Bad Door Lock Or Cheap Door Lock Actuator?

larrym1961

5 Year Member
Dec 18, 2010
570
36
49
Idaho Falls Id
For the longest time I have not been able to unlock my drivers side door with the key, very difficult to turn the lock.
I replaced the door lock actuator with a new one from LMRS several years ago. The door still locks and unlocks fine with the power locks. The passenger side door still unlocks great with key and still has the original Ford actuator in that door.

Would my trouble be with a bad door lock cylinder or a cheapo door lock actuator?
 
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Stick the red soda straw that comes with WD40 in the keyhole and blast away with the WD40...
 
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I will give the Houdini a shot and see how that works. Lock-Ease has not done the trick, and Joe I have shot WD40 in there at one time too.

If the Houdini stuff does not seem to help then new lock cylinders it is as I plan on taking the door panels off in the future as part of my interior restoration project.
 
If it works with the power button, I doubt it is the solenoid. If the door only unlocks with the pull knob, then it could be the solenoid if it is jammed. When I had a bad solenoid, it was not the only problem or even the cause. The key could not turn, the actuator did not work (it eventually pulled itself out of the bracket and broke in the process) but the pull knob worked. I used WD40 to loosen up the white grease they had sprayed over everything and had stuck up the whole mechanism and latch.
 
It only takes 5 minutes (if that) to take off a door panel. 2 bolts and 2 screws for the armrest, 2 screws for the switchblock, 1 screw for the speaker grill, 1 screw for the inner handle bezel, 1 screw up near the side-view mirror. You don't really have to wait for a whole interior resto to check out what's going on inside your doors. If the lock works fine with the power button than the actuator isn't the problem. It is a stuck key cylinder. Looking inside there will give you a good idea of how the lock mechanism works and will allow you to lube anything that is stuck.