Driver door power lock not working

[Kalgatha]

My driver door power lock has quit working for sometime now. It all still works mechanically when locked by hand or by key, but when using the electric switch or remote it will not lock. All the other doors work fine. I'm thinking its the motor that has just burnt up. I noticed it slowing down for quite a while and then it would just twitch, but not lock. Now it sets there completely dead and unresponsive whenever I hit the 'lock' button. So, is my assumption valid? I know it could be wiring issue, but I feel like that would be a more sudden failure rather than as slow at it seemed to be. If my assumption is right, do I just need to buy a replacement actuator like this?

http://www.car-stuff.com/carparts/to...t4649121171989


Thanks for your help!

[dc_98_cam]

Replacing things without bothering to test anything is always easiest ....
Doesn't always work though.

Frequently, moisture, humidity, soft drinks and other foreign items find a way into the door mechanisms and connection points.

If you can access the door motor connector, you might get a spray can of electrical contact cleaner ... plastic-safe version ... and clean the black 4 conductor plastic connector clip. Reassemble and see if anything looks like it is going to move.

The left hand door lock switch could also be spray cleaned and reassembled ... three wires ...light green, green, and white with black stripe wires.

If you have a voltmeter, you could test for voltage at the motor wires of the door actuator motor, as you switch the lock button .... two center wires .... blue with red stripe and blue with black stripe. Also at the motor actuator connector, the two outer connector wires should have continuity between them ...as you activate the door lock switch.

... These are merely suggestions ... you might end up replacing the motor actuator anyway.

If you have the opportunity, you might post a few pictures of your door as you work on it.

[BamZipPow]

It's most like the motor contacts inside the motor actuator. If yer good about taking it apart and cleaning/regreasing the shaft, you can git away with just yer time and effort. If not, you'll have to buy either a used (www.car-part.com) or a new aftermarket/OEM actuator. There's a few webpages/threads out there in the internet that show you step by step of what it takes to take apart/clean/rebuild the motors in those...not sure if they are specifically fer the Camry lock actuator but it will be close.

[BamZipPow]

One example...

[dc_98_cam]

corrado007 said:
"I put a digital multimeter across the actuator motor and it received a pulse of power but didn't move when I hit the switch so it seemed that it must be the actuator."

So, if you check the motor terminal leads to the actuator unit .... and get a power pulse but no movement, then you can assume that the problem is the actuator ... rebuild or buy new.

On the other hand, it's possible that some sort of electrical connection problem is preventing the electrical power getting to the actuator.

[dave1811]

I replaced my daughter's 99 driver's side door lock actuator which was having the same problems as yours. Works fine now, I think I got mine from Car Parts Wholesale. com. Something like it was around $25-$30 or so. The part number for my aftermarket was T464912 (97-01 Camry F. Door Lock Latch LH, Actuator. It also had a number on it of RS6283. Not too hard to change out, just a little tricky on hooking the linkages back. Once I figured out by looking at them at how they worked, took about an hour total.

Have to change her rear driver's side power window regulator when that comes in on Thursday. At 170k years, always a lot of little things breaking.

Good luck,

Dave