Door Lock Actuator Replacement (5 Viewers)

[pavieSD]

from early in the thread:

To remove the actuator from the car, you must unhook the two top linkages to the exterior door handle, the white plastic shroud over the cables to the lock/inside handle, disconnect the cables from the inside door lock/handle, unscrew the window track bolt, and 3 screws that hold the actuator in place on the door. At that point, you should be able to slide the actuator down and out of the lower hole. Unplug the wiring harness at some point as well.

 

[Dwight S]

Is your door open when you hit the lock button? If so, try it with the door closed.

 

[stridertexas]

Is your door open when you hit the lock button? If so, try it with the door closed.

yeah it was open : \ haha.

Door Actuator #1 for me was a success. Took about 3.5 hours. Had I looked more into getting the door lock assembly out, I'm sure it would have gone MUCH faster. Almost gave up at that point.

 

[stridertexas]

After having gone through this replacement, I found this thread is extremely long. I figured I'd have a recap of the installation and removal steps. I'll leave the sourcing of the motors to update to someone else.

"Extra" Bolt

I did this fix today for my front driver side door lock..well almost.

I have one "extra" bolt now.

I know which hole it goes in, but can not remember what the bolt attaches to on the inside of the door cavity. The bolt needs to secure to something behind the sheet metal, but there is no metal or assembly component to attach to.

See the attached picture from LandCruisePhil's picture catalog, I put a red arrow to the bolt in question.

Other than that, everything is working right now. Thanks socalsuv for the great thread!

Ken

View attachment 501109

02cruzer, I believe the window track bolt is lower, see picture attached.

Window track bolt is next to the yellow arrow.

The bolt I can't figure out is next to the red arrow.

View attachment 501175

It's been a while since I did mine, but on the forward one, take the lower part of the clip and rotate it up, towards the inner door panel first before trying to pull it towards the door jamb. (I think, or was it the yellow one behind it that flipped like that? ). Anyway, I have big paws, so I unbolted the exterior handle for more wiggle room and better leverage on the plastic parts. Use some masking tape on the outside so a dangling handle doesn't mar your paint. And you'll need and extension. Remove the sticker with the pink arrow to access the rear handle bolt, and you'll need to hold the handle in the open position while you loosen tighten the bolt. Good Luck.

View attachment 615878

from early in the thread:

Also I didn’t use an oven to open the actuator. I used two small flathead screwdrivers to pry it open. Just worked my way around the actuator slowly with both and voila.

One last note, when putting the entire lock assembly back in, to see that it goes in smoothly, make sure to put it behind the window guide. Once the guide is in front, then both it back down, and it’ll hold the lock assembly in place, at which point you can more easily line everything back up to connect it to the exterior door handle, and bolt the 3 allen wrench bolts by the lock on the side of the door.

 

[Clutchee]

Ok folks need help on this matter…

2006 LC
245K miles
Drivers front door

Typical symptoms, stopped unlocking w key fob, could unlock door with key manually but not with fob.
Replaced actuator motor (thanks MUD!)

Now after replacement- manually with button on Drivers door locks & unlocks
Put car in Drive- locks door/unlocks in park

Key fob locks door/ unlocks but the drivers front door isn't actually locked..

Only issue replacing motor I had was when removing actuator the motor the white clip on motor I broke part off, could this have caused it? The part I broke was the white part on right- the lower portion of the white piece…. the top portion that has metal threaded still there but the lower part snapped off.

 

[Clutchee]

Anyone-Bump!!

 

[JZelnick]

I dug through this whole thread and can't seem to figure out which motor I need. I'd like to get this done ASAP since it is my drivers door.

Is this the right one?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/4X-FC-280-M...794?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item419726d912

or do i nee the PC model?

 

[Clutchee]

I dug through this whole thread and can't seem to figure out which motor I need. I'd like to get this done ASAP since it is my drivers door.

Is this the right one?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/4X-FC-280-M...794?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item419726d912

or do i nee the PC model?

Looks like ones I ordered/ I didn't need the brass piece so I removed with pliers.
Also the shaft on my motor had flat spot so I used the Dremel and made one.....
Then proceeded to break the part in the above post so I'm buying whole accuator

 

[blkwrpp]

Im really glad you posted this. My passenger door lock does the same thing, only when it get hot outside though. It locks and unlocks with the key in that specific door, but it only locks and unlocks occasionally. The tailgate does not lock or unlock whatsoever, but the passenger door is a strange occurrence. I have noticed it does work in the cold though! When I bought the car the previous owner did not have the fob, so ill wait until I do a remote start in it to get a new one. Thanks for doing all of this research!

 

[RedTail07]

Hey ya'll, looks like I'll have to tackle this job soon. I've got a 2004 Land Cruiser. Couple of questions:

1) First off, I'm not even able to unlock the door with the key. I can only unlock it from the inside by manually flipping the lock over. All other switches work fine. Does this still sound like the same issue?
2) Which motor do I need for the 04's? The one ones with the collar, or the ones with the flat shaft?

 

[2klc100]

Good to know, but don't think that its necessary to pay $30 for a motor when we've found them for under $1 a peice.

If the eBay seller runs out of these motors, they are made by Mabuchi. The Mabuchi part number is: fc-280pt-22125. You can google the part number and find them many places.

Thanks for the part numbers!

 

[stridertexas]

If you don't hear the motor turn from using the switch on the inside, it's more than likely you'll need a motor.

I have an extra motor I can send you a pic of. I have an 07. I had to take the collar off my old motor to put on one of these and then I locktite'd the actuator housing back up, and it's worked like a champ.

As far as the key not working, my only assumption is that there's a small plastic piece that could have broken on the inside that connects the door look to manual rods in the door. If your actuator went hay wire and broke itself, it could have broken that too. Or the piece could have simply fallen off.

 

[BTUMAN]

Just did my son's 2000 - that was a pain but all works great now. The motor with the brass sleeves was required. Some tips that may already be mentioned:
1. It may help to take pictures of the cables and connections in case you get distracted or can't complete right away.
2. You can use a pull tie to hold the clamshell closed while the epoxy completes its drying (24 hr). I just looped it very tight and left it on.
3. Be very careful with those little clips that hold the metal lever arms to the door handle.
4. I took off the door handle to make it easier to reassemble.
5. Be sure and get window track at top into the slot.

It's looks more scary than it is. It does take about 1.5 too 2 hours. I could do it again in under an hour.

 

[Somebodyelse5]

Just did my son's 2000 - that was a pain but all works great now. The motor with the brass sleeves was required. Some tips that may already be mentioned:
1. It may help to take pictures of the cables and connections in case you get distracted or can't complete right away.
2. You can use a pull tie to hold the clamshell closed while the epoxy completes its drying (24 hr). I just looped it very tight and left it on.
3. Be very careful with those little clips that hold the metal lever arms to the door handle.
4. I took off the door handle to make it easier to reassemble.
5. Be sure and get window track at top into the slot.

It's looks more scary than it is. It does take about 1.5 too 2 hours. I could do it again in under an hour.

I think i actually left the zipties on mine

 

[STEVEN XU]

We'll I got my door torn apart tonight, and to my surprise I have the same actuator that is found in the 2006 model. It has the exact same configuration with the same length shaft but no collar and a notch in the shaft itself. I did test cycle a new one and it runs about 20 times stronger than the worn out OEM. Thankfully I have a dremmel and I'm not afraid to use it. I'll be grinding on an actuator tonight or tomorrow to get a proper fit.

Note the full length worm gear
View attachment 528685


Old motor on the left, new on the right. Old worm gear above
View attachment 528683

Note the Worm gear in notched to match the shaft. I will have to Dremmel the shaft to match this. Shouldn't be too mig of a deal.
View attachment 528684
View attachment 528683View attachment 528684View attachment 528685

There is a piece of small rubber tube with three holes on the side(on your picture right hand side). I can not figure out where to put it on. When I removed the actuator out out the door panel, it falls down to the bottom of the panel. I don't have idea where it comes from.

 

[PabloCruise]

So I got the 5 new DC motors in the mail from eBay. They fit perfectly in to the actuator.

View attachment 257290

I applied some dielctric grease on the contacts of the actuator clamshell and then epoxied both halves of the clamshell back together in a few spots. There is a lot of torque in that little motor and if you don't secure the clamshell together, it will blow apart. You don't want to go overboard on the epoxy / adhesive either or else you won't be able to open it up again to replace the motor if/when it dies.

I then plugged in the actuator (disconnected from the assembly) to verify that it worked and worked strongly....it did.

View attachment 257291

Here is the "actuator" attached to the door lock assembly. This is the entire assembly that all dealers will want to replace.

View attachment 257292

SUCCESS!!! I now have a perfectly functioning door lock!

So as a recap.....the 5 motors cost me $4.98 plus shipping.
View attachment 257290View attachment 257291View attachment 257292

Awesome, thank you!

 

[desertfox]

Just installed an aftermarket alarm. The new remote will lock and arm. When I disarm it will not unlock the doors. Am I right in thinking this little motor is the problem?

Thanks

 

[Battleship]

Just installed an aftermarket alarm. The new remote will lock and arm. When I disarm it will not unlock the doors. Am I right in thinking this little motor is the problem?

Thanks

Each door has its own little motor. If they were working pre install, it's unlikely that they all failed at once. I'd look at the alarm programming/install first.

 

[desertfox]

New car alarm installed by local shop. Key fob arms and locks door, key fob disarms but will not unlock door. If I use key on passenger door it will unlock all doors. If I use button on inside of passenger door it locks and unlocks all doors. If I sit inside and arm with the key fob and then disarm, the buttons on the doors no longer unlock the doors. I'm taking it back to the guy in the morning...something is screwy.

 

[Corystrom]

Found the Mabuchi part number fc-280pt-22125 for my 2001, would like to give the business to someone on Mud, any takers?

Also, i read that u want the brass collar but anyone know if it's preferred to use the motors with long shafts or short shafts in the 01?