Removing Gen IV door lock actuator

[jayg20769]

My driver door lock actuator has gone bad and I've already gone and bought a replacement. So far I've removed the door panel and unclipped the door handle rod, as well as removed the 3 torx bolts holding the lock in place. But I still can't reach the actuator because I can't unclip the rod connecting to the key lock cylinder.

Is there any other way to reach the actutator besides that or how I could unclip the lock cylinder rod?

[jayg20769]

I also removed the window guide rail and the window support strut to get better access but it still nearly impossible to get a good view of the lock mechanism and actuator.

[mikeysinoda]

Mine went out in the passenger door. I havent figured out how to get to mine either.

[wi11ie]

It is actually pretty easy, I fashioned a 8 inch flat-blade screwdriver into a 90 deg. bend (flat side flat at 90 deg) about 1 inch from the end..I remove the panel and the end of the barrier from the door and reach in with my screwdriver and place it between the actuator and the latch assembly..A slight twist and the plastic catch on the actuator is released and while holding that I use a flat-blade to slightly move the actuator off the mount.. Total time in and out? About 10 mins.and no latch removal or crazy crap like that...Can do all 4 doors on a gen 4 in about 1 hour panels and all...

[jimbeamalki]

Wi11ie is a smarta$$, and I mean that in a good way. Going to remember that trick. Passenger front door started going out a year ago and I bought the actuator, then it started working again and hasn't messed up since--go figure!

[jayg20769]

I wished I saw this earlier. I decided to go in by brute force and ended up breaking the plastic clip connecting the key cylinder to the actuating rod, now I need to figure out how to replace that. Can anyone help point me in the right direction?

[jayg20769]

Well I fixed it, sort of. Really I just hamfisted it by using some good ol' duct tape and it seems pretty firm. Hopefully it'll last for a while.

[wi11ie]

Beats kicking my own a$$ doing it any other way.. Willie is just a teeny bit lazy and been doing this for 30 years...Did my daughters today in 45 minutes with some cheapies she got off of Ebay..Made her take off the panels tho... (She is her Daddys girl!)

[Lgbpop]

Wow. When one is in need of medical care, one goes to a medic. When one wants groceries, one goes to a grocer. When on needs a mechanic, one goes to a mechanic. When one needs someone knowledgeable about locks, one hamfists the job with duct tape.

And people wonder why locksmiths sometimes charge "so much" after the customer has tried everything they can think of first and completely messed up a simple job.

I put three kids through college thanks to people who thought a locksmith charged too much and tried to fix things themselves.

[Lgbpop]

BTW, Willie went about it the right way. Think, then improvise if necessary then act and solve.