, Jan 15, 2012.

  1. Mar 24, 2014 at 4:26 PM
    #81
    Tacoma5509

    Tacoma5509 New Member

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    Georgia
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    Toyotec lift N-fab nerf bars
    I experienced the same problem @ 100k miles on my 2009 tacoma passenger side rear door. After reading this form tore I into mine, cleaned it and reassembled it and it worked! It wasn't until the other side failed on me two weeks later that I think I discovered the root cause of the problem! If you disassemble your actuator take the motor out and shove two baby clips into the holes on the top of the motor ( make sure they are touching the connectors of the motor) then take a 9 V battery and connect it to the baby pins ( I suggest a brand new one, the one out of my dog collar only had 7v and wouldn't turn it). If your motor spins then you know that the motor is good. I believe that the root problem is the connection between the motor and the pin connectors that the motor plugs into on the actuator. If you notice the connectors built into the motor are spring loaded. Those of us who weren't fortunate enough to get the tsb 4 leaf pack all know that springs wear out over time. I simply bent the two pin connectors on the actuator in and it has worked ever since.
     
  2. Apr 4, 2014 at 4:10 PM
    #82
    Networktcp

    Networktcp New Member

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    The challenge is: Taking the bad actuators out and cleaning the motors may be more of a recurring maintenance task for owners. Not very convenient.

    I wonder if a later model year actuator would alleviate any recurrence of failure on the current year.

    Example: My 2011 actuators are flaky because of the motor in the assembly. I might try fitting a 2012 actuator if it has a better motor or uses a solenoid. Has anyone tried or considered this approach?
     
  3. Apr 4, 2014 at 4:12 PM
    #83
    Ricks2013

    Ricks2013 Well-Known Member

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    Orlando, FL
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    A few things
    Well, mine is a 2013 and both my drivers and passenger side front actuators have had to be replaced.
     
  4. Apr 9, 2014 at 11:34 AM
    #84
    RichieW13

    RichieW13 Well-Known Member

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    Thousand Oaks, CA
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    Nice to know that ~5 years later they haven't bothered to fix the problem.

    The nice thing about my old 1983 Toyota pickup was that it had nothing automatic in it, so nothing broke!
     
  5. Oct 22, 2014 at 7:48 AM
    #85
    WilvisRN

    WilvisRN New Member

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    I've had my door locks repaired twice 13 months apart with the most recent 2 months ago. Now the rear passenger door has stopped working. Mine spread like a virus starting in the passenger door working its way to the back doors. I'm to the point of trading my truck in on something else.
     
  6. Oct 27, 2014 at 7:34 AM
    #86
    Mitch

    Mitch Somebody call for a Wambulance?

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    Mitch
    Spokane, WA
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    Lights, Siren, Drugs, Needles, Electricity
    I know this is an old thread but, did anyone experience problems with only the truck locking? My remote will still unlock the drivers door but will not lock the door. Plus the lights won't flash when I go to lock it. Can't figure out if this is something mechanical in the door or electrical in the truck.
     
  7. Oct 27, 2014 at 7:58 AM
    #87
    Ricks2013

    Ricks2013 Well-Known Member

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    Orlando, FL
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    A few things
    I'm pretty sure my lights didn't flash (and no beep i think) when using the remote when my actuators went bad. And yeah it would unlock sometimes but not lock. Its been about 9 months since I had both my fronts replaced(under warranty). No problems yet. Hopefully it will stay that way because my warranty has expired.
     
  8. Oct 27, 2014 at 7:47 PM
    #88
    Mitch

    Mitch Somebody call for a Wambulance?

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    Would your door lock still lock the door from inside? Mine won't. Starting to look for a spare door to tear it apart
     
  9. Oct 27, 2014 at 7:52 PM
    #89
    TashcomerTexas

    TashcomerTexas My truck is a whiner

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    Interesting. On my 03 the front driver door actuator's been shot for months. I can lock all doors except that one with the remote, I have to go through the rear driver door and manually pull up the lock/ push down before locking w/ remote.
    Local car alarm place said they can fix it for $70.
     
  10. Oct 28, 2014 at 3:09 AM
    #90
    Ricks2013

    Ricks2013 Well-Known Member

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    A few things
    I think I had to use the key to lock/unlock.

    $70 to fix? That's a good deal imo.
     
  11. Oct 28, 2014 at 3:13 PM
    #91
    TashcomerTexas

    TashcomerTexas My truck is a whiner

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    Definitely. $70 ain't bad. They installed my viper alarm there and love it so I'll be taking it back to get the lock fixed.
     
  12. Nov 10, 2014 at 12:54 PM
    #92
    Queencreektacoma

    Queencreektacoma New Member

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    I replaced the actuator in my drivers door and now when I unlock with remote the drivers door locks and the others unlock, is there some reprogramming that needs to be done or some type of reset?
     
  13. Nov 10, 2014 at 4:45 PM
    #93
    TashcomerTexas

    TashcomerTexas My truck is a whiner

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    Backwards or something? More than likely if it's doing the opposite.
     
  14. Nov 11, 2014 at 1:43 PM
    #94
    Flintridge

    Flintridge Member

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    where is the cheapest place to buy an actuator? I have a 2007 and its the front passenger side. Drivers side started working again on its own...wish I knew how that happened.
     
  15. Nov 27, 2014 at 6:38 AM
    #95
    Ricks2013

    Ricks2013 Well-Known Member

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    Orlando, FL
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    A few things
    Damn it!! My drivers side actuator is out again!! This is the second one on this door in a year and a half!! I'm out of warranty this time so looks like i'll have to pay to replace or try to fix. :(
    I'll have to read through this thread again to see how difficult it is to fix. I hate messing with stuff inside door panels.
     
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2014
  16. Dec 5, 2014 at 3:31 PM
    #96
    Ricks2013

    Ricks2013 Well-Known Member

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    A few things
    Well It would have cost me $398 to have the Dr side actuator replaced again at the dealer BUT they covered it under warranty. :D That was great news.
    Its under warranty for another year now. I'm sure the Pass side will go out any day now again too.
     
  17. Dec 5, 2014 at 4:41 PM
    #97
    TashcomerTexas

    TashcomerTexas My truck is a whiner

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    Nice. It's a 13 though wonder how it got shot twice.
     
  18. Dec 5, 2014 at 4:52 PM
    #98
    Ricks2013

    Ricks2013 Well-Known Member

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    A few things
    I asked the service manager if these come in a lot and he said that it is pretty common. He said it is definitely a weak point. Seems like after a year they start going, at least in my case.
     
  19. Jan 31, 2015 at 3:05 PM
    #99
    Renreb

    Renreb New Member

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    Todd
    Margate, FL
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    I have a 2008 Tacoma and I have had driver side door lock problems for a couple years now. The key always worked but not the remote unlock. I went through the steps and removed my "black box" locking mechanism. But I could not get the box opened without feeling like I was going to break something.

    I removed the five silver screws (removed silver screws only first but removed black screw after I couldn't get the two halves to separate) and the one black screw (see picture) along with getting all of the tabs opened. But it seemed to bind up just below left of the black screw, right where the steel plate meets the plastic (top left portion of the plate). For about 30 minutes I tried to separate the two halves of the box but finally gave up because I felt like I was going to break something.

    I snapped everything back together and re-installed the "black box". Everything seemed to be back to the way it was (driver side door still acting like it was) except when I tried to unlock my driver side door with the key. It would not unlock the door and it is definitely binding up. I can feel the resistance when I try to use the key.

    What am I doing wrong with separating the two halves and what could I've done to stop my locking mechanism to stop working with the key?

    Todd

    20150131_152319.jpg
     
  20. Jan 31, 2015 at 7:44 PM
    #100
    Blacktaco2042

    Blacktaco2042 Well-Known Member

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    supercharger/trd cat back 3inch lift 265/75/16 duratracs bumper guard led bar
    theres a piece that comes from the key cylinder to the actuator that you probably didnt connect
     
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