For the "Cliff's Notes" version of this, go to the last sentence at the bottom.

I just bought a new door lock actuator for my 2001 D2 and it's not releasing properly from the outside door handle. Its the left rear door. The lock button goes up and down as it should but the door requires a big jerk on the door handle to release the door about 8 out of 10 tries,....the other two tries,....it wont open at all.

I just put the actuator in because I am selling the truck hopefully in the next week or so to pay bills and want to sell the truck in good concience (sp?) with everything working as it should (also just did head gaskets, all other gaskets on the engine, water pump, MAF, and even replaced the steering wheel with one that had all the controls fully functioning.....again,....all just to sell it in good conscience.

I wondered if the seller might have had an employee that might have inadvertantly put an old actuator in the box,...and if it was put back on the shelf in error,...and inquired about that,.....(That happended to me years ago on a BMW motorcycle brake master cylinder) but was told that was not the case,.....so, I have a new actuator that is just acting up I guess. Thinking that it might just need to be "worked" a bit,....I have opened and closed the door over 100 times.....and repeatedly locked and unlocked the doors.....hoping it would loosen up. That didnt seem to make a difference.

After talking with the seller earlier today about the possibility of exchanging/returning the actuator,.....I went out for another look which I had not done in a few days,...and actually decided while looking at it that I could not afford the down time with a disassembled, unlockable rear door with the interior panel off,........while I am actively trying to sell it. So decided I should just live with it,....and buy another if the new owner ends up having a terminal problem with it............gotta get it sold to pay bills ASAP.

What was interesting is that while I was out there that I thought I better make sure the door could be opened from inside (which I had not checked)....so,....put the rear window down just in case the interior handle would not release the latch,......but......the door opened perfectly from inside.

So, it would seem that the issue is JUST with the exterior handle releasing the latch.

I am not aware of there being any linkage adjustments anywhere,.....and the seller wasnt aware of any linkage adjustment either.

Anyone have any thoughts on why the lock button and interior door handle would work as they should and the exterior door handle would be intermittent and generally reluctanct to open the door without a big jerk of the handle??



BC

 

Could also be wear on other connected components, like release cable. See attached from RAVE.

 

Buzz, The door opened and closed fine with the original actuator,.....also opened and closed fine with a used actuator that I bought,.....that turned out not to work.

 

Can only think that some slight bend or twist is being applied to the wire levers that link the two devices, or that these links are somehow bent.

 

The problem is that you must transfer over an Allen head screw off the old linkage that secures the linkage in the correct position on the handle linkage side. I know this because I to bought a new actuator, reassembled the door and had to pull real hard to get the door open. Without the Allen screw in position you are just moving the linage instead of the lock.

 

actually all you have to do is adjust the door properly using the allen bolt.

its a three or five mm. just turn it a bit to tighten up, not too tight or the door won't open but you can check by opening the door and putting a screwdriver in the latch to simulate the striker.

 

Reviving an old thread, but where is this allen that you have to adjust?

My driver door I have to pull quick/hard on the exterior handle to open the door but it opens just fine from inside.

When I test the door catch with a screwdriver I notice that when you pull the exterior handle the catch doensn't "spring" open like the other doors do. You physically have to put pressure on it with the screwdriver to get it to rotate open again.

 

with the door open viewed from the outside, you stick an allen key through the hole where the latch would grab the striker and tighten counter clockwise If I remember correctly. You could find it with a flashlight from the outside looking into the latch.

 

This is for DII right?

For the life of me I'm not finding this allen screw to adjust.

Any pics or something I can reference?

 

Buehler?