you can do the fix yourself. the door lock actuators get wet and the motor gets damaged or they are just junk. go figger. there is also a micro switch in the actuator itself that tells the car what position it is in, and that can go bad also if it gets wet. the actuator is a common part you can find at most stereo and custom shops (bout $20. ask for a five wire actuator.). it has 5 wires, 2 for the motor ( blue & red) and 3 for the microswitch (brown, purple & black). some aftermarket actuators have the same color wires, but i have found the red and the blue to be reversed on some in which the motor will run the opposite direction. i use a meter to make sure the micro switch wires are the same function as the old actuator (the shop you puchase the motor from should be able to do this for you). the motor wires you cant tell if the old motor doesnt work, if connected backwards, causes the actuator to go in the opposite direction telling the car (via microswitch) that the lock is in the wrong position, and the car tries to lock, unlock several times then stops. this is how you can tell that you hooked up the motor wires backwards and then you can just reverse the red and blue wires while still in the door and all should be ok.
i just did one today and had to go through the procedure. when looking for a new actuator, bring the old one with you to make sure the mounting holes are the same and the forward and reverse throw are roughly the same place and distance as the old one. it is held to the door with (2) 7 mil. screws

toward the rear of the door behind a plastic material covering a large hole in the door. it peals from the top down and re-applies as easy(sticky stuff on the door). after you unscrew the 2 screws, you have to twist the actuator to remove it from a bent rod that you will be able to see toward the rear of the door close to the loor latch. unplug the actuator, cut the wires somewhere in the middle between the plug and the actuator and connect the plug wires to the new actuator. soldering is recomended then black tape or shrink wrap.

to test the new actuator in the door while the door panel is off, close the door that your not working on. and the problem door, while open, trip the latch (2 clicks)on the door that you are working on with a screw driver ( use 2 hands. you dont want to slip and scratch the paint =[ ). this will simulate that the door is closed so you can test the locks and watch what is going on. if it works YAY, if it goes back and forth, reverse the motor wire conections (red & blue)and yay again.
done. puter back together.

(( be sure to open the latch that you tripped with the screwdriver before you try to close the door)) bang bang

door panel removal .............

Be Gentle and Take Your Time. it is helpful to have someone there to hand you tools and such, or hold the door down while removing speakers and connecting wires while you are in awkward positions working on the door. at times you have to lean back on the roof where the window rolls up into to work on the panel, ((just be very careful not to put elbos on the roof, it dents easily. dont leave tools, parts or screws on the seat. its your leather man.))

also very important--- be careful with the door in the open position while working on it. dont push out or in on the door or you can have alignment problems. if the door seems a lil in or out while closing it down on the latch, you will feel the door strike push the door out or in like its not centered in the strike. lift the door up above the strike a few inches and pull or push the door in the direction that it needs to be. just tweek it a bit at a time and it will work just fine. the one i did today the doors were already off a bit and a lil bit of force is all that is needed to put it in good alignment.

ok order of things to do......

under the rear hatch (engine bay) on the left side is a black knob that will disconnect the power to the car while working on it. turn it off so you dont drain the battery. remember to turn it back on when testing and when you complete the job. some owners may not know of that power switch. =]

open door. toward the front top of the door panel there are two panels that just snap off. a triangle piece and a piece just below it. remove them by hand. easy. snap snap

there is duct tape over a plug for the side mirror motors. unplug and remove a 10 mil bolt that was under the tape also.

next remove the allen screw (silver) under the inside door open lever.

next there is a sqare red light toward the rear bottom of the door panel. use a flathead to pry it out. it comes out easy and remove the light bulb holder from it. inside the square hole you will see an allen screw. remove it carefully so it doesnt drop in the door. if it does, you will likely find it , but when you put it back in be even more carefull because if you drop it then, you will have to take the panel off again to get it. =[

now the arm rest should pull away from the door. flip it so you can see the back side and you will see 2 metal brackets near the open handle. remove the 3 allen screws on the long inside panel of the armrest. then remove the 2 brakets by the handle. the bracket that has just 1 screw in it, mark around the base of it with a magic marker so that you get it back in the same position later.

now the door opener assy should lift out from the front, up and toward the front. there is a cable connected that does not remove. toward the rear of the rectangular hole of the armrest that the handle assy sat in, feel around the inside edge toward the rear of the hole that the opening has the lips cut away under the leather so that the handle assy can slide back down through the rear of the rectangle hole in the armrest and then the armrest is free. whew thats the best i can explain it. basically the handle assy fits down through the armrest hole it sat in. the cable will slide out of the gromet in the door a few inches so you can work on it easier.

next have your buddy or patient lady friend hold the door down while you sit in the car facing the door to remove the speaker and unplug it. this will release the front of the door panel from the door.

the door lock switch can be pushed up and out from the from underneath now and unplug it.

unplug the tweeter.

now the panel should lift upwards toward the top of the door and put aside.

plug the lock button back into its plug and let it hang there for testing while the door panel is off.

pull back from the top, the plastic covering the big hole toward the upper rear of the door. BANG there is your actuator. take a good look at how its connected to the bent rod on the door latch. unplug and remove the 2 7 mill screws and do your thing with the new actuator.

when taking the door apart, set all the parts as you remove them in order on a bench or the floor. this way you will be able to put it all back in in the same order. put all screws with coresponding parts and you should be golden.

when reinstalling, you will see behind the door panel toward the top is a metal flange that locks the top of the door panel down on the top of the door. examine it and the top of the door to get the drift on hooking it back in. i had to play with it a bit to hook it down nice. and make sure all wires and plugs are in place and or through the holes they belong to ( like the lock button plug, the rear door panel light plug, speaker wires, etc) so you wont have to fish for them or take things apart to find them after mounting the panel.
(( note- where the side mirror plug on the door itself is positioned to come around the door panel, sorta down an inch or so from the top corner of the front of the door panel.))
((also when hooking the panel to the top of the door, look to see where the speaker screw holes are aligned and that will show you that its in the right place.)) you can also put some blue masking tape on the door around the edge of the door panel to mark where the panel sits at the edges before removing to make sure its back in the same place.



depending on your skills it should be only a couple hours and $20. in fact, it probably took me as long to write this for you guys. i tried to include as many details as they are still fresh in my head.

hope this helps. if you have any questions, email me at astalahihi@yahoo.com


frikingenius =]