Look for the actuators for a camry
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It can be done without removing the exterior door handles.
See post #191, there is a good picture of the clip. I was able to just reach in and unsnap and slide up. You then push the rod back thru. Once you figure out how it unsnaps and rotates its easier. Access is tight so you are going by feel. I think the first time I put my phone in and snapped some pics to get the other side. Probabaly a better picture of the clip in a post by landcruiserphil early in thread.
On everything I did I found a hairdryer to warm up the plasticparts helpful in making more plyable and unclip easier.....way eeasieer.
Ok the betting windows are now open. I did the same as @TXSunDevil and purchased both the collared and non-collared motors. So which will it be?!? I have a 2001 Land Cruiser and hopefully will be diving in tomorrow for the answer. (This eBay seller had both so they came together.)
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How do you safely separate the rear door clam shells? The white colored actuator arm must be removed first before prying open the clamshell to replace the motor. On the front assembly, the white actuator arm comes out the other side and does not interfere.
I stopped working on this Sunday, after seeing the rears were different than the fronts (which I replaced two weekends ago). I didn't have time to search this thread until today - and I didn't see much, if anything, on the rears.
I don't want to break the white arm trying to pop it off before I know how the whole thing comes apart.
I knocked this small rubber "hose" off with my hands while removing the door lock assembly to install new lock motors.
Where does it go?
This small rubber thing
This small rubber thing fell off inside the door while I was removing the door lock assembly...
Awesome analysis! I'm having same issue on '02. Thanks!I had the normal symptoms of a door lock actuator gone bad (many threads on this) so I went about investigating this issue over the weekend. I was hoping I could find something that could be remedied by a little bit of cleaning / maintenance, but that wasn't the case.
Removal of the door trim wasn't bad, but getting the door lock assembly out was a bit of a pain (kept getting my arm hair stuck in the tar-like adhesive for the plastic sheeting). Once I got the lock assembly out, I detached the actuator (held on by 3 screws). The actuator itself is not a solenoid as some other threads state. I popped off the cover.....it is actually a small DC motor.
Actuator:
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Actuator exploded:
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I plugged in the actuator (without the cover and not attached to the lock assembly) to the electrical connector and operated the door lock switch. I could see the motor spinning strongly the first few presses of the switch, but then it would slowly die down. I tried cleaning all the contacts / moving parts, but nothing improved. Since I realized I had to replace the motor, I decided to take it apart and investigate. I immediately saw that the graphite brushes were almost completely disintegrated....not sure if this was the only problem.
So, in an ideal world I could just replace this little $8 hobby motor. The really unfortunate thing is that not even the actuator itself is sold by itself. I tried every avenue for parts searching and can only find the actuator sold with the entire lock assembly (lock mechanism, cables, actuator). This is really annoying since the actuator is a separate component and bolts (screws) on to the assembly. I didn't want to go the junk yard route since who knows how long the used actuator would last.
So I did find the lock assembly cheapest on CruiserParts.net for $169. I called my Lexus dealership to get a price on the assembly just for my own edification. They sell the assembly for $330 and would probably charge $500 total for them to do the job.
A few cents worth of graphite in the brushes of a motor results in a potential $500 repair.
If anyone ever finds a way of just buying the actuator and not the whole assembly, I would love to hear how you did it.
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Here's one for everyone... I ordered this from Stylin' Trucks (P/N: T464912) Its from a 1999 Toyota Camry...
It appears in everyday to be exactly what ours would be BUT if you look, there are screws holding the clamshells together... My hope is that they aren't ALSO glued or sealed.
This could be awesome for anyone that is nervous about breaking the case on their actuator.
The only thing that has to be changed, once you open it you have to swap out the lever (grey in pic, and white on ours) this appears very easy to do once it is open..
Stylin' Trucks had it cheaper @ $21
My local NAPA is selling them for $80
Once it comes in I will give full report!
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Working on changing the door lock motor and this fell out. Does anyone know what it is? Its soft rubber.. passenger side front door
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