So, I've lost the use of the front passenger door lock on my 2020 F250SD. I can't lock/unlock with the fob, the inside of the outer door handle, the outside code pad, or any of the inside buttons. Auto-lock doesn't work. I can't find any useful threads on FTE. Even YouTube is a desert.

I know I can fix it myself IF I can find the correct door lock actuator. The local Ford parts guy handed me an actuator with the part # 6L2Z-78218. It does not have the actual latch attached, just the actuator. Online Ford parts resources indicate this will NOT fit my vehicle.

Has anyone replaced theirs and can supply a known good part number?

 

Have you tried using your VIN and keyword, "lock actuator" or "Door Latch" in the Parts.Ford.com site?

 

I have a 2022 and this just happened to my driver's door. I'm taking it to a dealer this week. Problem is, today it started working again.

 

I used the VIN and come up with JL3Z1521812D which is listed as the actuator and latch at a price of $104.40. I'm still convinced the actuator can be sourced separate from the latch. Has anyone found it as a solo piece?




The part shown below is the exact part (6L2Z78218A) I have in hand from the local Ford dealer. It is definitely just an actuator and appears to be the same actuator on the actuator/latch shown above. I only see applications through 2010 so question if it fits my truck. I hate to pull the door apart only to find the part is wrong.

6L2Z-78218

 

When I use my VIN (2019) it comes up with an actuator with lock and also just an actuator, like shown in the last photo. Just the actuator is only $10.98. I would think the same options would be available for your year.

 

Thanks for your assistance. I just checked again. No actuator listed for the 2020, only the actuator/latch combo at $100+.

What part # shows for your 2019 actuator? I believe everything after 2017 would use the same components.

 

Says part #: SW8718 (6L2Z78218A42B) and build dates 07/11/2016 - 02/16/2020.

 

Don’t the left and right side use different part numbers?

 

Yes, the OP said front passenger side.

 

That's the part number the parts guy sold me ($39+ and worth every penny! ). Wonder why all of the parts.com sites don't list an actuator for 2020.

Thank you! I have some comfort in pulling the door apart and getting this fixed...before they open the freezer door!

 

My passenger door won't unlock only when the temp drops in the below freezing temps then after it warms up inside the truck it will work just fine. I can live with it till it stops completely.

 

Progress report

Well, you know what they say about assume!
First off, I missed a part number mistake. I received P/N 6L2Z78218A43B from Ford parts. 4wd6.7L listed the correct P/N, 6L2Z78218A42B, for the right 2017 actuator but I assumed the 3 vs 2 difference was a revision change as most part websites only showed the P/N as 6L2Z78218A. My bad! Back to Ford parts who luckily had the right actuator on the shelf.

Secondly, when I dug into the door the second time with the correct actuator in hand, I found that my late 2020 build actuator had a plastic shield over it that prevented the "depress latch and slide" maneuver to remove it. It appears that much more disassembly would be required. I reassembled the door to regroup. From what I can tell, Ford still used the same actuator, but designed a shield to prevent the icing that program 20M04 addresses.

2020 front right door lock actuator. Black shield on left. Latch on backside. Actuator lever on right.

 

I just picked up my 2022 from the dealer and my door lock actuator was replaced under a recall. Funny thing is, when I punch my VIN into any number of recall and TSB searches nothing has ever came up. My camera button also was glitching and was replaced under a recall as well. I asked the dealer about why I cant see any and they had no idea but said they were both in their system. I asked if there were any others and they said "I DONT KNOW". They were so understaffed that they didn't bother to fix any and every recall/TSB if they exist.

 

After action report. I have a working door actuator, finally.

After my last post and even though I had the correct actuator in hand, I decided to take my 2020 to a Ford dealer as getting the actuator out of the latch assembly looked too difficult and there appeared to be an active recall as reported by OBS460, When I showed up for the appointment, they told me I was going to have to leave the truck, perhaps for days, and there was no recall per their sources. I would be out of pocket for all costs. I said no thank you and elected to reach across the cab each and every time my better half got in the truck and bide my time until the weather got warmer before taking another run at replacement myself.

Yesterday was the day. I'd watched more YouTubes and thought the instructions for 20M04, along with some mechanical abilities, would carry me through. Everything went well until I tried to move the rear window track/regulator out of the way. I could not get enough room to back the bolt out of the inside door skin. Eventually I just said "Damn the torpedoes..." and put everything into pushing the glass out and pulling the inner door panel in. It worked. Now I could get to the latch assembly. I had to get it turned around 270 degrees on its long axis to access a long screw that held the track to the latch. I did not remove the door handle as some YouTubers indicate is necessary.

Once I had the screw out, I could pry the bottom of the track away from the latch which allowed me to push the actuator sideways freeing it from the latch assembly. I installed the new actuator and reinstalled the latch assembly and regulator (with just as much trouble getting the bolt back in). The rest was easy having done it twice before.

Two fails became evident. The first, scratches in the window tint, will cost me more to fix. The second, the well known auto-reverse issue, was fixed with the reset command using the window control button. After training the window for correct travel, it works like a champ.

Here's a photo of the inside of the failed actuator. Obviously the moisture control measures introduced in 2020 did not prevent moisture from destroying the motor. In my opinion Ford just kicked the can further down the road. I'm only out of pocket the cost of the actuator and a tinting replacement which is almost certainly less than the dealership would have charged. Unfortunately I've easily got a day invested in personal time along with two round trips to the dealership.



Motor is at the bottom of the actuator as installed in the door.