This is a revamped door lock actuator replacement procedure of what I originally authored (back in May) with step by step instructions and new annotated thumbnail photos to go along with the instructions for replacing all five original Excursion actuators. Familiarity with this procedure and the step by step helpful annotated photo thumbnails I've loaded for you will result in a two hour install time for all five actuators. Most of the time required will be associated with the first actuator as part of the learning curve, and I recommend you start with a rear passenger door to begin your adventure. Print this page for reference and click on the CUINAK gallery to visually walk through the entire repair sequence.
For reference, the right side actuator (you'll need 2 for the two right side doors) is part #3L3Z-25218A42*AA, and the left side actuator (you'll need 3 for the two left side doors and for the rear lift gate) is part # #3L3Z-25218A43*AA. New door lock actuators over the Internet run about $37 a unit, excluding shipping. Save hundreds of dollars in excessive repair bills by doing this actuator replacement your self!
Step 1. Window up completely.
Step 2. Remove 2 hex screws from door panel. One located underneath the red/white reflector plate. A second hex screw is located underneath the power button plate which can be pried up nearest the mirrors and slid forward toward the mirrors for removal. Unplug the power button assembly connections. For the front doors, detach the inside plastic mirror cover (i.e., slightly pry then pull off).
Step 3. Unhinge door panel by lifting first upward clearing the height of the door knob then pulling outward toward your self. For front doors, detach the courtesy light wiring by rotating the connector.
Step 4. Peel back half of the self adhesive sheathing covering the metal 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 farthest out on the door frame. The peeled back sheathing can be taped onto the window to keep it up and out of the way.
Step 5. Locate the connector rod that moves when you raise or lower the door knob. Follow it to the lock mechanism located at the outer most point of the door and rotate the yellow plastic connector with your fingers to detach it from the metal rod. The yellow plastic connector swivels vertically to unclip, and the connector rod then just pulls free from the center of the yellow connector. If you are working on a rear passenger door, skip to Step 7.
Step 6. If your are working with the front door, look above the actuator assembly through access holes and locate a small rectangular shaped black or white plastic alligator (open mouth) connector having a vertical rod within its mouth. Using a long needle nose pliers through a round access hole in the door frame, gently compress the upper and lower open ends of the plastic mouth in sequence while gently pulling the rod from its mouth. It helps here at this step to have a helper shine a flashlight while you reposition the pliers and use your other hand to gently pull on the connector from the plastic mouth. Once disconnected at the alligator mouth, swivel the vertical rod down and around as it is permanently attached to the door lock assembly. To reattach, simply push the metal rod back into its open mouth of the plastic connector and it will automatically latch back onto it.
Step 7. Unscrew the 3 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 screwdriver head. You'll also want to temporarily detach (by pushing inward on) a small yellow bushing evident on the metal door frame that secures a black cable that traverses behind the metal door housing. Note: if you are working with a front door, there will be two small yellow bushings to temporarily detach plus two white plastic bushings nearby holding wiring bundles.
Step 8. Locate the green connector above the door lock assembly. The green tab holding the vertical rod is a swivel connector and can be stubborn to open. Rotate the door lock assembly with your hand enough such that the green tab can be accessed either through the door latch mechanism where the 3 star screws were removed or through the door panel itself. Use a screwdriver to push open the swivel tab. The tab swivels like a typical door hinge. Pull the vertical connector rod to the side once the swivel is open.
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. If the assembly is resisting double check you removed all the connections described in prior steps.
Step 10. Unclip the electrical connectors at the door lock actuator unit. Push out the plastic bushing that helps secure the connector wire bundle to the failed door lock actuator mechanism. You will push this plastic bushing into the new unit at the same bushing hole once the old unit is pulled out.
Step 11. The faulty unit slides out toward you once the thin black tab that secures it to the door lock assembly is lifted up a bit by a screwdriver. Install the new actuator unit by sliding and clicking it into the same location. Make sure the small shaft protruding out on the new actuator swivel arm correctly lands into the lock assembly or else the unit will not function properly. At this point, reconnect the two electrical connections and verify correct movement by activating the door lock mechanism using the remote entry or the front door lock/unlock rocker switch.
Step 12. Now just reverse the steps you have just done, by beginning at Step 9 and working backwards to Step 2. When you complete Step 5, again activate the door locks to ensure you have everything correctly working prior to moving to Step 4.
For the rear cargo lift gate actuator replacement, remove 2 screws holding the rear lift gate handle and pry off the hard plastic cover the spans the base of the lift gate window. The plastic cover can by pried off by starting on one end of the lift gate. Peel back sheathing to gain access and use a screw driver to lift the thin black tab on the actuator to release it. Disconnect the wiring connector. Install new actuator, reconnect wire connector, and test. Make sure the small shaft protruding from the actuator swivel arm is correctly landed into the lock assembly or else the unit will not function properly.
Best of Luck !
UPDATED: 9/16/06
If you just want to rebuild the ones you have instead of buying new ones, vettdvr came up with a way to do it.
Please note on disassembly to mark the motor so the top of the motor faces the same direction on installing. Then mark the plastic motor end cover to reference putting it on correctly during assembly. If you don’t do this the motor could run in reverse so when you unlock the doors it locks and and unlock when locking.
I disassembled the actuator by drilling out the plastic rivets, be careful not to break the metal rivets. Take out the motor w/o drilling out the metal rivets. Disassembled the motor and there the 3 ohm (this is a bit much on 12 v. circuit). resistor that is located on one side of the brushes and is about 1/4x3/8x3/32" in size. It is sliver and I pull it out with needle nose pliers. I used copper and cut a new part the same dimensions as the resistor removed. Then I coated it with a thin film of dielectric grease to prevent corrosion. Won't say where I got the copper from :-) but look close at an old penny and you might see one. The motor worked like a champ. Installed the motor with my X showing top of the motor and plastic end bell in the correct position (so it would turn in the correct direction). However then I drilled out the rivets with a 1/16" bit and used small wood type screws and a washer in each rivet. this gives a very solid mechanical assembly. Looks great and works very solid. Now to the rear lift gate that also has a bad actuator. Note the lift gate uses the right side door actuator. Thanks again for the info. Jim
Second method of repair:
I drill the rivets flush with the case, but not the metal ones. I leave them alone. Open the case with a screwdriver blade just enough to remove the motor. Pry open the taps just enough to remove the back case. I do scribe a mark for top on the case and back case so I can install it and get correct operation. I remove the 3/8x1/4 plate resistor which varied on those that don't work from 3 to 5 ohms. Then I solder a 18 gauge copper wire to the end of the plate resistor, with all the insualtion removed. Carefully bend the wire around the end of the resistor and solder to the otherside. Then install in motor using care not to damage the brushes. Works like a champ. I have also used copper cut to fit which :-) cost me $.01 :-) can't say where the copper came from though. My case is held closed with tiny screws. I drill a 1/16" hole into the plastic rivits and then install the round head screw for a professional looking repair. Thanks all for the great info. Jim
Updated Part Numbers:
6L3Z-25218A42-AA front right & rear right door lock actuators
6L3Z-25218A43-AA front left, rear left & rear lift gate door lock actuators
I finally did the seat swap. OUT came the buckets, IN went the bench. No drilling, all nuts already under the body, very easy to do, and here's how (on an '03 4x4 Eddie Bauer Excursion anyway):
- the seats are held down with large Torx bolts, I had a Torx socket size T55 and it worked, but seemed a little on the sloppy side.
- to access the bolts on the front side of the seats, put the seats upright and remove the plastic "shoes" that cover the bolts. The shoes are held in place with a single plastic rivet. To remove the rivet without damaging it, I slid my finger under the shoes and seat frame and pushed up on the central rivet pin while pushing down on the top of the rivet body with the other hand. Once the little plastic rivet pin is up, grab it with pliers and lift out the rivet. The shoe slides off to the side.
- to access the bolts on the back of the seats, use the rear lever to tilt the seats forward and slide them as far forward as they go.
- the truck has nuts under the body for both seat configurations. They look like little donuts or bushings or thick washers, but don't be deceived. Have a look under your truck to find out. (Engine off, set E-brake, chock wheels, yadda yadda...)
-The passenger side seat uses the same holes for both the bucket and the split bench. If installing a bench, save this seat for last to allow easier access to the larger half of the bench.
- The driver side uses the same outer holes, but the middle holes are different. First of all, the driver side of the bench uses holes that are in the middle aisle between the two buckets, so plan to cover up those holes in the carpet somehow (more on this later). Second, the driver side bench uses two bolts to hold down the seat belt reel for the middle passenger and the seat belt clip for the driver side passenger. These two seat belt holes may need covering up as well, and certainly sealing the holes anyway, but on the bright side they are only visible when the bench is slid forward to access the back 3rd row bench.
- NO DRILLING required, through metal anyway. When under the truck I was surprized to find that I could poke up through the nuts right through the carpet and underpadding. I used a 1/4" drill to get through the underpadding and carpet while someone else held down the carpet with a large piece of wood. An awl or something to that effect would probably work fine.
- Once the new holes were marked it was an easy matter of locating the seat (or seatbelt holders) and cutting away a little bit of the carpet. I didn't actually cut away any carpet for the seat corners themselves, but only cut away the carpet for the two seat belt pieces that go in the middle of the driver-side bench.
- If installing buckets, you will only have two new holes to make through your carpet on the inside of the driver-side bucket. Carefully cut away a piece of carpet from under these seat corners to cover up the holes you will have in the centre aisle left by the bench.
- I personally wouldn't use any silicone-based adhesive to glue down the carpet as the acids in silicone would promote metal corrosion to the underbody. I have some PL Premium kicking around so I'll probably use that instead. Maybe plain old carpet tape would be better, because it would seal the hole and at the same time connect the patch with the existing carpet (if you can carefully slide it underneath the existing carpet).
- If the shoe fits...but not all fit. The inside front corner foot for the bench is a little higher than the other corners, and has a thinner shoe. The buckets all have thicker shoes. So if swapping seats with someone (hint hint) consider swapping shoes as well.
- SHIPPING: It's Expensive! These seats are heavy, and the plastic corners around the levers and such are easily damaged. I would only ship them screwed down onto a wooden platform that's slightly bigger than the seats, then build a plywood or heavy cardboard box around them. You must protect the corners from damage. The corners on the bench I bought were crushed and I need to order new plastic from Ford. Ick. Not to mention a pain-in-the-neck shipping claim. But, as long as you know the costs involved before hand, you can take that into account. When buying seats then selling your used ones, you'll probably find that shipping is all you end up paying for the seats, so maybe it's still a good deal after all.
Sorry folks that I didn't take pictures, so I gave you about a thousand words instead. Almost as good as one fuzzy picture. So in summary, there is no drilling, all the nuts are there, use a T55 Torx bit, and be nice to the plastic!
Last edited by Toreador_Diesel : 08-03-2006 at 04:34 PM.
I finally installed the Firestone Ride-Rite airbags today on my '03 4x4 Excursion 6.0l diesel. Took about 3 hours with two guys, no air tools. Here's some notes for anyone wanting to install these little wonders. These only really apply to my truck as done by me, so your results may vary:
- their instructions and diagrams are great. No missing fasteners, everything was there.
- use a good jack and axle stands. Lift the truck by the frame (despite what the instructions say) to get the required clearance between the frame and leaf springs. We actually jacked it up by the pumpkin and put the axle on stands, then removed the tires, and found that we couldn't get the bags in place. Lifting up the body did the trick (we kept the axle stands under the axles at all times).
- the spring bumper stop/snubber needs to be removed from the frame, and it was near impossible to remove. They need a 15mm socket. Clean the top of the nut and threads first to remove all road grit, and use penetrating fluid for a few days before you start, if possible. This took two people: One to remove the nut from the inside of the frame and the other to hold onto the bumper with big channel-lock pliers. This was by far the hardest part.
- The lower bracket, under the air bag, is supposed to slide around the metal bumper stop. (This is the ramp-shaped thing sticking out from the side of the spacer between the axle and leaf springs. You know, the spacer that causes axle-wrap for which you need Landyot's Radius Rods.) The metal bumper stop was too wide to fit through the bracket. Not wanting to compromise the strength of the airbag bracket, I used a flap-style sanding disk on my small grinder to reach in and take maybe 1/8" off of each side of the bumper stop. The grinder just fit above the axle and between the brake lines. It's the small Makita grinder body set up for 5" disks.
- Despite lifting the body, we couldn't get the airbags in when they were pre-assembled in one piece. So we removed the lower bracket and put the two halves into position, then slid them out just enough to bolt the lower bracket onto the bottom of the airbag. Make sure you keep the brackets aligned when tightening the lower bracket onto the bag
- The diesel fuel lines (send and return) run along the inside of the driver-side frame rail, right where the lower of two bolts from the upper airbag bracket need to go. These didn't like being bent, so I bent them a very little bit towards the inside of the truck. I also cut the bolt for that hole BEFORE I put it in place, such that the end of the bolt was flush with the nut when tight. The nut then fit just behind the two fuel lines.
- I didn't drill any holes for the air lines. I just had to make the lower license plate holes a tiny bit bigger. So now the air fittings are also holding on my license plate.
- after installation is complete and before your put the tires back on, double-check everywhere for anything chafing against the bags and against the brake/fuel lines. Also imagine where things will be when the truck is lowered down. We had to bend away the passenger side brake line over the axle, the main driver-side brake line, and the fuel lines inside the frame.
Like I said, your experience may vary. But consider lifting by the frame to get the required clearance for installation. Clean and use penetrating fluid on the bumper bolts, and use two people to remove them. Check the fit of the lower bracket to see if you need to grind away the sides of the bumper stop. And be very careful with getting adequate clearance around the brake and fuel lines.
If you have rust and you're no longer under Ford's 5 year unlimited mileage corrosion warranty, here is a simple write up by Mike Kopstain that will solve the problem.
Anything that goes in here or any changes to this, Moderator contact me.
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