Ok, so I started this project thinking I was above average with this DIY stuff, and reality kicked me right in the *****.

I too have this issue and am trying to fix it. I used another site/thread to get me started, but seem to have completed steps 1-8 and am STUCK ON STEP #9. I am unsure of what "clip" & "rod" step #9 is referring to.

Any help on this would be great appreciated.

A bit of info. I have a 2005 Expy and am replacing the rear/passenger door lock actuator.

Below you will find the steps I followed:

1) pop the oval trim plate off that is behind and slightly below the door handle. There are two torx head screws under there. Remove.

2) Remove the 2 hex head screw at the bottom of the door as well as the phillips head screw around the corner from the lock button (easy to find these)

3) pop the trim off from behind the inside door latch handle. Careful, here, there are some plastic pins that are liable to break, but it will come off, first outward and then slide forward so as to get it off the latch handle.

4) pop the arm rest piece off that has the locks, windows, and possible memory buttons. remove the electrical connectors. They are all different, so you cannot screw it up when you re-assemble. Each has a different kind of catch, but if you cannot/do not know how to take apart modern electrical connectors of various types, then stop here, because it will get harder.

---- the manual reveresed the steps 3 and 4, which caused me to break one of the pins I referred to. -----

5) Manual was shakey here too. To get the door interior panel off, you now have to FIRST pop the upper corner outward (or inward into the interior of the vehicle if that makes more sense to you). This is the corner above the mirror controls. Only after you pop that corner, you then lift UP about 1" (as opposed to out) in vertical fashion on the door handle and the hook shaped pieces that secure the whole interior peice on the door will clear their slots in the door.

6) Unplug the electrical to the mirror controlls

7) There is a water barrier that is glued with some sort of interesting glue -- I was able to carefully free this all from the door, about the rear 50% is all that is needed. It seems to retain enough tack that I just pressed it back into place in the end.

8) There is a rod from the latch up to the door key tumbler. It presses in easily at the top into a V shaped recess in the plastic tumbler arm. But that is a OneWay sort of thing that has two fingers that refuse to allow the bugger back out. I was able to insert a long flat blade screwdriver though a hole in the door (perhaps even why the hole exists), and you must spread the two fingers apart, and then pop the top end of the lock rod away from the tumbler.

9) Next, the rod from the outside door latch handle must be detached at the bottom. This also is a frustrating point. There is a clip that sort of locks onto the bottom of the rod. Its plastic, but pretty stout. This will need to be popped open. I was able to sort of hook the clip with a pliers (not the jaws, but with the opening between the jaws, with the pliers closed). The peice you need to hook is away from you, towards the outside of the vehicle. You can feel it, but not see it. Once it pops open, the rod comes out easily.

10) Remove the three torx screws that hold the latch in place.

11) with some manuevering, you can now get the unit up enough to see the clip that is built into the wire harness that goes down there. You have to manuever it so that you can pry that clip out of the actuator. This will get you more leeway to move things around

12) The shop manual tells you to completely remove the lock, which requires you to remove the cable from the latch. I tried to to this for about 10 minutes, but then decided it was unnecessary.

13) Instead, I was now able to wiggle the latch around inside the door and take out the two wire connectors, one into the actuator and one into the latch proper.

14) Then I manuevering the unit and poped the clip down that holds the actuator on the latch unit. I had to look things over real careful (having the replacement in hand helped) and then I used a flat blade screwdriver to release the clip and a pliers to pry the actuator off the lock. If you have the new actuator in hand, this will be pretty easy.

15) Reverse the process!!!

caveat: Do NOT forget to plug the wiring harness back into the actuator and latch, BEFORE you put the 3 screws back in.

caveat: The rod between the lock tumbler and the latch has some bends at the bottom. It will probably slip down part way, and you MUST pull it back up before you put the 3 screws in the latch.

(yes, I removed the screws in the latch 3 times total....)

caveat: The clip that holds the wiring harness in place, close to the actuator, is REQUIRED. I forget to pop it back in place, and then after I had completely re-assembled things, the wire hung up on the window when the window went down.

Well, I don't remember anymore. Hope this helps -- certainly would have liked to read it before I started this project 3 hours ago..... Good luck

 

Ok, so I was able to get the old door lock actuator out, but am at the point where I cannot open the door from the outside of the vehicle. Also, when I open the door from the inside of the vehicle, the outside handle pops out (the other rear door does not do this).

What did I do wrong?

JD

 

Hi drballa, welcome to FTE!

I moved your posts into their own thread, you bumped a 7-year-old thread, and most of the people that replied to that one probably aren't around anymore. I suspect that you don't have the door handle connected properly, or perhaps it wasn't snapped into the bracket on the actuator itself.