96 Grand Voyager side doors won't lock

[wschwisow]

Hello all:

I have a 96 Grand Voyager and neither sliding door will lock any more. Even from the inside, you can't depress the locking mechanism to lock the doors manually. I'm thinking about removing the door panels and taking a look since the dealer wants $650 to fix them. Maybe it's the locking mechanism? I'm wondering if anyone has tackled this project and if there is some instruction out there that I haven't been able to find? Any advise would be appreciated.

WS

[jsinton]

Since 96 was the first year with that body style, I would assume they have some sort of defect. Certainly you should remove the door panel and have a look, probably it's something easy. Let us know what you find.

[RIP]

You can buy a Haynes or Chilton's manual for a basic guide. Some libraries have them. My drivers side sliding door wouldn't lock electrically a while back. Would lock manually. Turned out the metal prong the actuator hooked to was broken off. I just welded a screw in it's place.

You'll just have to get inside the door and figure out how the mechanism is supposed to work and why it's not. The door trim panel is held on with plastic "tree" fasteners that just pop out. I slipped putty knives on either side of a fastener and pryed intil it popped loose. Popped a few loose then got my fingers under the panel and pulled the rest loose. There may be a screw in the middle under a plug. Don't recall for sure.

[digitaldad]

the sliding doors use contacts on the pillars to make the electrical connections to the locks when you close the doors. Try taking a pencil eraser and clean the contacts. Do not use sandpaper. Doing so will lead to even more corrosion and problems.

[Steven M]

Mine did the exact same thing. Went to AutoZone bought the Help brand door lock actuator p/n#75653 for $18.00. You have to remove the inside panel, and the locking mechanism, as the lock actuator is screwed in from the back side. Hope this helps.