This video shows how I successfully repaired the rear door lock mechanism on a 2000 Chex Suburban that was intermittently failing. The door lock switch on the drivers side was not reliably locking a rear door. UPDATE: Three months after this the door lock actuator failed completely. Today I posted a video showing more detail regarding electrical diagnosis of a failed door lock actuator, here.
https://youtu.be/bLCDAuLuoeE
This amateur demonstration is offered for free, but with no guarantees as to safety or accuracy. Be sure to carefully research any problem you intend to fix yourself, and never rely on one source for critical information. Auto repair can be inherently dangerous, so before you embark on a repair be sure you are willing to accept the risks. Any misadventure you encounter if you decide to repair your vehicle is your responsibility.
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UPDATE: Three months after this the door lock actuator failed completely. Today I posted a video showing more detail regarding electrical diagnosis of a failed door lock actuator, here. https://youtu.be/bLCDAuLuoeE. With hindsight I suspect the actuator was already intermittently failing when I made this video, but since I got it working reliably for three months with lubrication alone, I wasn't inclined to replace the actuator without evidence to justify it. You'll find further details regarding how to take the door panel off and more information regarding how the Chev door lock actutator works, there.
When you put the inner panel back on, it can be awkward to slide the panel down and at the same time align the metal rod with the plastic door lock slider. A better way to put the inner panel back on is to remove the plastic slider and its housing from the panel as a single unit (either at the beginning or after the panel is removed). This is shown at the end of the second video. After removing the panel you'll see how plastic clips hold the slider housing in place, you just pry the housing off. You effectively divide the task into two easy steps. Then replacing the panel is easier, because you don't need to align the metal rod while you slide the panel down into place.
Since I live on the far left coast of Oregon the issue here is almost always electrical & due to resistance buildup in the actuators from the humid environment. They will get weaker over time from current starvation.
I always keep a spare door-only key inside the passenger rear view mirror wrapped in plastic wrap. The mirrors usually pull out without breaking anything (compression tabs), especially if you can pull on two sides simultaneously.
Thank you my friend I have Suburban myself I am sure I will use your method sometimes in future. Cheers my friend. Thanks for sharing.
That was a simple fix for a change, i expected it to be a locked up solenoid or similar 😀
Typically very old cars have snapped wires in the gaiter between the body and door, no surprise really, being flexed for a lifetime is something that copper tends not to enjoy lol.
I solder in loops of wire in the gaiters to let it move, the rear tailgate in small cars also have "The gaiter of death." LOL.
Well done, as always! And you didn't even get your white shirt dirty! 🙂
WD-40 is a great cleaner, but I agree with you that it doesn't last well as a lubricant. For these door lock/actuator rods, I've had very good luck in the past using a Scotch-brite pad soaked with WD-40 to clean the rod, then using silicone paste as lubricant. I've found that spray-on lithium grease can weaken some types of plastics in the long term.