Both Front Door Locks Won’t Operate....What Could Be the Reason?

[Nalajr]

Hey all.

One other problem I am having with my 2003 Eddie Bauer 5.4 that I am having is that both the front door locks won’t work. The rear doors and back lift door work though. It seemed like they both stopped working at nearly the same time. I thought that seemed strange. The passenger door won’t even open from the outside. I have to reach over and open it from the inside if someone is going to ride with me.

I started reading up and watching videos and found that it is likely that both front door lock actuators are bad. Before I buy them and try to replace them I wanted to ask a question. Is it possible that these 2 front door locks stopped working due to a bad fuse? It would sure make it much easier on me if that were the case.

What’s your guess as to the cause of the door locks no longer working on both front doors? By the way, the vehicle has 110,000 miles on it.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time and have a great weekend!!
Larry

 

[jim midd]

Check fuse 8 should be a 30A on yours ( assuming it's same as mine) but I think that should work ALL doors, so if some are working I doubt it's that

if that's good check the switches in the doors? The drivers side operates both doors. The passenger side just does that side. It's obvious to me from you having to reach across that the drivers side switch won't unlock the doors, but does the passenger switch operate that door? How about the remotes? Do you have a keypad on your door? If so does that work?

Does the auto lock work ( doors lock when you start driving)?

It might be the actuators, but I am always skeptical when 2 or more separate components fail at same time. I'm not saying it's impossible, but usually , for me anyway, it's something else

 

[1955moose]

It's possible the actuators in front door are worn out. My 2000 basically does the same thing. After time the parts get worn, quit guessing pull the driver door panel, see what's worn! It's pretty obvious, the driver's door gets 10 times the workout that the the other three get, and wear accordingly. Pull your panel, easy to do and check it out

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[jim midd]

It's pretty obvious, the driver's door gets 10 times the workout that the the other three get, and wear accordingly.

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That's exactly why it's unlikely that both sides failed simultaneously. When one of my calipers goes bad, I replace them both since they get the same amount of cycles. Again it's possible that both actuators failed, but it's easy enough to narrow that down with some very basic troubleshooting that the OP didn't state wether they did or not.

It's not guessing to say

check the fuse , try key fob, try keypad on door, try lock switches on both doors, check to see if vehicle auto locks after putting it in drive and driving for a few minutes. if under all these conditions nothing locks/unlocks the front two doors its most likely the actuators. If any of these locks /unlocks the front doors it's most likely not

 

[1955moose]

Isn't there a actuator or solenoid in the driver's door that handles both sides? I haven't pulled mine yet, due to 1, I'm lazy, 2, it's not that big a deal for me, as I'm the only one that rides in my Suv, and 3, I don't have the extra funds for the can of worms I'll probably find. My driver side inside handles loose, and I'm starting to hear crunching putting my window up/down, window regulator bad. When they both get real bad, I'll tear into it. Hopefully by then my funds from lottery will be in my bank account, and it will traded in for my 2019 F150 electric blue Lariat!

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[Nalajr]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I’m sorry I didn’t get back here till now, but I had some health issues 1 after another that came up that I couldn’t do anything at all. Now I’m allowed a bit more freedom.

To answer your questions...

The key fob work and it will lock and unlock the passenger doors, the back door and the back window.
I’ve tried the switches. Took the one on the drivers side off to inspect it and it was totally ok. It works on all the other doors like the fob does.
One other strange thing. The door lock post that is on top of the door inside, the thing that goes up and down....it is frozen in almost the DOWN position but enough is sticking up that I can grab it. I have tried everything and it will not come unstuck. I can’t pull it up with enough force to see what it would do. It will come up a tiny bit when I pull up on it though.

Lastly, when I say they went bad st the same time, I’m talking within 2-3 months of each other. I should’ve made it clearer in my original post.

I’m also afraid to get into the door panel removal. I don’t know how to do it and I’m worried I might not be able to get it back into place.
I’m a VERY NEW at this car repair stuff. I’m trying though.

Thanks everyone and have a good week!!

 

[1955moose]

Actually this is one of easiest panels to remove replace. Theirs 2 screws, one behind the A shaped plastic cover behind mirror, and one behind inside door light, bottom left, and it the panel pops up and off. Sounds like either the lock up/down mechanisim is goofy, or one of the rods that go to it are bent, or maybe disconnected.

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[Trainmaster]

Door lock actuators have long been a problem on Ford trucks. There are also plenty of crummy cheap replacements available. They're a bit of a task to install, but once you've done one, the rest are easier. I must have changed two dozen in my years. Plastic junk.
.
If the lock post is frozen, you'll have to get the lock out and clean it up. Probably rusty. Or one of the control rods are binding. Get in there with an inspection mirror and look around.