Bad Door Lock Actuators?

My driverside front has been out for months. Been to cheap to fix it.

 

I followed the Rav4 write up a few months ago and cleaned the carbon off and its working just fine for the past 3 moths. I just really hope I don't have to do it again anytime soon, because getting the motor back together took me 4 hours.

 

They make these things called flat head screw drivers that work great for getting those clips undone...

 

you know that I could use the screwdriver if I had 13 other hands to hold the other clips!

 

I got one apart then just worked my way around the whole thing. I used 2 flatheads, one to pry the clips, then the other I kept putting in between the cases to keep it spread apart.

 

Did it.
posted

 

My driver side door lock decided to not work some time back, but i just kept using it and exercising the mechanism and one day, it just worked without a problem, haven't had an issue since and it's been a month or two. I guess the buildup was minimal enough that the exercise did the trick. I fully expect to have to take it apart sometime in the future tho... When I do, I'l be coming back here, thanks for doing the research dude!

 

Just found this thread. I'll be doing mine this week. Drivers door has been intermittent, now almost constantly not working.

 

That is what I was hoping for.
Never worked for me.

Glad I got it out of the way. It is raining again.

Best of luck.
Remove the left linkage before removing the right. The left is more flexible.
Just rotate the linkage CW and lift out.
The for the right linkage, just rotate the actuator top-end away and down from you. the right linkage has two 90 degree bends that keep it in place.

 

It is doing it again

 

Awesome fix!!!! Just got done with my rear passenger side actuator, works like a charm! Thank you!!!!

 

Awesome!!! Came to this site to look for a fix other than my wallet. Just purchased an 08 Tacoma knowing that the locks were bad. 2 are full time bad and 1 more is intermittent. Thanks so much. Even at my buddies cost for the new parts, I was looking at almost $600 for the three.

 

If I took it apart and could not fix it, and now my key will not unlock the door, what did I do? Help!!

 

Sounds like you either didn't assemble the actuator correctly, or didn't set the actuator in the door correctly. When you set the actuator in the door, there is a metal rod that extends down from the outside handle, that needs to thread through a hole on the actuator, then there is a piece that looks like a big philips head screw driver that is also on the door handle (that is the door lock) and it also needs to be in contact with the actuator. It takes a little bit of patience to get everything lined up inside the door. If you are positive that you have installed the actuator correctly, then you need to take a look at the actuator assembly itself. You might have missed where one of the slides went, one of the gears might be out and no longer in contact with the locking mechanism, etc.

 

Allright! Just got home from a weekend at my uncle's. With his knowledge and my elbow grease, all 4 actuators are repaired and working properly. Only 3 were inop but I decided, as my truck is 5 years old, that I would go ahead and touch up the fourth. Once we got one apart, it was no problem. We repaired all 4 in about 4 hours and that's with a 30 minute lunch break for my aunt's homeade bbq. The first one took about 1 1/2 hrs. At Toyota cost through my friend, I was looking at about $500 for the 3 actuators. So, it was well worth it. We shall see how long they last. If anyone needs assistance, I will help if I can. If anyone lives local, and needs help with the repairs, let me know.

 

I had to take my door apart and clean the commutator. Works great now

 

The culprit for those fixing to begin. What it looks like with the carbon buildup and what it should look like when you're complete.

 

Holy crap I just got done doing mine. Saved $600 the dealer wanted so with that alone I'd say I'm glad I used half my Saturday to do it. All in all it took about 2 hours of work, but I managed to stretch that out.

The hardest parts were getting the linkage loose from the door handle, and getting the case that houses the motor open.

After removing the door panel, and flipping loose the orange clip that secures the door handle linkage, I eventually removed the three bolts that secure the latch too the door, then moved the housing out of the way so I could use the hole the wiring harness plugs into, to use as a fulcrum to pry the linkage free.

Once I had it out, I removed the 5 screws, and got all the clips freed only to be damned by the latch strike plate. Eventually I managed to finagle the case half out from underneath it and get to the motor.

It was carboned up pretty bad. A small vise and strip of 1500 grit cleaned it up. Blasted with some contact cleaner and got it all back together.

That linkage that works the lock switch was the only hassle getting it reassembled. But I'm amazed it's like new again and I didn't manage to permanently damage anything. No broken clips, no scratched body work.

 

Figured I'd post up here. I did this fix to my driver's side actuator a little over a year ago. It went from being completely dead to working like new. Well, a little over a year later, it started acting up again. I tore it apart, expecting to find the same gunk I did last time, but it was clean. I cleaned everything thoroughly anyways, same way I did last year, put it all back together and the motor still won't cycle the lock. Just seems like it doesn't have enough power to do so. I guess these motors just eventually die out.

 

Mine's still hanging in there. Thank God.