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Thread: *DIY Rear door lock actuator removal

  1. #1
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    *DIY Rear door lock actuator removal

    A member here recently asked how to open his rear doors while he had two bad actuators keeping the doors locked. This writeup will go through how to do it with the doors locked, and how to do it with the doors open.

    Step one is to remove the rear door panel. If the rear door is locked and you can't get it open, remove the rear seat as well. That is covered to death elsewhere, search will help you find it. Search is your buddy. Search is your friend. Search just wants to make you a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and watch tv with you.



    I know, it's the wrong color, but I wasn't going to go ripping off a door panel if I didn't have to

    Next Locate these two screws. Remove them.


    Be careful, for some reason one of them is always VERY tight. It's not a deep recession on the screw head, it's very likely it will strip and ruin your life.



    Next remove the electrical connector from the actuator.



    Remove this bolt from the window track.



    Pull the rubber seal away from the bottom of the window track, it will expose a bolt inside the track at the bottom. Remove this bolt, and remove the window track.



    Next look at the door latch. You will see a little triangle of rubber on the door seal. Pull it back exposing the last screw holding the actuator/latch assembly in place. Remove it and you will be able to pull the actuator assembly out and undo the screws holding the actuator to the latch.




    Obviously the above procedure applies only if you can get the door open. I took the time to play around, and if you can't get the door open, there's a couple solutions you may want to try.

    If you have a pair of dikes you can use them to cut the plastic arm on the actuator. You're not reusing the actuator, so no big loss. If you cut it, you should be able to rotate the locking mechanism in order to unlock the door. Obviously picture doing the cutting while it's in the door. I did it while I had it out.





    If you're not a fan of cutting, you have just enough room inside the door to use either a wrench or maybe a 1/4" socket set to remove the two screws holding the actuator to the latch assembly. These would be the two screws to remove. You're looking at the assembly from the viewpoint of the outside of the car looking in, you'll have to feel around for the screws inside the door and do it blind.



    Blind would be doing it like this:



    Good to go.



    Go ahead and bite. Plenty for everyone.

  2. #2
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    P.S. Somebody owes me for cutting up a perfectly good door actuator damnit.



    Go ahead and bite. Plenty for everyone.

  3. #3
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    Hell yea, Thanks Binjammin. Unfortunately, this will come in handy someday.




    Give me that door gasket your not using

    "Never let the bastards wear you down!"




  4. #4
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    Which one? I've got parts like you can't imagine

    Go ahead and bite. Plenty for everyone.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Binjammin View Post
    Which one? I've got parts like you can't imagine
    I need both rear door gaskets/weather striping. The ones covered with fabric. Mine have shrunken and want to do the splicing method of repair

    "Never let the bastards wear you down!"




  6. #6
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    Nice write up and pictures. I'm not sure why you would need to remove the latch assembly, and those torx screws can make that part of the job a hassle. Double lock/lock are controlled by the actuator itself, so just removing it will allow the door to open. Seems like a lot of extra work. As mentioned, I use a small spanner or a 1/4" flex head ratchet and a 1/4" 6mm socket to get in behind the actuator and remove it. Problem with getting a locked door open/actuator out is removal of the door panel in one piece. Also, there are two styles of actuator used in these cars. The later style clips into place.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by lowell View Post
    Nice write up and pictures. I'm not sure why you would need to remove the latch assembly, and those torx screws can make that part of the job a hassle. Double lock/lock are controlled by the actuator itself, so just removing it will allow the door to open. Seems like a lot of extra work. As mentioned, I use a small spanner or a 1/4" flex head ratchet and a 1/4" 6mm socket to get in behind the actuator and remove it. Problem with getting a locked door open/actuator out is removal of the door panel in one piece. Also, there are two styles of actuator used in these cars. The later style clips into place.
    I'm pretty sure if I were going to replace the actuator I'd just remove it like I did, rather than wrestling with it. I've got meatfists remember. If you remove the latch, you'll be able to play with it more easily.


    Anyway, that's how the whole latch comes out

    Go ahead and bite. Plenty for everyone.

  8. #8
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    Binjammin THAKN YOU

  9. #9
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    Any time dude. Now go break your car some more so I can take moar pics!

    Go ahead and bite. Plenty for everyone.

  10. #10
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    this is probably a stupid question, but does this make it so you can still lock the door manually? My rear drivers side door is locked shut and I can't get it open, but I want to make sure that if I cut the actuator that I can still lock it by hand. Thanks

  11. #11
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    I put this on the E34 DIY page.
    One expensive unicycle.

    General Forum Rules........Off-Topic Rules

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by freeriden View Post
    this is probably a stupid question, but does this make it so you can still lock the door manually? My rear drivers side door is locked shut and I can't get it open, but I want to make sure that if I cut the actuator that I can still lock it by hand. Thanks

    You should be able to manually lock the door with the actuator removed.

    Go ahead and bite. Plenty for everyone.

  13. #13
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    Hi

    i saw a thread that showed someone, think it was you, removing a door card from a locked back door and forgetting to roll the window up first, was this your thread or can you point me in the right direction as i cant seem to find it now.

    is removing this door card possible with out destroying it or removing the back seat?

    thanks

  14. #14
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    It's possible, it wasn't my thread though. Try searching?

    Go ahead and bite. Plenty for everyone.

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