Driver Side Door Lock Diagnosis
09-12-2016, 03:45 PM
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GL450 (2009)
Driver Side Door Lock Diagnosis
I believe my problem is the door locking mechanism, but I haven't found a "perfect" answer in my scan of the forum.
Currently, the ONLY way to lock the driver's door is to close it and manually push the plunger. All other doors will lock via the interior button, the key fob, or the buttons on the exterior door handles (excluding the driver's door button). Also, the mirrors do NOT fold even though all four doors are locked.
This weekend, I pulled the exterior handles from the Front Right and Rear Left doors and substituted each of them for the driver's side door and neither solved the problem--so I would say that rules out the exterior handle (I wish that had been it!).
At this point, I suspect it's the door lock mechanism, however, the fact that the mirrors also don't fold in makes me wonder if it's the control box. Given the cost of the door lock (over $400), I don't want to make that move unless I'm really sure it's the problem. To that end, any other diagnostic ideas are welcome.
Thanks in advance.
Currently, the ONLY way to lock the driver's door is to close it and manually push the plunger. All other doors will lock via the interior button, the key fob, or the buttons on the exterior door handles (excluding the driver's door button). Also, the mirrors do NOT fold even though all four doors are locked.
This weekend, I pulled the exterior handles from the Front Right and Rear Left doors and substituted each of them for the driver's side door and neither solved the problem--so I would say that rules out the exterior handle (I wish that had been it!).
At this point, I suspect it's the door lock mechanism, however, the fact that the mirrors also don't fold in makes me wonder if it's the control box. Given the cost of the door lock (over $400), I don't want to make that move unless I'm really sure it's the problem. To that end, any other diagnostic ideas are welcome.
Thanks in advance.
Last edited by kweisner; 09-12-2016 at 03:48 PM.
10-15-2016, 09:35 AM
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Here's an update--I ordered a replacement door lock actuator unit from a salvage yard and did the replacement. Locking mechanism restored from both the key and the interior lock button, as well as from the door handle buttons on all but the driver's door. I then swapped the left rear exterior handle to the driver door and voila, fully functional.
As for the mirror not folding in, that was a red herring. A recently battery replacement had caused this preference setting to default to no fold. . .didn't even think to check this and rule it out (head smack).
Conclusion is that both the exterior handle button AND the actuator had failed at roughly the same time. I hate chasing problems by throwing parts at it, but in this case it worked out well. The salvaged mechanism cost $130 and for now, I'm just living with the fact that the exterior handle on the left passenger door does not lock/unlock the vehicle.
As for the mirror not folding in, that was a red herring. A recently battery replacement had caused this preference setting to default to no fold. . .didn't even think to check this and rule it out (head smack).
Conclusion is that both the exterior handle button AND the actuator had failed at roughly the same time. I hate chasing problems by throwing parts at it, but in this case it worked out well. The salvaged mechanism cost $130 and for now, I'm just living with the fact that the exterior handle on the left passenger door does not lock/unlock the vehicle.
