problems with locks on sliding doors
10-13-2009, 02:14 PM
#1
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Location: Tallahassee, FL
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One of the rear door locks often doesn't respond to the key fob, or even the driver door lock button. Sometimes it will work fine, other times I'll press it 5-10 times before it responds. Locking and unlocking this door from the inside works fine.
The other rear lock also has problems. It will unlock, but not all the way. Then when I try to open the door, the lock shifts back to the locked position. It does the same thing even if I manually unlock it from the inside, I'll try to open the door and it will shift back to the locked position. I'll have to repeatedly unlock and lock the door until I feel the lock move all the way over. Additionally (not sure if this is related), the outside handle on this door is pretty loose, like it lost it's return spring thingie.
Car is over warranty, there is no Haynes or Chilton manual available, and a factory service manual is ridiculously expensive. What should I do first?
The other rear lock also has problems. It will unlock, but not all the way. Then when I try to open the door, the lock shifts back to the locked position. It does the same thing even if I manually unlock it from the inside, I'll try to open the door and it will shift back to the locked position. I'll have to repeatedly unlock and lock the door until I feel the lock move all the way over. Additionally (not sure if this is related), the outside handle on this door is pretty loose, like it lost it's return spring thingie.
Car is over warranty, there is no Haynes or Chilton manual available, and a factory service manual is ridiculously expensive. What should I do first?
10-14-2009, 09:16 AM
#2
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After doing more searching online, apparently other folks have had the same problem, and had it repaired under warranty. They said the dealer replaced the door actuator (one person said they had to replace the same one twice).
I don't like replacing a shitty part that fails prematurely with the exact same shitty part that will most likely fail prematurely, so now I'm looking for an aftermarket lock actuator. I've found several generic ones online with great prices.
I'd like to remove my door panel and compare the lock actuator to other ones to see what would be best. I've never messed with a sliding door before. Should I bother trying to remove the door panel with the door on the car, or will I have to remove the entire door from the car in order to remove the interior panel?
I don't like replacing a shitty part that fails prematurely with the exact same shitty part that will most likely fail prematurely, so now I'm looking for an aftermarket lock actuator. I've found several generic ones online with great prices.
I'd like to remove my door panel and compare the lock actuator to other ones to see what would be best. I've never messed with a sliding door before. Should I bother trying to remove the door panel with the door on the car, or will I have to remove the entire door from the car in order to remove the interior panel?
10-14-2009, 10:02 AM
#3
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: VA
Posts: 2,532
I'm posting here to tell you that I am of absolutely no help to you. 
I've been somewhat amazed that the power sliding doors on our '05 MPV continue to work. There's like eight brass buttons that make electrical contact when the door is closed. It even automatically reverses if one of the boys closes it on a toy, or presumably their brother. Every so often, a yank on the handle or a push of the button won't open it, but a follow-up will generally work. I'm amazed at the complexity. I can close or open the doors via a button on the dash, a button on the key fob, a button on the door jamb area, and either the interior or exterior handle.
Good luck! I would be leaning toward disassembling what you have, identifying the faulty part, and replacing it with a dealer part. I figure that would be easier than fitting an aftermarket part.
I've been somewhat amazed that the power sliding doors on our '05 MPV continue to work. There's like eight brass buttons that make electrical contact when the door is closed. It even automatically reverses if one of the boys closes it on a toy, or presumably their brother. Every so often, a yank on the handle or a push of the button won't open it, but a follow-up will generally work. I'm amazed at the complexity. I can close or open the doors via a button on the dash, a button on the key fob, a button on the door jamb area, and either the interior or exterior handle.
Good luck! I would be leaning toward disassembling what you have, identifying the faulty part, and replacing it with a dealer part. I figure that would be easier than fitting an aftermarket part.
10-14-2009, 10:08 AM
#4
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Stuart, FL
Posts: 24,416
Didn't we have some other topic going on this? What type of actuator is it? I'm assuming it's electric, maybe you need to reverse engineer it, take it apart and see what breaks, see if you can beef it up, etc, etc...?
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