A quick tip on the door-latch actuator before you go out and buy a replacement.
Many videos or tutorials on the repair and replacement of the door-latch actuator say that it is generally not worth trying to "fix" the actuator as it might fial again very soon; far better to bite the bullet and replace it. However, many of these overlook one simple check that might sort the problem of a front passenger door that won't open from the outside, quickly and at almost no cost (apart from a few replacement plastic studs for the door-liner).
There is a metal rod that goes from the outside door handle down to the actuator. The threaded lower-end of the rod goes into a plastic sleeve that is fitted into a slide on the actuator. The thread allows you to adjust the length of the rod so that it pushes an arm down the correct distance to open the door-latch. What can happen is that the plastic wears slightly and the rod starts to slip inside the threaded plastic connector. When that happens, the actuator arm is not depressed far enough to release the latch and the door won't open.
You can check this by pushing a bar into the door latch to "clsoe the door" and then try to unlock it by pressing down on the actuator arm. If this opens the latch, then the actuator might be fine and all you have to do is to adjust the rod relative to the plastic sleeve.
Either disconnect the rod at the top near the doorhandle mechanism and "unscrew" it to increase the length, or, if teh plastic is worn, replace it or make a simple mod to stop the rod sliding down through the plastic sleeve.
Many videos or tutorials on the repair and replacement of the door-latch actuator say that it is generally not worth trying to "fix" the actuator as it might fial again very soon; far better to bite the bullet and replace it. However, many of these overlook one simple check that might sort the problem of a front passenger door that won't open from the outside, quickly and at almost no cost (apart from a few replacement plastic studs for the door-liner).
There is a metal rod that goes from the outside door handle down to the actuator. The threaded lower-end of the rod goes into a plastic sleeve that is fitted into a slide on the actuator. The thread allows you to adjust the length of the rod so that it pushes an arm down the correct distance to open the door-latch. What can happen is that the plastic wears slightly and the rod starts to slip inside the threaded plastic connector. When that happens, the actuator arm is not depressed far enough to release the latch and the door won't open.
You can check this by pushing a bar into the door latch to "clsoe the door" and then try to unlock it by pressing down on the actuator arm. If this opens the latch, then the actuator might be fine and all you have to do is to adjust the rod relative to the plastic sleeve.
Either disconnect the rod at the top near the doorhandle mechanism and "unscrew" it to increase the length, or, if teh plastic is worn, replace it or make a simple mod to stop the rod sliding down through the plastic sleeve.
