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About every forth time I try to unlock the driver’s door via the fob it fails to fully execute the movement. I found a youtube video explaining that there is a tiny electric motor inside the latch that wears out. The video includes the motor part # and I ordered one from Amazon – $10 with shipping. This is going to be a cheap repair if it works.
Edit: Well, I placed this in the “What are you working section” and it ended up here. Such is life.
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Did you confirm the wiring? Most electrical door issues are because of broken wires between the door and the body. It almost sound like there’s a wire barely hanging on and every few attempts it connects.
[quote=”DaFirnz” post=132222]Did you confirm the wiring? Most electrical door issues are because of broken wires between the door and the body. It almost sound like there’s a wire barely hanging on and every few attempts it connects.[/quote]
No I didn’t. Looking at the little flipper on the door by the door latch release handle, it tries to move every time I press a button on the fob. Then reading that the latch contains a high speed motor driving a worm gear and this motor wears out, seems to match the symptoms. I’ll report back when the new motor is installed.
Time for a story: With the car locked, press the fob once and the driver’s side door unlocks. If no doors are opened, after a short amount of time, the body computer locks the door again. It takes a second press of the fob button to unlock the remaining doors. I have already had this door apart once to make sure this wasn’t a lubrication problem. So, while I am working on the door I’m squatting and the fob is being actuated in my pocket. So, the door is locking and unlocking. Think how many times this has to happen during a normal day when I am home, and since I am retired I am home and near my car or somewhere and near my car almost always. I think the motor is worn out.
For anyone interested here is the whole story on the the door latch actuator assembly. The electric actuator is a small motor which drives a worm gear which drives a second gear which drives a sector gear. The brushes in the motor wear out, either no longer making good contact or so contaminating the housing that the motor no longer works.
All of this is contained in a plastic housing glued to the side of the latch. Getting it open is like cracking a very tough egg. People who have done this and replaced the motor find that the unlocking of the driver’s side door is now restored. However, often times none of the other doors will now unlock via the fob. The reason is that the final sector gear has a pair of electrical contacts, informing the cabin computer door locked or door unlocked. When the case is glued back shut, if the stack height isn’t exactly right, these contacts don’t make.
The solution – buy a new door latch assembly.
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