One hour (12 step) procedure that I have used to successfully replace a failed electric door lock switch mechanism. Please have replacement unit on hand prior to beginning these steps and note that the door lock units are different for left and right side doors.
Step 1. Window up completely Step 2. Remove 2 hex screws from door panel. One located underneath the red reflector plate. One located underneath the power window plate. Set 2 screws and door reflector in a safe place. Step 3. Unhinge door panel by lifting upward, then outward. Don't pull outward first or risk breaking some of the 9 plastic hooks that secure the door panel snugly to the door frame. Step 4. Unplug the power window connector, set power window switch in a safe place, and fully remove the plastic door panel and set aside for safe keeping. Step 5. Peel back half of the self adhesive plastic sheathing covering the door frame to gain access into the door frame itself. Begin peeling this covering on the side nearest the door lock latch locking mechanism located at the end (farthest out) of the door frame when the door is open. This is where the faulty door lock mechanism is located. The peeled back plastic sheathing can be looped up onto the door knob temporarily to keep it out of the way while you continue. At this point, it's best to place a bright light such as a halogen work lamp near the open door frame to light up the inside parts that you'll be working with. Step 6. Locate horizontal door connector rod that moves back and forth (left to right) when your raise and lower door knob. Follow it to the lock mechanism located at the outer most point and lift up on the yellow plastic connector with your fingers to detach the rod just at that point. The yellow plastic connector just swivels upward and the rod end just pulls out of the yellow connector. If it happens to come loose or just falls off after you have swiveled it upward, don't worry as it can be placed back into the hole from which it was seated. Step 7. Locate the pale green connector located just above the lock mechanism. This connector serves to connect a vertical rod to the door lock mechanism as well. Pull on the green connector tab and the tab just swivels open and releases the vertical rod from the outside door handle. Step 8. Unscrew the three black screws that hold the door latch mechanism to the door. These screws are located on the exterior side of the door frame and require a star pattern screwdriver head. This star head can be found in most any cheap rachet sets that you buy from Costco or Sams that feature multiple screw head attachments. Place 3 screws in a safe place. You'll also want to detch (by pushing inward on) a small yellow clip located on a black cable that heads toward the assembly. This connector helps secure the black cable to the door frame that comes from the interior door latch toward the locking mechanism. If you don't detach it, the black cable won't get out of the way for the next step. Step 9. Reach in and pull the entire lock assembly out. You will need to rotate the assembly 90 degrees around the vertical window guide as you pull out the assembly otherwise 2 electrical wire connectors will get in the way and keep you from getting the assembly out enough to slide out the faulty door lock mechanism. Step 10. Unclip the electrical connection going to the door lock unit. Note, there is also a second wire connector just adjacent to this connector and it can be detached as well if it gets in the way of the first connector. Push out the plastic bushing that helps secure the connector wire bundle to the door lock mechansim. You will push this plastic bushing into the new unit at the bushing hole once the old unit is pulled out. Step 11. The faulty unit actually slides out toward you once you lift a bit on the thin black tab that secures it to the door lock mechanism. Install new unit by sliding it completely into the same location. At this point, connect the wires back on and activate the door lock mechanism with your remote entry to verify movement in the new unit. Step 12. Now you just reverse the steps you have just done, by beginning at step 10 and working backwards to step 2. When you finish step 6, again activate the remote entry lock open/close button to ensure you have everything correctly working prior to moving to step 5.
CUINAK,
Step 7 above, I could not get the pale green connector to release. This was the connector that held the rod coming down from the external door handle. I puuled on that sucker as hard as I felt I could without breaking something. Any advice? There was not anything resembling what I would call a tab however the inside portion of the green connector, the rounded end, did appear to swivel but I could not get anything to release. I figured before I broke something I'd see if I could get a bit more help.
Thanks.
ps
You can either post here or send me an e-mail
You are right...and I'm glad to hear you're patient. The green tab holding onto the vertical rod is for some reason stubborn the first time it's pried open. Here's an alternative I've successfully used when encountering a stubborn green tab. Skip step 7 and instead go directly to Step 8 in the process outlined. Then in Step 9, first slightly rotate the door lock assembly enough such that the green tab can be seen and accessed either through the door latch mechanism where the 3 screws were removed or through the door panel itself. Then simply use a long and/or big enough screwdriver to pry open the tab by placing the flat head of the screwdriver against the green tab and rotating the screwdriver to simply pry it free. Then complete Step 9 as described and continue. After you do your first door lock and have gotten the hang of it, the other doors only take 10 minutes tops...
I started to do just that but I thought I would check first. My fear was creating a mess that could not be put together in the near future. Thanks for the help.
All,
Took 10 minutes from removing the first door panel screw to putting the last screw back in place. Now that I know what I'm doing I think I could replace the switch without removing the latch mechanism, but I used the opportunity to clean everything and it seemed to have worked. It's the Marine in me, once I get something field stripped I want to clean it up and make it work better. Thanks for the help!!!
How much did you guys pay for the door actuator (door lock), I need to replace both the passenger doors and the local Ford dealership was asking $ 53.00 ea plus tax. Maybe I can order from other dealer outside of ca. if the price is right. Thanks.
Thank you so very much for all your info on the door lock actuator replacement. I wasn't sure if it was going to be a job that I could do or if I would have to take it to the dealer $$$$$, but thanks to your step-by-step instruction it was easy. And it saved me 89 dollars per door for labor. I got the actuators for $39 a piece from the dealer. Thank you!!!!
You're Welcome !!! I updated the replacement procedure you referenced above so that's it's more applicable and simpler for all the Excursion doors as well as the tail gate....The link just below now includes this latest procedure, as well as an annotated photo step by step instruction procedure in my gallery that also ties directly to the written procedure steps. Here in Alaska all five of my original X actuators failed in the summer once the outdoor temperature got above 75F with the windows rolled up. Haven't had a single problem with the replacements since (in hot and cold weather), which is great as now all the X actuators are in constant use with the outstanding AutoPage remote ignition and alarm system I had installed a few months back.
Hey, Do you know why these actuators are failing? It started with my passanger door (rear), then after about a month the front passanger door failed. When I removed the old ones yesterday and I took one apart and everything inside look and functioned fine, I left the other one whole and hooked it up to a battery and it also seemed to work fine(without a load on it). The new ones I installed are working great so I know that had to be the problem but I can't figure out what happened to the old ones. Now I'm wondering if the other three are going to go bad in acouple of months. Well if they do at least i'll be able to replace them myself, thanks to you.
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