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[VY] How to repair door actuator

yafta

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Lax, I realise this was a few years ago, but can you tell me how to test the actuator out of the car. I had already replaced it with a s/h one before i read your post. I tried your test on the old one and it tests ok. Should i just clean the micro switches anyway? I'd still like to test it out of the car before using it again (if i have to).
 

chameleon

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Excellent post thankyou :) I would suggest that on mine I *think* it was a broken/cracked solder joint on the microswitch because when I took the microswitch out it had a good resistance. So perhaps people can just try a resolder to see if it works? Saves a lot of frigging around to just resolder 3 joints rather than take the microswitch out and pull it apart..
Also when testing I just connected the bottom wire harness and pressed the door light switch. All worked perfectly without having to connect the top harness.
In regards to getting it out, you have to remove the 3 screws on the lock/latch (side of the door) (not the bar on the pillar). These are star drive; my adapter/bit reads VT-30. Then remove the 2 nuts (on the inside skin of the door) holding the outside door handle in place. These are 10mm nuts and I needed an extension bar on my driver to get to the right one out. From there it's a matter of moving the unit around and gently unclipping those little plastic rod holders. It's awkward but doable with patience. Hope this helps others.
When I put it back in, I found it easier to put it through the hole at the top and slide down, rather than from the bottom up
Cheers
PS For those that replaced their units, I'd keep the old one and even if another door goes, you've got the spare actuator & microswitches which are common to all. And a new actuator is now $120, so worth the effort IMO; but I'm broke.
I have a 2001 VX Berlina Wagon, and my white microswitch was the problem too. My plastic was brown, not blue, not that it matters.
 
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shueardm

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Then remove the 2 nuts (on the inside skin of the door) holding the outside door handle in place. These are 10mm nuts and I needed an extension bar on my driver to get to the right one out.
This step does not need to be done . You can unlink the rods without removing the door handle.
 

turbotrana

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My experience as follows. I had typical problem with vt drivers door not locking/unlocking properly. I traced mine down to two problems. I originally bought a whole new lock and electronic actuator from Holden p/n 92187611 (made in germany on box) and installed and all worked fine for a while. After a few months the knob was not pushing all the way up nor all the way down.
The problem was that the manufacturer of the replacement part did not grease up the pivot points and the very lower pivot point was essentially very tight and not going up and down very easily (moisture seizes it up). If I sprayed CRC into the lower right bolt hole (if facing the end of the door, remove that bolt and spray into it) it is right on top of that offending pivot point and it would fix it for a while. It would be better to put oil in that hole for a longer term fix but you need to use a combination of oil first then grease when you have it apart to get it to move nicely. This is one problem.

The second and probably main problem is simply the little motor in the actuator wears out and you need a new actuator. It looks like you can buy the whole actuator separately if you look up the following numbers. 605328 and 90493702 .
I took my old actuator apart and the little motor in there had its day. I did not find any issues with the micro switches.

Since my old door lock was nice and loose as the factory had greased up this assembly, I put on the newish actuator from the 92187611 assembly I bought on it and all works fine.

You can permanently fix it, just bear in mind, if you get a whole new assembly you need to get oil and grease into all the pivot points but especially the two lower ones but the most important one is the one closest to the bottom right hand hole if facing the door lock with the door open.

Hope this helps with the head scratching,
 

InkleDot

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My front passenger door lock started occasionally requiring two attempts to lock/unlock, which gradually got worse and after maybe 12 months it stopped working completely.
Without the button pressed the white switch read 6-30 ohms across the two outside pins, so I spent a long time unsoldering it.
With the switch out of the actuator the same pins measured 0-1 ohm (!).
Did not feel inclined to pull the switch apart, and it didn't look like it would be easy anyway.
Put it all back together and it now worked.
I think one of the three pins on the switch had a dry joint, but the soldering on all pins looked ok before it was removed...
 

Not for highway use

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Interesting thread. Replaced my actuator ( bastard of a job. Very fiddly) as the old one had cracked. Problem is now my snipper button ( this is on the drivers door) will not retract when locked. Looks like I'm pulling it all out and starting again. Grrrrrrrrrrrr
 

InkleDot

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A continuation of my post above from a year ago.
After re-soldering the switch the lock worked for a few days then started failing occasionally and finally stopped working altogether.
I removed the tiny switch, disassembled it, then cleaned the contacts as described on page 1. Put it all back together but soldered wires to the contacts so if I had to remove the switch again it would take a few minutes and not 2 hours. Photo of the mess I created.
1646037151802.png

After about six months it again failed occasionally and finally stopped working.
Removed the black actuator case, checked out all the wiring, switches work as expected when testing from the plug pins (1-6).
Put it all back together and it worked!
Don't know what made the difference, perhaps a poor connection somewhere.
Maybe the actuator internal shaft somehow got into the wrong position and switch settings weren't as expected.
Having done all that I didn't want to stuff around forever with this so looked for a new actuator on ebay using search argument "Front Left or Right Door Lock Actuator for Holden Commodore VT VX VU VY VZ 99-05"
I bought one from gallop_autoparts in Sydney for $A38.80.
It does not have the rubber block on the side that the original does, and the plastic concertina dust cover doesn't quite extend to the full length of the shaft.
It was installed and has worked for a month now without problems.
 

Wockie

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I have just done the contact clean you suggested and all works again, many thanks for a good post
cheers
Warwick
 
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