power door locks work only to lock, unlock is inop
Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 17
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Something to check for those who have power door (unlock) problems:
http://66.179.14.118/forums/showthre...hreadid=157444
I don't know what the symptoms would be if the wire I found would have completely wore through rather than short out.
http://66.179.14.118/forums/showthre...hreadid=157444
I don't know what the symptoms would be if the wire I found would have completely wore through rather than short out.
Member
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 23
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From: Indiana
Power door lock fix
If you do a search on my username you should find a detailed post with photos. Although I did repair my actuators they only lasted another 9 months or so. If you can hear the actuator TRY to unlock then you don't have an electrical wiring issue and the switches are good. This is when you buy new actuators and replace them. But if you are not handy fixing things then I would not recommend trying it yourself as working inside door panels can be tricky.
The design of my actuators in my 2000 F150 are such that I believe every one will fail by 100K miles.
The design of my actuators in my 2000 F150 are such that I believe every one will fail by 100K miles.
Member
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: Indiana
Power door locks fail most of time
Good question on how they fail. It is sort of binary as you describe, however not quite so at first. What happens is carbon build-up internally as they wear and this provides an alternate path for current that bypasses the selenoid coil inside making the actuator weak. (Actually, if I recall, it's really a small motor rather than selenoid.) They will start failing in one mode like lock or unlock then both modes eventually. It's possible they might work more often with door switch than fob because the fob results in short electrical pulse while you can hold door switch down longer.
OK, I have similar problems to other who have posted. I have a 2000 F150 XLT. Whether using the keyless remote to unlock/lock or the inside switches, the locks will often not work. If you hit the switch I can hear the relay under the center of the dash clicking, and I can see the locks *trying* to work, but they often don't make it. Occassionally you'll get lucky.
Are the actuators a binary fail, in that if they are bad they never work again? Mine are intermittent, though they fail to work most of the time.
I have the best luck with the locks on the first try. If that fails, the locks seem to get less and less responsive as you try the switch repeatedly.
Any suggestions other than replacing actuators?
Thanks in advance.
Are the actuators a binary fail, in that if they are bad they never work again? Mine are intermittent, though they fail to work most of the time.
I have the best luck with the locks on the first try. If that fails, the locks seem to get less and less responsive as you try the switch repeatedly.
Any suggestions other than replacing actuators?
Thanks in advance.
Member
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: Indiana
The actuators will not affect key fob programming. There is another module related to key fob that decodes the signal then unlocks the doors by sending a voltage to the actuator (via yet another module if I recall correctly).
Dorman makes some replacements. As long as you describe your vehicle correctly you should get the right parts. They might look a little different, however. Again, this in not for the light-hearted! Working inside door panels is one of my least favorite repairs.
You should notice a night/day difference with the new actuators.
Dorman makes some replacements. As long as you describe your vehicle correctly you should get the right parts. They might look a little different, however. Again, this in not for the light-hearted! Working inside door panels is one of my least favorite repairs.
You should notice a night/day difference with the new actuators.