Weak driver's side lock actuator - 97 K1500 5.7

[Brocktoon]

I've had an ongoing issue with my power locks, but only on the driver's side. The actuator wasn't getting enough power, passenger's side works fine. Yesterday, I installed aftermarket keyless, just the basic $15 ebay special, and while I had the door apart, swapped in a new actuator. I tested the keyless, again the passenger side works but the new actuator was still weak, so I checked the wiring into the actuator, which looked burnt in a couple spots. I cut about 6 inches of the tan wire, spliced in some 16 gauge and tested again, and that seemed to solve it. The actuator responded nice and crisply. I felt good about myself, my truck finally had two working locks again.

Well, not so much. This morning I soldered everything up (test fit with connectors) tidied up my wires and tested everything. Back to where I was yesterday: when I hit the key fob or the switch, the passenger side works, driver's side is weak. I got a new lock rod and guide clips that the rods slide in. They slide nice and easy when I manually lock the door so it's not mechanical. So now I don't know what to do. Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

[Supercharged111]

Are all the rods snapped correctly into all of the plastic clips? My dually had one that wasn't, snapping it back in fixed that lock.

 

[Brocktoon]

Are all the rods snapped correctly into all of the plastic clips? My dually had one that wasn't, snapping it back in fixed that lock.

Yep, the rods are snapped in the guides, one for each rod where they criss-cross, and the ends are snapped into the latch and inner handle.

 

[Supercharged111]

Yep, the rods are snapped in the guides, one for each rod where they criss-cross, and the ends are snapped into the latch and inner handle.

If that's the case your latch/lock dealie may need lubed. It's clearly not a sticky actuator.

 

[Brocktoon]

I don't know, I just can't seem to figure it out. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I did get a new latch and squirted it with some Slick 50 lube, but I might put the original back in because the new one has a lot of side to side play at the actual latch hook. But that's a different issue.

I was checking the door today with the top screws taken out where the inner panel fastens to the door shell. If I pulled the inner panel towards me and hit the switch/fob, the lock seemed to work, but if I had it resting against the door, it wouldn't work. I de-pinned the connector, and ordered a new one, thinking maybe it's not making a tight enough connection, but it won't be in until Monday.

 

[Brocktoon]

Turns out the connector was bad. Because I don't have a lot of patience, I ended up transplanting the passenger side connector over to the driver's side, and getting a new one for the passenger side. I soldered the new one backwards, so one door locked while the other unlocked. I swapped the pins and now everything works perfect. Finally.

 

[alpinecrick]

I've had an ongoing issue with my power locks, but only on the driver's side. The actuator wasn't getting enough power, passenger's side works fine. Yesterday, I installed aftermarket keyless, just the basic $15 ebay special, and while I had the door apart, swapped in a new actuator. I tested the keyless, again the passenger side works but the new actuator was still weak, so I checked the wiring into the actuator, which looked burnt in a couple spots. I cut about 6 inches of the tan wire, spliced in some 16 gauge and tested again, and that seemed to solve it. The actuator responded nice and crisply. I felt good about myself, my truck finally had two working locks again.

Well, not so much. This morning I soldered everything up (test fit with connectors) tidied up my wires and tested everything. Back to where I was yesterday: when I hit the key fob or the switch, the passenger side works, driver's side is weak. I got a new lock rod and guide clips that the rods slide in. They slide nice and easy when I manually lock the door so it's not mechanical. So now I don't know what to do. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Remove the interior panel and THOROUGHLY clean everything, removing the old grease and gunk. While there clean the window regulator assembly. Thoroughly.

My 96 window regulators started getting lazy and in cold weather I couldn’t unlock my doors—the key flat would turn the tumbler or actuate the rods and lock mechanism.

I bought new tumblers thinking that was the problem. Pulled the inner panels and door handles, soaked the factory tumblers and everything else in my parts solvent bucket that would fit, and cleaned everything else attached to the panel til it looked practically new, greased the relevant assemblies, and I’ll be darned if door latches and locks, and window assemblies worked just like new—including the original tumblers.