door lock actuator

[avocadoman1]

anyone replaced the door lock actuator in a Gen3?
front driver's door lock is having a problem going up & down on a regular basis.
advice?
looks like a fairly simple fix once the door panel is removed.

Bob T.
'99 Blk 82K
welded
x-cal 1

 

[Silvapain]

I have, and it's a serious pain-in-the-butt to get to the soleniod. The brackets for the window are right in the way. Just be patient, and find a friend with skinny, long fingers.

 

[avocadoman1]

did you purchase a new from dealer, remanufacturered, or junk yard used?
it looks like an under $20 part.
was yours on the driver door as well?
service manual says to remove the entire door latch assembly & door ajar switch. and then remove the solenoid.
i'll get to it tomorrow...

 

[avocadoman1]

removed the dysfunctional driver's side door latch mechanism & actuator for a '99 SHO.
FYI...this is a different system than the '96-'98 (and early '99s) where the actuator is a plunger type mechanism located seperately under the latch.
from what i was told...the latch/actuator system was changed during the '99 year to this new system for the 2000 and beyond model years.
i can't find one at the junkyard so I need to rely on the dealer.
$60 for the plastic actuator itself. it fastens to the latch mechanism.
actually slides off the latch.
not much room for big hands inside the door cavity (what were they smokin' when they designed this?).

Here are pictures for the web site search...

Bob T.
'99 Blk 82K
welded
x-cal 1

 

[Silvapain]

I bought mine from the dealership - I wasn't about to swap it out with a junkyard piece, just to have it fail again in a year-or-two. It's a pain to do, so I wanted to make sure it lasted. I worked on the driver's door as well.

 

[avocadoman1]

yes, but your '97 actuator/latch mechanism looked nothing like the animal pictured above.
it probably looked more like this...

'96-98 door actuator

i ended up paying $68 for the '99 actuator alone.
now that i've done it once, i'll be able to move thru the fix process more quickly if there is a "next-time".
so, i will definitely junk yard it.
that's a $10 part.
i could of bought 7 of 'em.

 

[luigisho]

I am guessing that all GenIII's actuater and door ajar switch are in the latch? What's at the bottom corner of my '97's door? Power window switches? If I want to replace the part and cure the interior light problem do I undo the screws around the outside of the latch to remove it?

The WD isn't working anymore and I can't find a good schematic to tell what's what in there.

BTW, anyone happen to have a part number for the '97 model year?

Thanks.

 

[avocadoman1]

the '97 that i worked on had the seperate actuator at the base of the door.
my '99 has the actuator incorporated into the latch mechanism as pictured above.
either way, the door ajar switch is in the latch itself.
you need a large torx to undo the latch from the door to remove.

 

[luigisho]

I thought it looked like the actuator was down there like in the v6 cars. Thanks for the clarification. I have the actual little switch but I wonder if the electrical plug on the unit is faulty. I wonder why the lights stay on but the door chime doesn't keep beeping.

 

[jrcrum]

I thought it looked like the actuator was down there like in the v6 cars. Thanks for the clarification. I have the actual little switch but I wonder if the electrical plug on the unit is faulty. I wonder why the lights stay on but the door chime doesn't keep beeping.

dumb question but did you make sure your interior lights dimmer switch isn't up all the way

 

[luigisho]

dumb question but did you make sure your interior lights dimmer switch isn't up all the way

Lol. Yes.