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*TUTORIAL* Stubborn Power Door Locks

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Old 06-18-2012, 12:54 AM
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*TUTORIAL* Stubborn Power Door Locks

Alright so this tutorial is too fix stubborn power door locks, i.e. you have to hit the button a million times to open or close the door, on mine the passenger door wouldn't even unlock, the rod would move but it wouldn't unlock the door,

TOOLS:
Liquid Wrench/WD40 or any other liquid penetrate.
A bottle of oil.
Torx drivers

Remove the arm rests (one screw on the side which is visible, and 2 screws on the bottom.)
Remove the door panel which is held in by a series of clips use something to pop your finger under and pull slowly away from the door with your free hand. Once you are sure all clips are out pull down from the door, the door panels have a tiny bit of hot glue on the back holding them to the door. Once out you with see the door lock acutator rods lube them up and the lock mechanism, basically lube everything that seems to be part of the locks.

If you black top door trim is already broken...

Remove the black trim at the top of the door by pulling up, they are clipped into the door by little plastic clips.
Inside the door you will see a series of little metal rods, one controls the door lock. The other controls opening and closing the door, lubricate both door rails with the penetrate and lubricate the door lock tumbler from inside the door, press the power locks switch and lock for a little gold coloured piece that will operate the locks, make sure to lube this with the spray and oil this will free the slow moving hesitant pieces up! also spray all the visible pieces of the rail.

Do this at your own risk, I cannot be held responsible if you break something. You have been warned....

Last edited by travisgold; 06-18-2012 at 11:07 AM.
Old 06-18-2012, 07:37 AM
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Re: *TUTORIAL* Stubborn Power Door Locks

Originally Posted by travisgold
Remove the black trim at the top of the door by pulling up, they are clipped into the door by little plastic clips be careful not to break this.

This is the easiest way of doing it instead of removing the door panels and arm rests.
Perhaps I'm a bit confused (happening more often lately ), but, at least on Camaros, the black plastic piece is attached to the door panel itself and can't be removed without removing that panel.

JamesC
Old 06-18-2012, 08:10 AM
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Re: *TUTORIAL* Stubborn Power Door Locks

James you appear to be quite lucid this morning. There would be no "pulling up" without destroying your panels.
Old 06-18-2012, 10:37 AM
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Re: *TUTORIAL* Stubborn Power Door Locks

quite right haps and JamesC. I just did this two weeks ago. As a side note, my black plastic piece had two broken areas. I spent $5 on some two part epoxy and it was fixed. Much cheaper than a new piece.
Old 06-18-2012, 11:02 AM
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Re: *TUTORIAL* Stubborn Power Door Locks

Ah sorry about that, mine was a little mickey moused to begin with so I was bale to just pull up on it, didn't break the black piece though, it is still possible to lube the rails without removing the trim at all but I wouldn't recommend it since you can't see where you are spraying, i'll edit the post.
Old 06-19-2012, 01:42 PM
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Re: *TUTORIAL* Stubborn Power Door Locks

Easiest way to get the door sills off is to roll the window down (if your power window works), get the door panel out of the clips in the door shell, and put your hand on the top of the door and sill, squeezing the sill to the outer part of the door as you lift up from the bottom. Works on most door panels, provided they're not 4-door cars that the window can't roll all the way inside the door (never did free the rear door locks on the Cavalier ).

WD40 isn't going to last long. Use it to free up the stuff only and then spray it with white lithium grease to keep it loose.
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