How To Diagnose Door Lock Actuator

Car door lock actuators are designed to lock and unlock a door without the effort of pulling on a cable and rod.

How to diagnose door lock actuator.

Then use your test light or digital meter to check for power and ground at the connector when you operate the lock unlock switch. 2004 honda odyssey ex passenger m. Pictured on the right is a typical door lock actuator they installed on automobiles 20 years ago. Another symptom of a potential problem with the power door lock actuators are door locks that behave erratically.

In some cars the door lock actuator is positioned below the latch. Unusual noises coming from inside the door. A rod connects the actuator to the latch and another rod connects the latch to the knob that sticks up out of the top of the door. When the actuator fails or starts to fail you ll likely notice one or more symptoms that make your daily commute less pleasant.

The symptoms will get worse. Door lock actuator problems use to be simple to diagnose and repair. If the actuators have any sort of internal or wiring issue it may cause them to rapidly lock and unlock unexpectedly or cause them to function intermittently. Power door locks behave erratically.

A quick test can be performed from the driver s seat by using the electric lock button. You should see the voltage polarity toggle with each switch activation. If the unlock button fails to unlock the door you can rule out the remote and take a long look at the actuator. In the old days they remained a separate component mounted to the door shell.

Unplug the door lock actuator electrical connector. On manual locks the locking function operates by pushing or pulling on the door lock. Usually a bad or failing power door lock actuator will produce a few symptoms that can notify the driver of an issue that should be serviced. How a door lock actuator works.

The concept of a door lock actuator works great until it doesn t. A metal rod then made its way to the door latch to operate the lock mechanism. A door lock actuator is basically a reversible motor or a solenoid on some vehicles with gears that operate the door lock.