How To Repair A/c Actuator

Car door lock actuators are designed to lock and unlock a door without the endeavour of pulling on a cable and rod.

In some cars, the door lock actuator is positioned beneath the latch. A rod connects the actuator to the latch, and some other rod connects the latch to the knob that sticks up out of the top of the door.

When the actuator moves the latch up, it connects the outside door handle to the opening machinery. When the latch is down, the exterior door handle is disconnected from the mechanism so that it cannot exist opened. This makes the outside handle motion without moving the latch, preventing the door from opening.

The power door lock actuator is a simple mechanical device. This system is quite pocket-size in size. A small electric motor turns a serial of spur gears that serve as a gear reduction. The last gear drives a rack and pinion gear set that is connected to the actuator rod. The rack converts the rotational motion of the motor into the linear movement needed to move the lock.

There are a number of means that you can unlock car doors that have door lock actuators, including:

• Using a key
• Pressing the unlock push button inside the car
• Using the combination lock on the exterior of the door
• Pulling up the knob on the inside of the door
• Using a keyless entry remote command
• Signaling from a command center

There are two ways to decide if the actuator has failed:

• By operating a remote device or keypad to unlock the door
• By pressing on the unlock push button on the door panel cluster

If the door remains locked in either or both of these cases, the problem is the actuator.

There are several reasons why a door lock actuator may need to exist replaced. Sometimes a door lock actuator stops working completely. In some cars, a door lock actuator becomes noisy and produces a squeaking or buzzing noise when the ability door locks are locked or unlocked. If the electric motor or the mechanism within the door lock actuator wears out, the door lock may lock or unlock slowly or work sometimes but not all the time. In some cars, a failed door lock actuator may lock but won't unlock, or the other way effectually. In well-nigh cases, the problem with a door lock actuator is limited to only ane door.

In some vehicles, the cable that connects the door lock actuator to the inner door handle may be congenital into the actuator associates. If this cable breaks and it's not sold separately, the whole door lock actuator may need to be replaced.

Part one of half dozen: Verifying the condition of the door lock actuator

Stride 1: Inspect the affected door and lock. Locate the door with the damaged or broken door lock actuator. Visually await at the door lock for any exterior damage. Gently lift up on the door handle to come across if at that place is any binding of the mechanism within the door.

This checks to see if the actuator has frozen in a position that makes the handle seem as if it is jammed.

Footstep 2: Open the affected door. Get into the vehicle from another door if the door you are working on will not let you enter the vehicle. Open the door with the broken or damaged actuator from the inside of the vehicle.

Step 3: Rule out the door lock. Endeavour operating the door lock switch to rule out the idea that the door lock is not working. So try to open the door from the within of the vehicle.

Whether the door is locked or not, the door should open up from the inside when operating the inside door handle.

• Note: If yous are working on the rear doors of a four-door sedan, keep the child rubber locks in mind. If the child safety lock is on, the door will non open when operating the inside handle.

Role 2 of half-dozen: Preparing to supersede the door lock actuator

Having all of the necessary tools and materials and preparing the vehicle prior to starting the work will permit you to get the job done more than efficiently.

Materials Needed

• one thousand grit sandpaper
• Boxed cease wrenches
• Cross tip, or phillips head, screwdriver
• Electric cleaner
• Flathead screwdriver
• Mineral spirits cleaner
• Needle nose plyers
• New door lock actuator
• Ix-volt battery
• Nine-volt battery saver
• Ratchet with metric and standard sockets
• Razor blade
• Removal tool or pry tool
• Small hammer
• Super glue
• Test leads
• Torques bit gear up
• Wheel chocks
• White lithium

Step ane: Position the vehicle. Park your vehicle on a flat, hard surface.

Pace 2: Secure the vehicle. Identify cycle chocks around the tires. Appoint the parking restriction to the lock the tires and keep them from moving.

Step 3: Install a nine-volt battery saver. Plug the bombardment saver into your cigarette lighter. This will proceed your computer alive and continue your vehicle settings current. If you do non have a ix-volt battery saver, though, that'south okay.

Step 4: Disconnect the battery. Open up the vehicle'south hood and locate the battery. Take the basis cable off of the battery's negative post, disabling the power to the door lock actuator.

• Note: If you have a hybrid vehicle, use the owner's manual for instructions on disconnecting the pocket-sized battery only.

Part 3 of 6: Removing the door lock actuator

Step 1: Remove the door panel. Start with removing the door panel from the afflicted door. Gently pry the panel away from the door all the fashion around. A flat screwdriver or removal tool (preferred) helps here, just exist gentle so you don't damage the painted door around the panel.

Once all the clips are loose, grab the panel peak and lesser and curve it slightly abroad from the door. Lift the whole console straight up to clear it of the grab behind the door handle.

• Notation: If your vehicle has electronic door locks, you will need to remove the door lock cluster panel from the door panel. Before removing the door panel, remove the screws attaching the cluster to the console. If the cluster cannot be detached, you may be able to disconnect the harness connectors nether the door console equally you pull it off. If the vehicle has custom speakers that are externally mounted on the door panel, these would demand to be removed prior to removing the door panel too.

Step 2: Remove the plastic sheeting behind the panel. Peel dorsum the plastic cover that sits behind the door panel. Exercise it gently and yous'll be able to reseal the plastic afterwards.

• Tip: This plastic is essential to forming a water barrier within the door panel as some water e'er gets into the inside of the door during rainy days or a car launder. While you are at it, bank check that the two bleed holes in the bottom of the door are articulate and there is no buildup of debris at that place.

Footstep 3: Locate and remove the clips and cables. Look inside the door near the door handle and you'll see two metallic cables with yellow clips on them.

Pry off the clips. The top one pries upwardly and out away from the door handle, and the lesser i pries up and toward yourself. So pull the cables out of the sockets.

Step iv: Remove the door lock actuator bolts and the lock screws. Find the two 10mm bolts in a higher place and below the actuator and remove them. And so remove the 3 screws from the door lock.

Pace 5: Disconnect the door lock actuator. Permit the actuator to drop down, then disconnect the blackness electrical connector.

Stride half dozen: Remove the lock and actuator assembly and have off the plastic encompass. Pull out the lock and actuator assembly along with its cables.

Separate the white plastic embrace that is held on past two screws, and then dissever the plastic door lock actuator that's held in place by two screws.

• Tip: Keep in heed how the white plastic cover is mounted onto the lock and actuator assembly and then that y'all will be able to properly reassemble it afterwards.

Part four of half dozen: Repairing the door lock actuator

At this point, you will begin working on the door lock actuator. The thought here is to pry the actuator open without dissentious it. Since it is not a "serviceable function," the actuator housing is molded together at the factory. This is where you will need your razor bract, a small hammer, and some patience.

Step ane: Utilize a razor blade to open the actuator. Start on the corner by slicing your razor through the seam.

• Alert: Be very careful non to injure yourself with the precipitous razor bract.

Position the actuator on a solid surface and tap the blade with the hammer until it gets in pretty deep. Go along going around the actuator to get as much of information technology separated by the razor as you can.

Advisedly pry through the bottom portion next to the pivot housing.

Pace two: Remove the electrical motor from the actuator. Pry up on the gear and pull it out. Then pry the motor up from its plastic portion and pull information technology out. The motor is not soldered in, and so at that place are no wires to worry nearly.

Remove the worm gear and its bearing from the plastic housing.

• Note: Take notes on how the bearing is installed into the housing. The bearing must go dorsum in the same way.

Step 3: Take apart the motor. Using a sharp pry tool, pry out the metallic tabs that hold the plastic backing in place. And then very advisedly pull the plastic portion out of the metal housing, taking caution not to damage the brushes.

Step iv: Make clean and reassemble the motor. Employ electric parts cleaner to spray off old grease that has congenital up on the brushes. Use 1000 dust sandpaper to make clean up the copper drum on the coil shaft.

Put a small amount of white lithium on the copper parts and reassemble the motor. This cleans up the electrical contacts for a proper connexion.

Step 5: Test the motor. Place your test leads on the motor contact points and connect the leads to a nine-volt battery to check the motor operation.

• Warning: Practice not connect the motor to the battery for longer than a few seconds as these motors are not designed for that.

Step six: Reinstall the motor and gears. Place the parts in reverse order from that in which you took them out.

Apply super glue to the cover and join the embrace and housing back together. Agree them together until the glue bonds.

Part five of 6: Reinstalling the door lock actuator

Step one: Reinstall the plastic cover and replace the assembly. Adhere the plastic door lock actuator back onto the assembly with two screws. Install the white plastic cover dorsum onto the lock and actuator associates past securing it with the 2 other screws you removed previously.

Place the lock and actuator assembly, with the cables attached, back into the door.

Footstep 2: Clean and reconnect the actuator. Spray electric cleaner onto the blackness electrical connector. After it dries, reconnect the black electric connector to the door lock actuator.

Stride three: Supercede the door lock actuator bolts and screws. Reinstall the three screws into the door lock to secure it in the door. Then reinstall the two 10mm bolts above and below the location of the door lock actuator to secure the actuator.

Pace four: Reattach the clips and cables. Reconnect the metal cables most the door handle by connecting the yellow clips back onto the sockets.

Step 5: Reinstall the clear plastic sheeting. Put the plastic comprehend that goes behind the door console dorsum into identify and reseal it.

Step vi: Replace the door panel. Put the door panel back onto the door and reattach all of the tabs by lightly snapping them into identify.

• Note: If your vehicle has electronic door locks, you lot will need to reinstall the door lock cluster panel back into the door panel. After replacing the door console, reinstall the cluster into the panel with screws. Make sure the cluster is connected to the wiring harness. You may have to adhere the connectors nether the door panel earlier y'all fully reinstall the panel into the door. If the vehicle has custom speakers that are externally mounted on the door panel, these would demand to be reinstalled back onto it after replacing the panel as well.

Office six of half-dozen: Reconnecting the battery and testing the door lock actuator

Stride 1: Replace the battery cable and remove the battery saver. Open the vehicle's hood and reconnect the ground cable back onto the bombardment'south negative mail. Tighten the battery clench upward tight to ensure that the connection is good.

And so unplug the 9-volt battery saver from the cigarette lighter.

• Note: If you lot did not have a nine-volt battery saver, you volition have to reset all of the settings in your vehicle, like your radio, electric seats, electrical mirrors, then on.

Stride 2: Test the repaired door lock actuator. Pull on the outside door handle and ensure that the door opens from the latched position. Shut the door and get within the vehicle through another door. Pull on the inside door handle and ensure that the door opens from the latched position. This ensures that the door will open with the door unlocked.

Sitting in the car with the doors shut, press on the locking switch of the affected door lock actuator. Then operate the inside door handle and open up the door. If the door lock actuator is operating correctly, opening the interior door handle will override the door lock actuator.

• Note: If you are working on the rear doors of a four-door sedan, make sure that you lot plough off the child safety lock to test the repaired door lock actuator correctly.

While standing outside of the vehicle, shut the door and lock information technology with your electronic device only. Operate the outside door handle and to ensure that the door is locked. Unlock the door with the electronic device and operate the exterior door handle again. This fourth dimension, the door should open.

If your motorcar door lock even so does not function properly after repairing the door lock actuator, and then at that place may be further diagnosis of the door lock and actuator assembly or a possible electronic component failure. You lot tin can e'er Ask a Mechanic to get quick, detailed advice from ane of the certified technicians here at YourMechanic.

Y'all may need to fully replace the actuator. If you would rather a professional perform this job, you can take one of our qualified mechanics come and replace your door lock actuator for you.

The statements expressed to a higher place are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Delight run across our terms of service for more details

Source: https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-to-repair-a-door-lock-actuator-by-marvin-sunderland

Posted by: moralesclacers.blogspot.com

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