My power door locks have to be like pumped about 2 or 3 times before I can get the doors locked. Does this mean I should replace them with new ones or can I do something to rebuild my old ones. I had a remote starter system put onto my car about 2 years ago and it had the door lock feature on there too so it really doesn't work correctly if the door lock actuators have to be pumped 2 or 3 times to get the doors locked. Anyone here had this problem and maybe had to replace them?


Thanks everyone!


Jason

 

I'm interested to know the same thing. I've never had any of my thirdgens (all both of them lol) lock correctly, with just one push of the lock button....eagerly watching for replies to this topic!

 

My locks do the same thing. Advise us, oh wise thirdgeners! I was gonna grease up the actuators, but I havn't bought any new retaining clips for the door panel, and ended up forgetting. Should I use diaelectric grease?

 

same here kids. When I had my door panel off, I sorta noticed that when it went down, the metal rod seemed to bend instead of going fully down (since it unlocks, but does not lock). It seemed to be too much work for the time span I had at that time, so I wasn't able to play around with it...

 

Mine did the same thing several years ago. I cleaned the heck out of the mechanisms with WD-40 and then relubed with white grease (do the window tracks as well). Instant fix. Try the easy way before you go motor replacement. Since you'll be in the door....:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/body...servation.html

JamesC

 

Hey guys I used spray silicone and soaked all the mechanical gear inside the door now my locks lock and unlock with one push of the button.

Give it a try!

Jason

 

Yep, they are right. Oil the hell out of the latch mechanism (you'll have to take the panel off) and use some high quality grease on all the contact points of the latch mechanism.

 

Another thing to do while you've got the door panel off. Observe the rods that actuate the door lock. You'll likely notice some slop in the plastic linkages due to wear. This can be solved by using a zip tie snugly wrapped diagonally over the linkage to tighten it.

Lon

 

Hi guys,

Just wanna see if this is the same issue mine have...I don't think "pumping" mine makes much difference, but the driver side on my camaro will unlock fine but not lock, the rods won't pull far enough it seems so the weak linkage idea makes sense (you can still see the orange part of the slider on the inside)
I JUST now, 5 mins ago put in a new actuator and it's exactly the same! grrrrr!!

So zip ties and grease???
damn I just spent 10x the cash I needed to to fix this then!

PS - the rivets to get the old actuator off are a b*tch!!!!!

 

Honestly I don't even think zip ties are even neccesary. Soak the inside of the latch mechanism down with WD40 and grease the outside (the outside is the part that latches on to the striker pin). I did the same and it works like new... to the best of my guess lol, I havn't had my car since "new".

 

How do you soak the inside without taking it off?
I'd really rather not if I can help it....

 

Take the door panel off. Attach the little red aiming tube that comes with the WD40 can, and go in through the rear access pannel while watching what you're doing from the window slot. Taking a door pannel off is no problem at all. Infact I'd rather take 20 door pannels off than have to do some of the work I've done once.

 

Oh I know, I've already had the door panel off 4 times, and still need to do one more for this, PLUS the outside window sweep on the passeneger side!! (have u had that pleasure man, that sux!)

I thought u meant take the mechanism out ha ha ha ha!!
I'll get to greasing and zip-tying this w/e. Thanks dude.

 

No prob, hope thats all it needs.

 

Yeah same problem...arghh!!..
Just wondering, how long did it take you guys to take the door trim off?
I havent attempted it yet, but looks tricky?

 

Really simple. Just undo all the screws (torx) u can see around the handle.
NOTE: most of the small ones on the handle trim are fake and part of the plastic molding. Look closely and u'll see that only 6 (I think) are actually metal. The sh*tty Cilton book never told me that, I ruined 3 finding out!
Once u do that there are 3 in the arm rest.

Honestly the trickiest part is maneuvering the handle/buttons out of the trim an detatching/re-attaching the lock rod to the slider, and even that isn't hard, just might take 5 mins of fiddling.

Then just carefully work ur way around the edge unpopping the retaining clips.
Then you just have to angle the door card, so the top edge kinda of pops off the door (plastic trim included, all one piece with the door card)

PS - make sure u put the window all the way down too

That's it, not difficult, just take a little time, and don't manhandle it.
If you're familiar with a screwdriver u won't have any trouble.
----------
PPS - If u buy a repair manual, highly recommended, the Chilton one is cr*p. Get the Haynes. ALWAYS GET THE HAYNES. Better/more pictures and better descriptions.

 

At this point lift the bottom of the door panel away from the door while pushing the top plastic trim piece towards the rear of the door. The retaining clips at the top of the plastic trim panel will come free as they slide off the ramps that hold them in place.

Lon