New Help. Door locking problems.

onfire · 10-03-2009, 07:24 PM

I've heard this is a common problem.

I lock the door using the key, the driver's locks, the rear behind the driver and the passenger rear. However the passenger front doesnt. It does however make a funny noise for a second, ' Drrr Drrr Drrr ' the same when I now unlock the doors.

Basically I need the car for work, and I need to know whats wrong with it, and how long it will take to fix it.

Any help?

JC · 10-03-2009, 08:36 PM

Funny you should have this issue today - my 2 second hand door actuators arrived today (destined for a mate's and the old's cars)!

The worm gear inside the door actuator has broken. There are 3 fixes for this:

1. Temp fix. Remove door trim, then remove the steel rod between the exterior handle and the locking mechanism. this will render the outside handle useless, and means no-one can open that door from the outside.

2. Semi-permanent fix. Buy a second hand actuator, remove the old one, plug the new one in and it will all work. You can buy any actuator for any door and actually disassemble the one you need to fix, and use just the gear out of the one you bought to do it. Cost anywhere from $20 to $100 for a second hand actuator (actuators from a 1999 Mazda protege and the same year model Ford Laser also have the same part numbers as the falcon ones, and are sometimes cheaper on ebay, at wreckers etc)

3. Permanent fix. Buy a new BA actuator which has the metal gear, and the BA to AU loom adaptor and fit that. Should never snap the worm drive gear again.

There is a fourth option which involves fixing the broken work drive gear, but it has never worked for me.

**GasoLane** · 10-03-2009, 08:53 PM

Or..... you could try a reconditioned one from Gas Strut recharge......

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/FORD-AU-BA-DO...742.m153.l1262

I've bought two from Grant in the last couple of years. $65 + $10 postage, overnight service with a prepaid bag to send the old one back.

You dont need to use EvilBay, his phone number is in the pic and in Melb you can pick them up.

onfire · 11-03-2009, 03:23 PM

Went with option 3. And actully did it myself.. that will show them.
5 min. job. However, it cost me. But I needed/wanted the part asap.

**GasoLane** · 11-03-2009, 03:25 PM

Ok. We're all sitting down.....How much?

JC · 11-03-2009, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Ok. We're all sitting down.....How much?

I was wondering the same. I'd guess at $150 for the part, and another $30 odd for the loom adaptor.

JC · 12-03-2009, 12:53 PM

Found a new issue with the doors today (when replacing the actuator gear on a mate's car). Turns out the gear was fine, but the little electric motor didn't work - we replace it with one i had lying around (in a round about sort of way) and all is good. So, lesson for today is:

If the actuator makes noise but the door doesn't open (or doesn't lock), then it's a broken gear.
If the actuator doesn't make any noise, then it's a motor issue (possibly also a gear issue, bur motor as well).

Just goes to show, that you can learn something new every day.

**GasoLane** · 14-03-2009, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC

If the actuator doesn't make any noise, then it's a motor issue (possibly also a gear issue, bur motor as well).

Or in my case...hearing aid batteries are flat!

onfire · 15-03-2009, 12:51 AM

Cost about $139 bucks all up, thats including the loom.

Easy as to install, which surprised me.

Mikal52 · 16-03-2009, 08:36 PM

Hi I'm having some issues with something like this aswell so thought I might aswell ask here...

When I lock the doors they both seem to lock fine, no wierd noises. But go around and open the passenger door and it will open, and also unlocking the drivers door aswell. If anyone knows whats going and how to fix it please help!

My wallet was stolen last night as I left it in there thinking the doors were locked. Didn't know it was broken till this morning when I found the door open and wallet missing

Michael

JC · 16-03-2009, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikal52

Hi I'm having some issues with something like this aswell so thought I might aswell ask here...

When I lock the doors they both seem to lock fine, no wierd noises. But go around and open the passenger door and it will open, and also unlocking the drivers door aswell. If anyone knows whats going and how to fix it please help!

My wallet was stolen last night as I left it in there thinking the doors were locked. Didn't know it was broken till this morning when I found the door open and wallet missing

Michael

What about if you lock it with the key? Sometimes that will still work. But I'd say you'll need to replace the passenger side actuator, and maybe a drivers one as well.

Mikal52 · 16-03-2009, 10:34 PM

Just tried locking it with the key and also from inside he car with the button on the dash. Neither work can still open it from outside on passenger side. I might pull it apart and do the temporary mod you suggested in the 2nd post until I can get it fixed.

But you would be putting your money on the door actuators then?

Thanks for ya help
Michael

JC · 17-03-2009, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikal52

Just tried locking it with the key and also from inside he car with the button on the dash. Neither work can still open it from outside on passenger side. I might pull it apart and do the temporary mod you suggested in the 2nd post until I can get it fixed.

But you would be putting your money on the door actuators then?

Thanks for ya help
Michael

Yep - definitely door actuator issue.

Mikal52 · 17-03-2009, 05:43 PM

yay.....

Thanks for your help mate

Michael

Mikal52 · 17-03-2009, 09:59 PM

Well pulled it apart today gave it a bit of a tap n swore at it for getting my wallet stolen and who would of guessed it?????

It's working again...

I have no idea what I did or what was wrong but it's locking and unlocking fine again... hopefully it will last a while if not at least I know how to get to it now lol.

Michael

**GasoLane** · 18-03-2009, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikal52

Well pulled it apart today gave it a bit of a tap n swore at it for getting my wallet stolen and who would of guessed it?????

It's working again...

I have no idea what I did or what was wrong but it's locking and unlocking fine again... hopefully it will last a while if not at least I know how to get to it now lol.

Michael

This happened with my first one that broke. Sometimes it licked, sometimes it did'nt.

You will need to replace it.

Mikal52 · 18-03-2009, 01:51 PM

Yeah I was guessing as much.... I'm off to perth in a couple of days so ill see if I can get it fixed before I go but if not ill just disconnect the outside passenger door handle and fix it when I get home.

Any able to give me a price on a new door actuator?

**GasoLane** · 20-03-2009, 06:55 PM

See my post 3#

**Mechan1k** · 21-03-2009, 03:38 PM

Don't bet on the BA actuator on not failing ... its the same as the Territory ones .... and I just had the driver's door actuator fail on it the other day ... one good thing to note no bolts to remove the door trim.

Was still good fun fiddling with the locking rods though.

**GasoLane** · 21-03-2009, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

Don't bet on the BA actuator on not failing ... its the same as the Territory ones .... and I just had the driver's door actuator fail on it the other day ... one good thing to note no bolts to remove the door trim.

Was still good fun fiddling with the locking rods though.

Typical Driver. Always knocking the gear around!!

**Mechan1k** · 21-03-2009, 03:46 PM

Hhahahaha ... That's pretty much what I said to Bec ... the look on her face was a classic.
Mind you ... she has 4 weeks left till the little one arrives ... so she can't move quickly enough to hit me at the moment :P