Power Lock Silliness

[MercurySailor]

Alright, so on my 1988 mgm, I'm having issues with the front door locks. The locks worked fine when I first got the car, but as time went on, they slowly lost functionality, moving more slowly and being kinda sticky. Now, after my car's been in storage for a few months, the front power locks don't work at all, to the point where the driver's door can't be locked manually with the key. Pass door can still be locked from the outside. Also, back door locks lock/unlock just fine.
Any suggestions? Do I just gotta lube some stuff up and carry on? Thanks.

[87gtVIC]

I had a similar occurrence recently. Almost impossible to manually unlock the door but lock worked fine. Rip the door panel off and lube stuff up. Both functions worked perfectly from key and button afterwords.

[sly]

every time I've had that happen... the guts of the motors were rusty and almost completely seized. I've had to replace the lock motors.

[jaywish]

True. Some of the time you can often free the motors but if you do not stop the water intrusion they will seize back up. What someone showed me was a small piece of plastic wrapped around the shaft so it forms a cape around the top of the motor. This secured tightly by a small tie wrap around the shaft.

If you replace the motors and the rubber shield is not good then they are susceptible to water intrusion. I believe old dew wipes make things worse.

[TecNickal]

^ a condom for the door lock actuator would be great.

ford did a much better design with the lock actuator on the aero cars. This old school one isn't so great after water goes down into the motor.

[knucklehead0202]

Yup, door-lock actuator. Had the same problem with my front passenger door only worse, it also couldn't be opened from the outside. Had to tear the whole setup out of the dead car and swap it. Now I just have to find the bad wire in my driver door and all 4 should work!

[GM_Guy]

If there is one thing I do not miss about the box, is the regular lock motor replacement. Like Sly, all the ones I tore open had water in them and seized up. Before you let it get too far, take the door panels off and disconnect the lock motor from the linkage, becuase one day, that thing is going to be stuck, and you might find yourself locked out and have to risk breaking a key in the door look trying to coax it to move.

Alex.

[JesusGM]

Interesting. I have the same problem with my 87īColony park. The front doors doesnīt work but the rear doors works ok, so the front and tailgate doors are always open and I canīt leave the car alone. I think it was the door lock actuators. Anyone can guide me how to replace it?, I donīt want to broke any piece in the process. Thanks!

[Tiggie]

Basically have to remove the door panel, then you can get to the lock actuator.

Door panel: remove top arm rest trim first, carefully! The power window and lock switches must be removed from this once you get it loose. Go gently here as it is easy to break the part where the switches screw into the trim if you pull too hard. Next the mirror switch can be disconnected from the same part; it unplugs and you can leave the switch in the panel. There are several Phillips acres that hold the plastic trim to the arm rest. Remove those, followed by the arm rest that has about five 7mm bolts. Carefully but firmly pull the edges of the actual door panel starting at the bottom. They make a special tool for it but it's not absolutely necessary. Once all the plastic pins are loose, the door panel should lift up and off. If your car has the big round control for the vent window, that comes off as well. I think the center cover comes off then a screw.

There should be plastic behind it. Peel or cut it in the lower rear section just enough to get to the door lock actuator. The hardest part for me is next: getting the actuator out of the bracket. It pushes out, lubricant is your friend. I broke the bracket once but I think it was my knuckles that hit it once the actuator released. The actuator can then be unplugged and pulled up 90 degrees and out of the lock mechanism.

[JesusGM]

Thanks Tiggie!. Actually, I removed previously the door panels to replace the "carton-wood" surface that was in awful condition for the water, apparently. I have problems to remove the bolts of the arm rest, I donīt have any kind of tool for that measure, but finally with patience I remove them...

I suspect that the problems are the actuators, I will try to removed them and find a replacement, first locally in Chile or will look for them on ebay.
However, I just want to install the door panels, while I donīt replace the actuators, I canīt do it.

[sly]

pull down on the actuator to remove from the mount holding it to the door (you may need to use a flat blade screwdriver to help with this). Once it is free of the mount, pull the actuator perpendicular up and away from it's mount while still inside the door to wiggle the rod out. Then you can leave it out and just have a manual lock door.