Is it more important for you to go to that last-minute meeting or to load up your car with groceries? No matter if you’re on your way to work or just getting home from a long day, it’s frustrating to find that the power door lock on the driver’s side isn’t working, making it impossible to enter or lock the car.
Discovering and fixing the source of a problem that affects both power windows and door locks should be your top priority.
Possible reasons why the driver’s side electric door lock is not functioning
The problem with your car’s power door lock, like any other mechanical or electrical issue, has a cause. A faulty actuator, heavy usage, or simply old age could be at blame. The reasons can be explored.
- Dead key fob battery
- Faulty key fob
- A blown fuse
- Wiring problem
- You have a faulty actuator
- Frozen mechanism
How to figure out why the power door isn’t working and fix it
Pay close attention to this topic until the finish because I will demonstrate how to diagnose and resolve the problem if you are unable to open the driver’s door using the remote, yet other doors open when you press the button. A broken power door actuator is the most typical reason for a malfunctioning power door. It would be wise to verify other details before drawing any firm conclusions, though.
Install the replacement
To install the replacement actuator, simply hang it in place and secure it to the lock door actuator using the screws. After that, tighten the 10 mm bolt that is supporting the actuator. Carefully adjust the linkage, arrange the cables, and reconnect them in the same manner you unplugged them.
Be careful to insert them accurately and follow the instructions for running the cables. Make sure the transparent plastic covering the door panel is back in place and securely fastened.
After reattaching the door panel, snap in all of the clips. After that, put the lock cluster back in place. Make that the screw that holds the cluster in place is attached to the electrical harness before reinstalling it. Reinstall all of the programs you uninstalled earlier. When you’ve checked that everything is working as it should, it’s time to celebrate. View this video for a visual explanation.
Remove the old actuator
To take the old actuator out, just unscrew the nuts that hold the power handle in place. Take note of the locations of the wires when you disconnect them from the power handle; this will help you reconnect them properly. Find the actuator and detach the power lock connections.
The plastic hook is fragile and the linkages aren’t always easy to remove. Therefore, to prevent further harm, you must delicately pull it off.
Hold on to a few standard mechanic’s tools. Using a ratchet handle and a large socket, loosen the bolts that secure the window strap. Afterwards, loosen the bolt that is fastening the transmitter.
First, unplug the actuator from your window’s electrical connector. Take it easy if you’re having trouble removing the actuator; that’s quite normal. With the black wire disconnected, remove the actuator and all of its cables.
Conclusion
You will need to do additional diagnostics on the system components if, after the repair, the power door lock on the driver’s side of your vehicle is still not functioning. Another possibility is an electronic malfunction. Get in touch with the dealership for specific guidance, or even better, bring your vehicle to a nearby garage for expert diagnostics and repair of the power door lock actuator.
