F-150

[LTJGWorth]

I've posted a couple times already, but I can't get any answers. It's not because my avatar is a Dodge, is it? Anyway, I'll try one problem at a time. I've got a 2000 F-150 supercab 4.6L V8 and it's got the door lock problems. They either won't lock, or they won't unlock. Usually both, and they never work at the same time. I tried getting to the actuators to clean them, but I couldn't figure out how they come out. How DO they come out, anyway? Thanks for any help anyone can give me.

[tootall792000]

yes but they may be rivited in

[soreback]

if they sometimes will lock or unlock it dont seem to me to be the actuators.... are you using a keyless remote? sometimes a low battery will mess stuff up...keyless remotes can and will go bad and cause all kinds of weird stuff... do you have a factory alarm?...is it working? you might try to look at the lock/unlock switches on the door.... how do the locks feel when you maunally push them up or down... are they tight or free?... anyway thats just some ideas youve already thought of... hope they help...

[LTJGWorth]

I have a keyless remote, but when my doorlocks quit working, i took it off the keychain, so I only use the key to get in and pull the doorhandles from the inside. I don't have an alarm. As far as the battery, the truck starts everytime and the battery doesn't seem weak at all. So I guess the only thing it could be is the actuators. How do I get them out? I've tried and can't.

[soreback]

im definately no expert... im not even a good speller... but from a netural point i think that the last thing it would be are the actuators.... i would think either they will work or not... you said they sometimes work...i think they are good... unless..the locks themselves are in a bind, dry or something like that... my thoughts on things on vehicles that dont work... if its at the end of the circut (starters,lights, fan motors, actuators) they only work when they get proper power, there are 10 things that have to work right for these things to work so i start at the power source (battery) and trace to the relay or switch, then to the end of the circut (actuator) ... if you have a test light you can find power at the actuator... at a time when they dont work test power if there is power at the actuator and it still dont work you win... you have a bad actuator.... if you dont have power at the actuator you have other problems (relays, switches, wiring).. it would be quite a coincedence that BOTH actuators quit at the same time... ok lets get back to that keyless entry remote... have you checked or replaced the battery in that... where is it now.... if it happens to be in the truck (glove box, console) im tellin you that dude can give you fits.. even if its in the house it can still control your locks.... get the remote by your truck and just tap it without pushing any buttons... see what happens......anyway maybe that will give you something to think about... good luck

[LTJGWorth]

Thanks for the ideas. I'm pretty sure that the remote isn't acting up. In fact, the locks started acting up when I was using the remote, so I stopped using it. I checked the relays under the dash and switched them around with other relays that work different things and that didn't help. So unless I've got some loose wires somewhere, or a short, or corroded actuators... then the actuators themselves are bad. I just don't know how to get them out.

[soreback]

sounds like you got it narrowed down pretty good... i dont know how to get them out... i figure i can tear any thing out... its the putting back togeather that get me sometimes... before you start find the hot wire at the actuator ...it may only be hot while you push the switch....get one of those cheap test lights that have a ground wire on one end and a sharp probe on the other with a light inside.. test that wire while you push the switch ...if youre getting fire at the actuator and it still dont work... its the actuator.... if youre not getting fire any time at the actuator then it cant work until it gets power.... its good and you have other problems... i hate to keep harping on this but the actuators are hard to replace because they rarely go bad... much less both at the same time.... i just hate to see you go to all that time and expense and it not fix it ... anyway just another opinion... good luck