Door handle/actuator issue

iCydia

Hey guys,
Last night I came across my driver side door not being able to be opened, from the inside handle and the outside handle. I attempted to open it while locking and unlocking, no luck. I also tried using the key and it still didn't open. I tapped on the door handle hoping it would re-align something that might have came off, no dice.

I'm unable to take the handle off or the panel off without opening the door...
But I can crack the top part of the panel open to see the cables.

Any body came across this and got it fixed? Suggestions? Solutions?

Thank you!

Trips

You may need to call a locksmith or AAA with a slim jim to see if they can jimmy it open.

IF that don't work you can also attempt to remove the door panel while it maybe a pia your options are limited.

EDIT:

Just looked at the door panel closely with the door closed and its almost impossible to remove it in the closed position.

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iCydia

Just called locksmith, they said they don't wanna mess with it .... Lol.... Any ther suggestions?

Daniel123588

Not sure how much of the top door panel you can pull back while the door is closed but you will see two cables. The cables can be pulled out of the holder by pulling it outwards, it just sits in a little groove. The head of the cable that has the round head is the cable to pull the door opening mechanism. Anyway, do the following:

1. With the top door panel pulled back, see if pulling the interior door handle moves that cable, if that cable doesn't move then the interior door handle isn't connected. Hard to believe the cable would slip out of place or break though.

2. Maybe you should do this first. With the remote, when you lock and unlock, listen carefully to see if you can feel/hear the actual door unlocking/locking.

Im going to guess your door lock motor is broken in the lock position hence not being able to use the exterior door handle or interior door handle. But inserting the key manually into the exterior door handle would unlock it, you did mention you tried this right?

iCydia

The lock motor is fine, all the cables were fine. Its the actuator. I think it's because my girlfriend keeps locking me out whenever she gets in.. Shes playful.. The trick is to pull the handle hard and quick and it unlocks. I greased it down hoping it was the problem. Nope, did it again after maybe 5 opening and closings of the door. So I'll be changing it out as soon as possible.

Thank you guys for taking your time in responding to my post.
I appreciate it!

Daniel123588

An Actuator is a door lock...am I missing something or the verbiage a bit incorrect? Anyhow do keep the thread updated when you get the solution so it can be used as guidance for others. Mahalo!

iCydia

I may have confused you, I'm sorry. The lock actuator is malfunctioning. I'm not sure what may have caused it but I have mentioned above that my girlfriend was messing with the lock controls.

In order for me to open the door I would have to quickly pull the handle and release it. Took me maybe 2 tries for the lock to open up.

At the moment I'm trying to take off the grey panel on the door to remove the actuator. I'm still trying to figure out how to take the grey panel off......

Daniel123588

thanks for the update. I am unsure about the grey metal panel as well which the window regulator is connected to. I haven't been able to find any tutorials on the order to take those off. Not much help otherwise I would have offered it to you.

iCydia

No its fine, thank you for your time and response to my post!




UPDATE:

I found a post in regarding removing the inner grey panel. Guy Pat C. drilled out the rivets and got it opened. wow..

Source:

Accessing inner door panel for Dynamat

Daniel123588

Good find icydia! They made it quite difficult to get to.

By the way, drilling out rivets and putting in new rivets is a piece of cake work so not something to have to worry about for those that are hesitant.

Good luck!

iCydia

UPDATE:

Those rivets are supposed to be there for the window regulators.. I have no clue what rivets Pat C. drilled out....

I figured it out, I will do a write up as soon as I get the part in .

sirnixalot

5 year old thread necromancing time

This has happened to me because, well, what else could this car possibly fight me on.

I will update when I solve it, it may require a new door as I will plasma this one on principle for ******* with me after all I have been through.

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2010 Sport - LS3 swap loading
2012 Frontier - BTWTuning VK56DE swap

Dreadnaught

I just read some of the post for this thread as to how to remove the door lock actuator if I understand that's what people have been referring to.

I had to put a new passenger side door lock actuator on my Z a couple of years ago. My inner door panel was held in by torx fasteners. I also had to remove the wiring harness that is on the inner door panel. You also have to remove the glass by rolling down the window so far to remove two nuts.

Maybe it's different from the earlier model years.

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Ford Diesel and Heavy Line Technician at your service.

tonmed123

I have been having this issue with the driver side actuator for sometime but it isn't my daily driver. I was just gong to order a new one because my truck is in the shop. One thing that causes my actuator to malfunction is when my windows need to be reset after charging my battery. I was sometimes not resetting the passenger side window. Yesterday I put the car in ACC rolled down the window, held it heard a click and rolled it back up. Set it to ON cycled up and down like normal once and heard something inside the door wind down and the door locks activated and reset. I've been driving it for 2 days with no issue with locks. Before this, the car would lock me out, relock itself when I was trying to open the door from the outside or inside, the doors locking and unlocking while driving, weird things like that. Basically I was really dreading using the car... All that stopped, I can open the door just fine and it isn't locking on me as of yet. I don't understand yet why the window reset in ACC when the procedure states to reset the window on ON and why I heard that extra rewinding and the locks cycle this time? Lets see what happens. There is a place on ebay that has the actuators called actuator plus, if I have to, I will probably get one from them and send in the core for the lifetime exchange. It was less than 100 bucks for it.

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09,Solid Red,MT,Tour/Sport,Nav,3M Clear bra,35% Ceramic tint,Stillen sways,F.I. (HFC's,18 RES's,CBE), SpawnCFB pillars; Injen BLK CAI

sirnixalot

I semi solved it. It’s the door lock mechanism inside the latch. It moves too far in one direction and does not allow the door handle mechanism to engage with the latch cam. Until the new to me door latch arrives I have unplugged the connector that would trigger the door lock mechanism and disconnected the drivers side manual lock cable.

How did I even get to this point you ask, since my door was closed. I cannot take a picture with the kind of accuracy required.

If you find yourself in this predicament, roll the window down, pry the inside window seal out, position your brightest flashlight pointing down the window opening at the B pillar.

You will make out a door latch mechanism halfway down and you will see a lever that a cable is attached to. I had to push on this with a welding rod aka coat hanger while opening the door with either inside or outside handle.

I found the tension of me pushing on the cable/latch connection point with the welding rod while providing counter tension with the door handle opened the door.

This did not work 100% of the time but it was successful enough for me to avoid taking my plasma cutter to the door. I apologize if none of that makes sense but I guarantee it will when your experience it.

__________________
2010 Sport - LS3 swap loading
2012 Frontier - BTWTuning VK56DE swap