Driver's Door Lock Actuator Motor Repair [step-by-step w/ pics!!]

[Lamp7shade]

Thanks

I just replaced both front and the passenger rear on my wife’s 2012. Everything works perfectly fine except for one problem. When I hit the lock button on the keyfob all the doors lock as they should, then I get the three honks as if a door is open. I’m stumped! All interior and exterior handles work, the hood and the rear hatch are closed. Before I replaced the lock actuators, and I manually locked all the doors, I would get the single beep... now I get 3 honks. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated
Thanks,
Adam

2012 SR5

 

[mbumpus11]

May sound like a dumb question, but how is the actual motor powered? I don't see any wires coming from the motor itself? Does it lay on a powered surface or something?

I have a dead driver motor. Or maybe dying? It won't lock, infant, that's how I first noticed the problem because when I would press the lock button on my key the single chirp would not be heard. I could, however, hear all of the other locks engaging though, but when I would check my door it remains unlocked. But does this affect the vehicle from not chirping upon attempting to lock it??

It still unlocks though...if I physically lock the door by pressing the little lock switch inside the door, it'll unlock with my key fob - & I'll hear the double chirp sound.

Thanks all!

The motor is powered by two little contact points on the base of the motor from the actuator housing. If you manually lock the doors then that will complete the circuit so that you hear the "chirp" when you lock with your key fob. If any door isn't locked when you try to lock (or the motor fails to lock) your vehicle won't chirp, and the failure door lock will remain unlocked for anyone to open.

Hope that helps!

 

[ScarfaceT4R]

The motor is powered by two little contact points on the base of the motor from the actuator housing. If you manually lock the doors then that will complete the circuit so that you hear the "chirp" when you lock with your key fob. If any door isn't locked when you try to lock (or the motor fails to lock) your vehicle won't chirp, and the failure door lock will remain unlocked for anyone to open.

Hope that helps!

Yea, you nailed it! I ended up ordering the motor & completing the install shortly after I asked the question of how the motor is powered. I feel good about fixing this problem for under $10...but bad that I had to dissasemble my door & potentially all my other doors in the future on such a new vehicle!

 

[jhguth]

has anyone done the rear doors?

mine are starting to sound slow in the back too, might do all 4 this weekend

 

[KGcobra]

Yes, the 2nd row doors seemed faster and easier to replace than the front doors. (Or maybe because I had already done the front doors.)

The actuators were easier to remove, once disconnected and unbolted from the door I pretty much just rotated it 180° (clockwise for passenger side if I recall, so counter clockwise for driver's side) to remove it from the door. Did the reverse to get them back in to place. The exterior handle engages with the unit a little differently than the front doors, but it's pretty self explanatory when you look at it.

There were also less of those snap clips (?) holding the two sides of the actuator together.

The child safety lock mechanism was a part of one of the halves, so I didn't have to worry about it coming apart and needing to be reassembled.

The motor in the rear doors on mine was a different part # (different manufacturer) but the dimensions were the same and I used the same replacement as the front.

has anyone done the rear doors?

mine are starting to sound slow in the back too, might do all 4 this weekend

 

[jhguth]

Only got one done before I ran out of light but it only took about 30-45 minutes and that's with doing it 2 times because I didn't have one piece in the slot the first time. When you reassemble the actuator verify that the piece is in the slot by pulling the cable for the door handle a few times. Best $7 repair ever.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Jeff614]

Has anyone gotten a quote from a dealer on this? Both my front door actuators are kaput. It looks like a job I could do but between work, school, and the fact that I live in an apartment complex with world's steepest and tightest parking garage with all my tools in storage.......it's not a job I relish jumping into.

Or alternatively suggest a shop in the No. VA area that does these types of jobs? Not that any shop couldn't do it... just may be a bit out of there usual area of expertise and don't want to be a guinea pig.

Thanks!!
- Jeff

 

[JustinFro]

You might check with your local car audio shop. Basically, they deal with these all the time when installing key-less entry, etc. I had mine done on my LX470 for a very reasonable price.

 

[Jeff614]

You might check with your local car audio shop. Basically, they deal with these all the time when installing key-less entry, etc. I had mine done on my LX470 for a very reasonable price.

Sadly car audio shops are just as rare around here as trusted 4x4 shops. Plenty of "Safe & Sounds" types. Years ago I had a custom enclosure built for my Ram and the one shop that met the "goldilocks" test (trustworthy, good work, decent pricing) was bought out.

You are right though, just about any audio shop that does remote starts etc..., should be somewhat familiar in the workings of door innards.

Thanks for pointing that out!
Enjoy your Labor Day!
- Jeff

 

[TEN613RPro]

Every F250/350/Excursion owner has been dealing with this since the early 2000's. If you take the end cap off the motors, remove the small square coated metal plate that conducts the current, wrap it in tin foil and put it back in the slot it will hit harder than it ever did when new and lasts for years. Now the aftermarket supplies the complete units at a fraction of what the dealer used to get for them. They used to call it the 5 cent fix. Others cut a penny into the same size and used that.

 

[Sure Shot]

Did the repair on all four doors of my 4th gen many years ago. This is a great write up for the 5th gen. Just did my drivers door in 40 minutes. The 08 and 16 lock assemblies look the same.

 

[Mutant138]

Sick write-up. The LAAAWDZ work. Just curious when did everyones actuator motor die? How many miles on the ODO?

 

[LNBright]

Sick write-up. The LAAAWDZ work. Just curious when did everyones actuator motor die? How many miles on the ODO?

Well, my driver's door died today: I hit the fob to lock, and the vehicle didn't chirp. Hit it again, and again... opened the drivers door, hit the lock button up on top, all the other doors locked, shut the drivers' door, checked to see if it was locked, it wasn't, so I used my key to lock, then hitting the fob button, it did chirp.

Mine's a '15, has about 85k on the odo....

 

[hendooman]

Has anyone gotten a quote from a dealer on this? Both my front door actuators are kaput. It looks like a job I could do but between work, school, and the fact that I live in an apartment complex with world's steepest and tightest parking garage with all my tools in storage.......it's not a job I relish jumping into.

Or alternatively suggest a shop in the No. VA area that does these types of jobs? Not that any shop couldn't do it... just may be a bit out of there usual area of expertise and don't want to be a guinea pig.

Thanks!!
- Jeff

I was just quoted about $400 per door...they said the part was 325 and .5 hours in labor...WTF? 325 part??? The lady at my local dealership told me to call Toyota since I already had one done and now have two more out. Is there no TSB for this yet?

 

[hendooman]

Sick write-up. The LAAAWDZ work. Just curious when did everyones actuator motor die? How many miles on the ODO?

Passenger front at 37K (they covered under good will warranty)
Drivers door and rear driver side at 50K (will not cover as of now)

 

[jhguth]

the dealership isn't going to take apart the actuator to replace the motor, they have to replace the entire actuator so that's why the part is so expensive. also, that replacement actuator will also die, they haven't solved the problem (i think someone here was on their 5th set of actuators)

you don't have to be skilled or experienced to replace the motor, even if it's the first time you've attempted to do something on your vehicle you shouldn't have any issue if you follow the writeup and videos


My driver's side failed around 35k miles, passenger around 45k miles and rear doors started sounding sluggish at same time around 45k (i didn't bother with warranty because i knew they would just replace with the same part that will faila gain)

 

[LNBright]

Well, my driver's door died today: I hit the fob to lock, and the vehicle didn't chirp. Hit it again, and again... opened the drivers door, hit the lock button up on top, all the other doors locked, shut the drivers' door, checked to see if it was locked, it wasn't, so I used my key to lock, then hitting the fob button, it did chirp.

Mine's a '15, has about 85k on the odo....

Interestingly...

The next day, mine began working again. Has worked since. I'm still going to order a motor for it and will have on-hand for when it'll eventually be needed...

 

[rjmarmjr]

Thanks!

Good call on the exact name of the page disappears - thanks for adding that, too!

Want to make sure I'm buying the right part: when I click the original link now, there are various options (and part number is slightly different - PC vs PT) - am I buying the "flat shaft - standard length" that it defaults to? I'm assuming it's not round shaft, given the write-up, but I don't know what length?

Alternatively, searching for the exact part number on AMZN gets this result: https://www.amazon.com/FC-280PT-22125-Central-Actuator-Locking-Replaces/dp/B00CM10NE8

Would that work?

Sorry for the noob question, but don't want to order the wrong part and realize it when I've got the panel off and actuator out!

Thanks in advance.

 

[jhguth]

yep flat shaft - standard length

 

[Uneeq]

pic

A bit off topic - but mind sharing where that view is from? Would love to go visit, and looks like you're from Houston so hopefully not too far.