Hi everyone. Today was a perfect day for a small project that I have been wanting to do for a while now. You know you own a celica when your door locks don't function :blah: We all know the reason it happens is because of a fairly expensive part - the door lock actuator.
This is a DIY repair procedure for your door lock actuator that i came up with.
I am not responsible or liable for any injury, damage, loss or expense that may result from this repair procedure and you sucking at it.
Time to complete 1-2 hours
Tools and supplies: Phillips head screwdriver, flashlight
T30 torx socket, parts cleaner
10mm socket with extension and a ratchet,
Small pry tool (small flat head screwdriver),
Razor blade, small hammer,
9v battery and test leads
Dielectric grease, white lithium grease and
1000 grit sand paper
Before you start, roll up your windows and disconnect your battery negative cable.
Start with removing your drivers or passenger side door panel, and part of the clear plastic cover that's behind it.
Look inside the door up where the door handle is, you'll see two metal cables with yellow clips on them, pry them off - the top one pries up and out away from the door handle, the bottom one up and towards yourself. Pull those cables out of sockets.
Find two 10mm bolts and remove them.
Remove three torx door lock bolts with your T30 socket.
Allow the lock to drop down, then disconnect the black electrical connector.
Now pull out the lock and actuator assembly with cables. Separate the white plastic cover that's held in place by 2 screws, then separate the plastic door lock actuator that's held in place by 2 screws.
Time to start working on the actuator. The idea here is to pry the actuator open without damaging it. Since it is not a "serviceable part", the actuator housing is molded together at the factory, this is where you will need your razor blade, small hammer and some patience.
Start on the corner by slicing your razor through the seam. (Be very careful not to injure yourself) Position the actuator vertically on a solid surface and tap the blade with the hammer until it gets in pretty deep, keep going around the actuator and get as much of it separated by the razor as you can. For the bottom part (next to the pin housing insert a small pry tool and carefully pry through that portion).
Now that you have it open, its time for a WTF moment, because there isn't much to the actuator at all, and you go scratching your head as to why Toyota wants $300 for it.........
Our goal right now is to remove the motor. I have done 2 actuators already and in both cases the problem was within the motor itself.
To remove the motor, first pry up on the gear and pull it out. (Don't worry it only goes in one way). Now pry the motor up on its plastic portion and pull it out. (The motor is not soldered in, so there is no wires to worry about, you will see once it comes out). Remove the worm gear and its bearing (note the way the bearing sits, it has to go back in the same way).
Now that you have the motor out, time to take it apart. With a sharp pry tool, pry out the metal tabs that hold the plastic backing in place, then VERY CAREFULLY pull the plastic portion out of the metal housing, you don't want to damage the brushes!!!!!! If the brushes are already damaged, or severely worn out, you can buy a replacement motor on EBAY http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...tor+FC+280PC+22125+&_sacat=See-All-Categories
Once you have that apart, you'll see how nasty the brushes look and how much old grease is gummed up in there, use electrical parts cleaner to spray off old grease, use 1000 sand paper to clean up the copper drum on the coil shaft, put small amount of white lithium on the copper parts and reassemble the motor.
Using your test leads and a 9v battery check motor operation. (Do not hold the motor on for longer than a few seconds, these motors are not designed for that.)
Reinstall the motor and gears in reverse order, apply superglue to the cover and join the cover and the housing together. Hold together until glued parts bond.
Reassemble everything in reverse order.
As I said before I have fixed two door lock actuators this way, in both cases I did not need a replacement motor, just needed to clean the old ones. IF it so happens that after you have re-installed everything and the locks are slow, get worse or still don't respond, replace the motor with http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...tor+FC+280PC+22125+&_sacat=See-All-Categories
Hopefully this will save you some money. Thanks for reading! :wiggle:
If you would like more information on the technical specs for the electrical motor, or possibly upgrading it, here is a link to OEM manufacturer for these motors http://www.mabuchi-motor.co.jp/cgi-bin/catalog/e_catalog.cgi?CAT_ID=fc_280pcsc
Good luck and don't lock yourself out!
This is a DIY repair procedure for your door lock actuator that i came up with.
I am not responsible or liable for any injury, damage, loss or expense that may result from this repair procedure and you sucking at it.
Time to complete 1-2 hours
Tools and supplies: Phillips head screwdriver, flashlight
T30 torx socket, parts cleaner
10mm socket with extension and a ratchet,
Small pry tool (small flat head screwdriver),
Razor blade, small hammer,
9v battery and test leads
Dielectric grease, white lithium grease and
1000 grit sand paper
Before you start, roll up your windows and disconnect your battery negative cable.
Start with removing your drivers or passenger side door panel, and part of the clear plastic cover that's behind it.
Look inside the door up where the door handle is, you'll see two metal cables with yellow clips on them, pry them off - the top one pries up and out away from the door handle, the bottom one up and towards yourself. Pull those cables out of sockets.
Find two 10mm bolts and remove them.
Remove three torx door lock bolts with your T30 socket.
Allow the lock to drop down, then disconnect the black electrical connector.
Now pull out the lock and actuator assembly with cables. Separate the white plastic cover that's held in place by 2 screws, then separate the plastic door lock actuator that's held in place by 2 screws.
Time to start working on the actuator. The idea here is to pry the actuator open without damaging it. Since it is not a "serviceable part", the actuator housing is molded together at the factory, this is where you will need your razor blade, small hammer and some patience.
Start on the corner by slicing your razor through the seam. (Be very careful not to injure yourself) Position the actuator vertically on a solid surface and tap the blade with the hammer until it gets in pretty deep, keep going around the actuator and get as much of it separated by the razor as you can. For the bottom part (next to the pin housing insert a small pry tool and carefully pry through that portion).
Now that you have it open, its time for a WTF moment, because there isn't much to the actuator at all, and you go scratching your head as to why Toyota wants $300 for it.........
Our goal right now is to remove the motor. I have done 2 actuators already and in both cases the problem was within the motor itself.
To remove the motor, first pry up on the gear and pull it out. (Don't worry it only goes in one way). Now pry the motor up on its plastic portion and pull it out. (The motor is not soldered in, so there is no wires to worry about, you will see once it comes out). Remove the worm gear and its bearing (note the way the bearing sits, it has to go back in the same way).
Now that you have the motor out, time to take it apart. With a sharp pry tool, pry out the metal tabs that hold the plastic backing in place, then VERY CAREFULLY pull the plastic portion out of the metal housing, you don't want to damage the brushes!!!!!! If the brushes are already damaged, or severely worn out, you can buy a replacement motor on EBAY http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...tor+FC+280PC+22125+&_sacat=See-All-Categories
Once you have that apart, you'll see how nasty the brushes look and how much old grease is gummed up in there, use electrical parts cleaner to spray off old grease, use 1000 sand paper to clean up the copper drum on the coil shaft, put small amount of white lithium on the copper parts and reassemble the motor.
Using your test leads and a 9v battery check motor operation. (Do not hold the motor on for longer than a few seconds, these motors are not designed for that.)
Reinstall the motor and gears in reverse order, apply superglue to the cover and join the cover and the housing together. Hold together until glued parts bond.
Reassemble everything in reverse order.
THAT'S IT, YOU ARE DONE!
As I said before I have fixed two door lock actuators this way, in both cases I did not need a replacement motor, just needed to clean the old ones. IF it so happens that after you have re-installed everything and the locks are slow, get worse or still don't respond, replace the motor with http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...tor+FC+280PC+22125+&_sacat=See-All-Categories
Hopefully this will save you some money. Thanks for reading! :wiggle:
If you would like more information on the technical specs for the electrical motor, or possibly upgrading it, here is a link to OEM manufacturer for these motors http://www.mabuchi-motor.co.jp/cgi-bin/catalog/e_catalog.cgi?CAT_ID=fc_280pcsc
Good luck and don't lock yourself out!