Replaceing the front door lock actuator 03-06? 2004 for sure....

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cdherman

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OK, I just did this, and while its all still fresh, I'll record it for posterity right here. Shop manual says both front doors are "similar". It is possible that Navigator is different for some reason, as this section of the manual seems expy specific. Also, just so you know -- the actuators are VERY common, Ford units. Driver side apparently is the same, front and back, in terms of the actuator.

First, I regret I ordered the cheapest actuator out there, as trust you me, the work to change it out far exceeds the cost of the darn bugger... I paid $18 dollars plus9 shipping. Ford wanted $99. Who knows -- might have been the same supplier. They looked identical, minus some numbers....

I also do not think I could have done it without buggering up the trim and perhaps even some other parts, if I had not had a Ford 2004 Shop manual. That being said, there were a couple points where the shop manual was not entirely accurate. I hope to make this clear enough that YOU will not need the manual.

You will need a good flashlight to look around in there to make sense of things, and small arms/hands are helpful. You need a metric 1/4" socket set, a torx set, flat and philips screwdrivers and one long bladed screwdriver.

Here goes:

1) pop the oval trim plate off that is behind and slightly below the door handle. There are two torx head screws under there. Remove.

2) Remove the 2 hex head screw at the bottom of the door as well as the phillips head screw around the corner from the lock button (easy to find these)

3) pop the trim off from behind the inside door latch handle. Careful, here, there are some plastic pins that are liable to break, but it will come off, first outward and then slide forward so as to get it off the latch handle.

4) pop the arm rest piece off that has the locks, windows, and possible memory buttons. remove the electrical connectors. They are all different, so you cannot screw it up when you re-assemble. Each has a different kind of catch, but if you cannot/do not know how to take apart modern electrical connectors of various types, then stop here, because it will get harder.

---- the manual reveresed the steps 3 and 4, which caused me to break one of the pins I referred to. -----

5) Manual was shakey here too. To get the door interior panel off, you now have to FIRST pop the upper corner outward (or inward into the interior of the vehicle if that makes more sense to you). This is the corner above the mirror controls. Only after you pop that corner, you then lift UP about 1" (as opposed to out) in vertical fashion on the door handle and the hook shaped pieces that secure the whole interior peice on the door will clear their slots in the door.

6) Unplug the electrical to the mirror controlls

7) There is a water barrier that is glued with some sort of interesting glue -- I was able to carefully free this all from the door, about the rear 50% is all that is needed. It seems to retain enough tack that I just pressed it back into place in the end.

8) There is a rod from the latch up to the door key tumbler. It presses in easily at the top into a V shaped recess in the plastic tumbler arm. But that is a OneWay sort of thing that has two fingers that refuse to allow the bugger back out. I was able to insert a long flat blade screwdriver though a hole in the door (perhaps even why the hole exists), and you must spread the two fingers apart, and then pop the top end of the lock rod away from the tumbler.

9) Next, the rod from the outside door latch handle must be detached at the bottom. This also is a frustrating point. There is a clip that sort of locks onto the bottom of the rod. Its plastic, but pretty stout. This will need to be popped open. I was able to sort of hook the clip with a pliers (not the jaws, but with the opening between the jaws, with the pliers closed). The peice you need to hook is away from you, towards the outside of the vehicle. You can feel it, but not see it. Once it pops open, the rod comes out easily.

10) Remove the three torx screws that hold the latch in place.

11) with some manuevering, you can now get the unit up enough to see the clip that is built into the wire harness that goes down there. You have to manuever it so that you can pry that clip out of the actuator. This will get you more leeway to move things around

12) The shop manual tells you to completely remove the lock, which requires you to remove the cable from the latch. I tried to to this for about 10 minutes, but then decided it was unnecessary.

13) Instead, I was now able to wiggle the latch around inside the door and take out the two wire connectors, one into the actuator and one into the latch proper.

14) Then I manuevering the unit and poped the clip down that holds the actuator on the latch unit. I had to look things over real careful (having the replacement in hand helped) and then I used a flat blade screwdriver to release the clip and a pliers to pry the actuator off the lock. If you have the new actuator in hand, this will be pretty easy.

15) Reverse the process!!!

caveat: Do NOT forget to plug the wiring harness back into the actuator and latch, BEFORE you put the 3 screws back in.

caveat: The rod between the lock tumbler and the latch has some bends at the bottom. It will probably slip down part way, and you MUST pull it back up before you put the 3 screws in the latch.

(yes, I removed the screws in the latch 3 times total....)

caveat: The clip that holds the wiring harness in place, close to the actuator, is REQUIRED. I forget to pop it back in place, and then after I had completely re-assembled things, the wire hung up on the window when the window went down.

Well, I don't remember anymore. Hope this helps -- certainly would have liked to read it before I started this project 3 hours ago..... Good luck
 

CARO'S98EB

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the shortcut way is to remove door panel stick a long pry bar through the hole in the door aginst the actuator and smack the end hard with your hand. the clip of the old one will break off and it will fall right off. remove the connector and carefully install the new actuator and reconnect the wires=ta da its done.
 

EBExpy

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OK, so I got to step 9 and then got stuck. I am not sure what piece you are referring to?

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

FYI: door panel off, back seat loaded with tools, and right now, daddy looks like a ********.

JD

OK, I just did this, and while its all still fresh, I'll record it for posterity right here. Shop manual says both front doors are "similar". It is possible that Navigator is different for some reason, as this section of the manual seems expy specific. Also, just so you know -- the actuators are VERY common, Ford units. Driver side apparently is the same, front and back, in terms of the actuator.

First, I regret I ordered the cheapest actuator out there, as trust you me, the work to change it out far exceeds the cost of the darn bugger... I paid $18 dollars plus9 shipping. Ford wanted $99. Who knows -- might have been the same supplier. They looked identical, minus some numbers....

I also do not think I could have done it without buggering up the trim and perhaps even some other parts, if I had not had a Ford 2004 Shop manual. That being said, there were a couple points where the shop manual was not entirely accurate. I hope to make this clear enough that YOU will not need the manual.

You will need a good flashlight to look around in there to make sense of things, and small arms/hands are helpful. You need a metric 1/4" socket set, a torx set, flat and philips screwdrivers and one long bladed screwdriver.

Here goes:

1) pop the oval trim plate off that is behind and slightly below the door handle. There are two torx head screws under there. Remove.

2) Remove the 2 hex head screw at the bottom of the door as well as the phillips head screw around the corner from the lock button (easy to find these)

3) pop the trim off from behind the inside door latch handle. Careful, here, there are some plastic pins that are liable to break, but it will come off, first outward and then slide forward so as to get it off the latch handle.

4) pop the arm rest piece off that has the locks, windows, and possible memory buttons. remove the electrical connectors. They are all different, so you cannot screw it up when you re-assemble. Each has a different kind of catch, but if you cannot/do not know how to take apart modern electrical connectors of various types, then stop here, because it will get harder.

---- the manual reveresed the steps 3 and 4, which caused me to break one of the pins I referred to. -----

5) Manual was shakey here too. To get the door interior panel off, you now have to FIRST pop the upper corner outward (or inward into the interior of the vehicle if that makes more sense to you). This is the corner above the mirror controls. Only after you pop that corner, you then lift UP about 1" (as opposed to out) in vertical fashion on the door handle and the hook shaped pieces that secure the whole interior peice on the door will clear their slots in the door.

6) Unplug the electrical to the mirror controlls

7) There is a water barrier that is glued with some sort of interesting glue -- I was able to carefully free this all from the door, about the rear 50% is all that is needed. It seems to retain enough tack that I just pressed it back into place in the end.

8) There is a rod from the latch up to the door key tumbler. It presses in easily at the top into a V shaped recess in the plastic tumbler arm. But that is a OneWay sort of thing that has two fingers that refuse to allow the bugger back out. I was able to insert a long flat blade screwdriver though a hole in the door (perhaps even why the hole exists), and you must spread the two fingers apart, and then pop the top end of the lock rod away from the tumbler.

9) Next, the rod from the outside door latch handle must be detached at the bottom. This also is a frustrating point. There is a clip that sort of locks onto the bottom of the rod. Its plastic, but pretty stout. This will need to be popped open. I was able to sort of hook the clip with a pliers (not the jaws, but with the opening between the jaws, with the pliers closed). The peice you need to hook is away from you, towards the outside of the vehicle. You can feel it, but not see it. Once it pops open, the rod comes out easily.

10) Remove the three torx screws that hold the latch in place.

11) with some manuevering, you can now get the unit up enough to see the clip that is built into the wire harness that goes down there. You have to manuever it so that you can pry that clip out of the actuator. This will get you more leeway to move things around

12) The shop manual tells you to completely remove the lock, which requires you to remove the cable from the latch. I tried to to this for about 10 minutes, but then decided it was unnecessary.

13) Instead, I was now able to wiggle the latch around inside the door and take out the two wire connectors, one into the actuator and one into the latch proper.

14) Then I manuevering the unit and poped the clip down that holds the actuator on the latch unit. I had to look things over real careful (having the replacement in hand helped) and then I used a flat blade screwdriver to release the clip and a pliers to pry the actuator off the lock. If you have the new actuator in hand, this will be pretty easy.

15) Reverse the process!!!

caveat: Do NOT forget to plug the wiring harness back into the actuator and latch, BEFORE you put the 3 screws back in.

caveat: The rod between the lock tumbler and the latch has some bends at the bottom. It will probably slip down part way, and you MUST pull it back up before you put the 3 screws in the latch.

(yes, I removed the screws in the latch 3 times total....)

caveat: The clip that holds the wiring harness in place, close to the actuator, is REQUIRED. I forget to pop it back in place, and then after I had completely re-assembled things, the wire hung up on the window when the window went down.

Well, I don't remember anymore. Hope this helps -- certainly would have liked to read it before I started this project 3 hours ago..... Good luck
 

EBExpy

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Ok, so I was able to get the old door lock actuator out, but am at the point where I cannot open the door from the outside of the vehicle. Also, when I open the door from the inside of the vehicle, the outside handle pops out (the other rear door does not do this).

What did I do wrong?

JD
 

alstonalvin

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Power locks are supposed to help you lock your doors without pushing them down yourself, making it very easy and convenient. But if you can no longer lock your doors using the remote in your keys, it's a definite sign that your door lock actuator is broken or had short-circuited. Here are a few easy steps on how to replace your door lock actuator to bring back the power in your power locks:-
Things you'll need:
• Phillips screwdriver
• Trim tool
• Socket set
• New door lock actuator
Step 1: Using a trim tool, remove the window and lock buttons from the door panel to expose your door lock system and its wiring. Manually disconnect each switch or button from the wiring harness and set this aside. Some switches or buttons might require you to pry or screw them off. Use a Philips screwdriver to carefully remove them.
Step 2: Unscrew your door panel loose to remove it from the door. Pull the door panel to separate it from the car's door completely.
Step 3: Locate the wiring connector that is attached to your faulty door lock actuator and unclip it for easy access to your actuator. If your door actuator is screwed on, simply unscrew the actuator to release it. If it is held in place by a bracket, push in the arm of the actuator and disconnect it from the harness.
Step 4: Install your new door lock actuator in place. Using your hands, hook the door lock actuator onto the latch rod found on the inside of your door. Secure the actuator in place using the bolts you removed from the old one. Clip back the wiring connector to the body of the actuator.
Step 5: Test your door lock actuator using your key remote. Once you're sure all is working perfectly, reassemble the plastic shield and the door pane to secure everything in place.
 
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