What could be wrong with my drivers side rear automatic door lock?

[2002SaturnMan]

A couple weeks ago I realized that my driver's rear door automatic lock had not been working. All other 3 doors lock & unlock just fine with either my key fob or by pushing the lock/unlock on either the driver's or passenger's door button.

Today I went to the junk yard and got a used door lock part. I even tested it at the junk yard with a 12 volt batter just to make sure that the electronics inside would make the little arm extend and contract.

Once home I took apart my rear door inside and out very carefully and removed my factory installed door lock part. I hooked it up to a 12v source and it worked!

I decided to install the one from the junkyard anyway just in case it would work and my factory installed was dying.

Once installed and everything hooked back up I found out that I'm no farther ahead than I was before I started. Picture of the part attached.

So what could the issue be? A short in the wires just to that door? How to I find and fix that? Or could I be as lucky as heck and find that there is a fuse just for that one door lock that I need to replace?????

I really need this door to lock/unlock with my key fob or the door lock button as it's the door I get my toddler son into and out of the car.

Suggestions????

Thank you.

[ssicarman]

Make sure that you are getting power and ground at the connector to the actuator. If you don't you are going to have track back the wires to try and find why not.

[Ultimate]

I have the same issue, same door with a '99 SL2 I just picked up. I haven't looked into it yet but I'll post here if/when I find something.

[lamping.ap]

So what could the issue be? A short in the wires just to that door? How to I find and fix that? Or could I be as lucky as heck and find that there is a fuse just for that one door lock that I need to replace?????

You're going to have a break in one of the wires to that actuator. Not a short, but an open. You're going to have to get a multimeter and figure out which wire is open, +12v or ground.

[2002SaturnMan]

Originally Posted by lamping.ap

You're going to have a break in one of the wires to that actuator. Not a short, but an open. You're going to have to get a multimeter and figure out which wire is open, +12v or ground.

Could You please explain that in a bit more detail. I'm not a tech guy, it took everything I had to get the interior and exterior panels off my car and back on. It wasn't easy and took me a couple hours just to do what I did.

Thank you.

[2002SaturnMan]

Originally Posted by ssicarman

Make sure that you are getting power and ground at the connector to the actuator. If you don't you are going to have track back the wires to try and find why not.

Could you please explain how to do that? (make sure I'm getting power to the actuator)? Also, if I am how to I track it back? Back to where?

Thank you.

[Ultimate]

Originally Posted by 2002SaturnMan

Could you please explain how to do that? (make sure I'm getting power to the actuator)? Also, if I am how to I track it back? Back to where?

Thank you.

Pick yourself up an el-cheapo multimeter, if you don't have one already.
http://digitalvoltmeter.net/wp-conte...Multimeter.jpg

To check the ground wire, put the meter on the lowest continuity setting (200 ohms at the 6 o'clock position on the multimeter in the picture). Touch one lead to the ground wire and the other lead to any good metal part of the chassis or door.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wslo0QSrs58

If you have ground, and know the actuator is good, then more than likely you have a break in the 12v+ wire.

[jambra1]

To really put this in layman's terms for you, consider the actuator in the picture you posted is like a toaster at your house. You have already connected the toaster to a power source that tells you the toaster itself is good.

However, you need to make sure there is power and a good ground in the wall outlet above the kitchen counter where your wife wants to put the toaster. Maybe there is a wire in the wall that got cut or broken. While other outlets in the house may work fine, that one outlet does not. That is what the multimeter will do for you.

Effectively, you need to test the power and ground that are in the wiring that the actuator plugs into. The resistance test (measured in ohms) assures continuity of ground between the ground wire in that plug and the car body.

The voltage test (DC volts) will tell you if power is running from the battery/fuse block/switch all the way up to the outlet in that rear door.

If either your incoming voltage or your ground (return) is broken, you do not complete the circuit loop and the appliance/actuator will not function at all.

Maybe that will help a bit with a frame of reference if circuit testing is new to you.

(P.S. to the electric geeks. I realize this is not quite an exact model due to AC power having a hot side and a neutral plus a ground.)

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