Door lock/actuator stuck and won't open at all!!!

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EZ44

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Hi,

The rear passenger door actuator failed recently but was working manually and opened/closed fine. I purchased an OEM door lock actuator for it and was going to change it myself. Unfortunately the door is now while locked and I can't unlock it at all. Manually locking/unlocking does nothing and using the inner or outer handle also does nothing. I was able to pull the door panel off from inside the car while locked. I pushed/pulled on the lock/unlock cable as well as the handle unlock cable, outer door lock and still nothing. I even switched the child safety switch button back and forth while trying to manually open the door but didn't work. I can hear the actuator making noises as I pull the handles/cables but it never releases the lock. Just wondering if there is any other way of disengaging this door lock from the inside? The dealer wanted 2 - 2.5 hours of labour at $118/hr just to replace the actuator. If I bring it to them like this it's going to cost a fortune.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks.
 
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I had a honda in my shop few weeks ago that the door lock failed like this and could not open the door at all, I tried everything and there was nothing I could do, the problem was internal to the lock assy, only choice was to mutulate it enough to get it open. hard to do that without damaging anything else, luckily we were able to limit the damage to the inner part of the door, still was an expensive fix all said and done, over $800 with the lock only being $100 of that...

when these suckers lock they can be a real bitch to break enough to get it to release, the door locks are really strong and really resistant to attacks like this because there designed to keep that door latched in even big train wreck type hits... mean while when trying to chop it out, the bolts that attach the lock to the door can easily pull through the holes they mount too and damage the door in the jamb...

best case is you can get it to release by playing with it, I'd say to really try everything else before resorting to actually trying to chop it out, sometimes prying the plastic covers off can help access some of the internals... the whole problem could just be a failed tiny spring in there but if it doesn't pull what it's supposed to then it just won't open. good luck with it :)
 
Thanks for the reply. What you are describing is my biggest worry. I have a couple of ideas, one of which is smashing the actuator housing and trying to manually move the parts (as you suggest) and the other is to try and drill out the latch from the inside of the car. Just need a slightly better angle to do that so I might have to remove the interior panels and go through the aluminum side wall.
 
Fixed it!!

FIXED IT! With the door panel removed I hammered the plastic casing with a long screwdriver/hammer. Ripped almost all of it off piece by piece exposing the internals. It took a while but once in I was able to partially unlock which allowed the door to open about an inch. With further manipulation I was able to push pull some mechanical parts allowing it to unlock all the way. Overall about 2-3 hours in total and no need to have my money ripped from my wallet at the dealer!

Thanks for the suggestions.
 
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bump, did you start hammering it from the top or side? Did you do the front or rear door?If rear, any tips for removing the window regulator? its a little different then the fronts im custom to.
 
window reg is removed by lowering the glass till the 2 holes line up with the bolts that hold the glass in, remove bolts, remove glass, then unbolt regulator and remove it. don't try to remove it with the window still attached, you can unbolt the glass and slide it up and tape it in place instead of removing it completely
 
I have 2004 FX35 and I am having the same issue with one two of my OEM door lock actuators. It is the driver side door and the passenger backdoor...I am of the mindset to change them all...I just recently noticed the passenger OEM door lock actuator not working properly sometime...This is the only major problem I have ever had out of this vehicle so it is worth fixing...

What I need to know is where can purchase the OEM door lock actuators without going to the dealer...HELP PLEASE...:smile (2):



Thanks in advance

Larry

EZ44 said:
Hard to argue with that!

:top:
Click to expand...
 
Today , while buying the actuator from the stealership($280 cdn rippoff) i also had them breakout my lock since i was there and had time to kill . i wished i done this myself because tech(apprentice)working on it had no clue what he was doing. After I complained to the supervisor(older man i thought was doing the job for me in the first place..grrr) that i wasnt paying for more then 1 1/2 hour labour and i need my car back if they cant open it.He then proceeded to do it himself, in 10mins the door was freed. Im so pissed that i got missed lead, i could of done a better job an save myself 200 in labor charge.

Im going back tomorrow to tell the about them missing tabs cover on the torx screw cover,child safety cover that the apprentice forgot it put back in, dents around the safety lock(apparently the idiot was hammer it from the child safety lock wtf. Worst of all, the outside door handle doesnt even work to open the door. There were gears that you will need to turn once you break open your actuator to free your door. Just from watching the apprentice fiddle around with the actuator cable i knew i got screwed.

Is there anything i can complain about with them when they call me back tomorrow like discounting the labor charge.
They want me to come back for 3 recall items.. i rather not with them after newby tech wouldnt even put the door back on for me with the after market actuator because he didnt wanna touch it. Went home put on, found out outside door doesnt open ...

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best advice, go with the oem actuator instead of the aftermarket. 2 out of 3 aftermarket door works but maintenance with actuator is not worth it with the aftermarket actuator because i keep having to re-adjust my screws, having the rod stuck, out of position etc.Also installing the aftermarket locked both my rear passenger doors shut.Huge pain when you cant open your doors and having to hammer/long screwdriver it out.
lc116235 said:
I have 2004 FX35 and I am having the same issue with one two of my OEM door lock actuators. It is the driver side door and the passenger backdoor...I am of the mindset to change them all...I just recently noticed the passenger OEM door lock actuator not working properly sometime...This is the only major problem I have ever had out of this vehicle so it is worth fixing...

What I need to know is where can purchase the OEM door lock actuators without going to the dealer...HELP PLEASE...:smile (2):



Thanks in advance

Larry
Click to expand...
 
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This happened in my mom's Nissan last week but it was for the trunk. Luckily there is a manual emergency trunk release cap in the back to pop it open. The actuator failed and the dealer wants $400 to replace it :eek.:
 
orderinfinitiparts.com goes for $195 if you're from states. was gonna buy it from there but long delay between email, shipment, duties and shipping cost made me go local instead.

- - - Updated - - -

costed me $480 for parts and labor for half ass job they did for me.
 
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I just put a new lock actuator in and I am having this problem , I am not too happy with the idea that it's going to have to be smashed to open the door :(
 
EZ44 said:
Hi,

The rear passenger door actuator failed recently but was working manually and opened/closed fine. I purchased an OEM door lock actuator for it and was going to change it myself. Unfortunately the door is now while locked and I can't unlock it at all. Manually locking/unlocking does nothing and using the inner or outer handle also does nothing. I was able to pull the door panel off from inside the car while locked. I pushed/pulled on the lock/unlock cable as well as the handle unlock cable, outer door lock and still nothing. I even switched the child safety switch button back and forth while trying to manually open the door but didn't work. I can hear the actuator making noises as I pull the handles/cables but it never releases the lock. Just wondering if there is any other way of disengaging this door lock from the inside? The dealer wanted 2 - 2.5 hours of labour at $118/hr just to replace the actuator. If I bring it to them like this it's going to cost a fortune.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
@EZ44 - I am working through the same issue. Like you, my rear drivers door won't open. I am all set to switch out the door actuator but, I have a question. How did you get the door panel off without opening the door. After looking at the other rear door, it looks like it isn't an option to disassemble it without opening the door. Any help would be much appreciated.
 
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