Passenger door takes several pressed to unlock

[SteveCM]

My Explorer has been doing this for about a year now, but it stopped for a few months...and now its back again. When I press unlock on the remotes, the lock attempts to move a bit, and will slowly get there. It takes maybe 5-6 presses to get the passenger door to fully reach the unlocked position. What are the possible problems I could be facing? Door lock actuator? Are there any tutorials on how to fix this?


Thanks!

 

[SteveCM]

So my mechanic says its probably an actuator. Troubling because half the time it works and the other half it doesn't. Now I think I can do that myself, it seems pretty straightforward--remove the panel and replace. The dealer quoted me $48 for the actuator but said that the pigtail connector has to be purchased and replaced as well...for $53 more. Anybody know if that is true? And is it hard to do?

Steve

 

[borland]

I have the same problem with the right rear door on my 2002XLT. Only happens ocassionally, so I haven't attempted to take the panel off and see what's happening.

I would recommend you take the panel off and lock and unlock the door remotely to see what's going on inside. Could be something simple that can be fixed without cost.

 

[SteveCM]

I have the same problem with the right rear door on my 2002XLT. Only happens ocassionally, so I haven't attempted to take the panel off and see what's happening.

I would recommend you take the panel off and lock and unlock the door remotely to see what's going on inside. Could be something simple that can be fixed without cost.

I think I will do just that on Wednesday. Maybe because it is intermittent the rod on the actuator needs grease, or there is a lose connection. It's worth a look I guess because otherwise its gonna run me over $100.

Thanks
Steve

 

[jrford]

when i replaced my actuator on my heep, which i found in a u-pick junkyard, paid $7 for it; it was plug and play. I don't have a clue what 'pigtail connector' he is talking about. . .the actuator had a female plug on it which the door harness plugged into.
Two things it really does sound like the actuator, there is a post about replacing it somewhere here. The first thing to check is the wiring however, they have been know to frayed or break so follow the harness and look closely.

 

[SteveCM]

So I got the panel off this morning in the freezing cold, check it out, and of course the door is working 100% this morning. Wires look good and the actuator is doing its job today. I'm going to leave the panel off and come look again in a few hours and see if its acting up then.

Frustrating

 

[Willard]

I had this problem on my 94, took the door panel off and oiled the **** out of everything. Works fine now. I think the actuator is either going to work or it isnt, Ive never heard of one being weak.
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[SteveCM]

I had this problem on my 94, took the door panel off and oiled the **** out of everything. Works fine now. I think the actuator is either going to work or it isnt, Ive never heard of one being weak.
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Slipping gear that needs grease inside the actuator? Pretty sure its sealed too so it can't be opened. There's not much to grease here...its mostly rods and bike brake wires that pull in and out of the actuator.

 

[yeah61794]

I had this happen to my 98, I live on a gravel road so there was dust in everything. Lubed the mechanism that actually latches the door to the body, the part on the side of the door you can actually see, and its worked fine ever since.

 

[jp450]

So my mechanic says its probably an actuator. Troubling because half the time it works and the other half it doesn't. Now I think I can do that myself, it seems pretty straightforward--remove the panel and replace. The dealer quoted me $48 for the actuator but said that the pigtail connector has to be purchased and replaced as well...for $53 more. Anybody know if that is true? And is it hard to do?

Steve

Maybe the new actuator does not plug and play and needs an adapter to make it so? Or the contacts in the harness are corroded and the plug needs to be replaced? Hard to say.


My 99 did the same thing, I think it was a broken spring in the door latch. Replaced the latch and all was good.