dohctor_B

Hello everyone, I just picked up a 1997 Accord LX 4 door and the locks are acting funny. When I try to lock the doors from the inside, none of them lock: they just make a noise like they are trying to lock so I know they are getting power. I can push them all down and up manually and if I lock the car from the outside, only the drivers side door locks.

Anybody have any idea's? I'm new to accords btw

dohctor_B

Is it possibly the drivers side lock actuator?

TheMuffinMan

iTrader: (1)

which ever ones make a whirring noise the actuator is dying

dohctor_B

All 4 doors are making the whirring noise. Does that mean all 4 are dying? Seems kind of strange all 4 would die. Do accords have like a master lock control unit or something that control all 4?

TheMuffinMan

iTrader: (1)

The door lock control probably wouldn't make them act like that.

If it is the actuator it's a fairly straight forward way to verify.

Open up the door, take out the current actuator and look at the white plastic piece.

If you see a small rectangular "box" that has a spring popping through a side, that actuator is bad.

dohctor_B

Thank you. I read in a few places that a bad drivers door actuator can cause them all to act up. should I check all doors or just the drivers side? You seem like you know what your talking about, lol

TheMuffinMan

iTrader: (1)

Yeah depressingly I had the problem (thankfully I only have a coupe haha)

I would start on the driver's side.

I will tell you that in my experience with it, the whirring ones = bad ones.

My driver's side was fine, just passenger was acting up.

Neighbor's rear two were acting up, front two were fine.

So while it would suck to replace all 4, that may be the problem.

I'd start with the front driver's and see if that's the problem - however you could probably rule that out by trying to lock it with the passenger side master. If that doesn't work and everything still whirrs.




Near where the arrow is for Actuator motor, that's where the problem is.

dohctor_B

When I use the passenger side lock switch, the same thing happens.
I'm not sure what u mean by "whirring" but I think thats what mine are doing. They are making noise and attempting to lock but they don't go anywhere (up or down).

Jeez, I looked up some prices for these actuators and they are expensive! I might just lock my car manually from now on. Thanks for your help

thambi23

how much does it cost to repair it i have the same issue with my passenger side

dohctor_B

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by thambi23 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">how much does it cost to repair it i have the same issue with my passenger side</TD></TR></TABLE>

I don't know how much it is at the stealership but the part is pricey, even used. It's like $50 per actuator if you can find em used and new is &gt; $100. And that's only for one so I definatly wouldn't want to replace all 4 of mine.

civicandy

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by TheMuffinMan &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Open up the door, take out the current actuator and look at the white plastic piece.

If you see a small rectangular "box" that has a spring popping through a side, that actuator is bad.</TD></TR></TABLE>

This can be fixed with a small, self tapping screw. I fixed my drivers side rear door actuator. Spent more time removing the door panel than fixing it.

TheMuffinMan

iTrader: (1)

To answer a couple questions:

1) I got one on ebay for roughly $60 shipped
2) Stealership will rob you on this! Do it yourself, I guessed on how to take it apart and was able to.

I would put it on a 5/10 (10 being hardest)

3) Thanks for that tip civicandy I'll have to take a look at it the next time (I may have my old one) When I looked the plastic had snapped so a strong epoxy was an option, but due to the pressure of the screw and it's location I could never get a good seal on the glue.

civicandy

I should have taken pictures. You don't even need to glue it. There was someone on here who mentioned he fixed his, and when I looked at it, it was fairly obvious. If someone ever posts a clear picture of the actuator, I'll create a drawing showing where to put the screw. I did this about 6 months ago and it's still working.

2accrds

I just bought an actuator online for my 98 Accord at Majestic Honda for $29.95. They seem to be the chaepest place to buy OEM.

Secret Chimp

For the last few weeks, mine work, but they keep on locking and locking and locking. I walk away from my car with it going "cachuk cachuck cachuck cachuck cachuck" like it's possessed

dohctor_B

look below




Modified by dohctor_B at 5:55 AM 2/22/2008

TheMuffinMan

iTrader: (1)

Hey dohc, that pdf is against ToS as it's a copyrighted thing.

I'd suggest removing the link (a mod will do it if you dont)

Not being a douche, just telling ya.

dohctor_B

well damn, what if I do this link...

http://www.dhost.info/accordinfo/

and than go down to the bottom under electrical system.

Click on the right side of the pdf, the power locks section 23-274 but I'm having a difficult time deciphering it.

btw, if we figure this out, this thread needs to go in the accord FAQ section for others who need help.

htekken

made a diy on how to fix the annoying actuator problem. only catch was that i had the exact part needed to replace the "broken" part. cant say that everone will be that fortunate.

http://www.accordinglydone.com...14514

Bird333

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by civicandy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

This can be fixed with a small, self tapping screw. I fixed my drivers side rear door actuator. Spent more time removing the door panel than fixing it. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I have already replaced one of these. Can you please explain/show how to do this?

Bird333

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by htekken &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">made a diy on how to fix the annoying actuator problem. only catch was that i had the exact part needed to replace the "broken" part. cant say that everone will be that fortunate.

http://www.accordinglydone.com...14514 </TD></TR></TABLE>

FYI, that fixes one problem (the 'buzz' and continuing locking issue), but the 'whirring' problem is different.

civicandy

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by htekken &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
http://www.accordinglydone.com...14514 </TD></TR></TABLE>

I took my pictures from this link. But his repair was different than mine. It appears that he did not fix what I fixed. But it must have worked somehow. Here's what I did. This was done on on my drivers rear door. The problem I had is that when I hit the switch on the front drivers door, it wouldn't unlock my rear door. And when I would lock all the doors, I would here the motor running and making a grinding noise. Hope this helps some of you. It cost $.05 for the screw to fix it.

See on the right where there is a black spring? That is supposed to be under the little piece of white plastic. The white plastic breaks, and then the spring is not compressed. You need to compress the spring.


What I did is circled in white. The purple arrow points to where the white plastic should be capping off the spring opening. The spring sits in a hole. The little blue line shows roughly where to top of the white cap should be. The red indicates where I put a screw. Predrill a hole, then use a small self drilling screw to go through the yellow plastic. The screw needs to be long enough to go all the way through the yellow, to push on white piece of plastic. (Approximatly where the blue line is) Either reuse the white plastic spring cap, or make something to fit between the spring and the point of the screw. Go slow. Don't over tighten the screw or you will strip out the plastic.

dohctor_B

Wow, thanks alot to both of you guys. I'll have to tear my door panel off and see if any of these tricks work.

I'm gonna start with the drivers side because maybe that will fix them all. Here is my logic: If the drivers side is malfunctioning, than it is keeping them all from working. Sort of like an override function or something. At least I hope so.

civicandy

Yeah, start with the drivers door. If you try to lock the car from the outside with the key, on the drivers door, do they lock? Or do they all just make the noise like they are trying to lock?

htekken

Bird, thanks for the clarification