1999 door locks

[CHRISWES]

Two of the door locks including the driver's door have stopped working with both the keyless and power door lock buttons. They move slightly, but will not completely unlock or lock.

Any suggestions?

[helentroy]

same prob here
sorry can't think of any solution except...spending cash

[medicTA]

I would lower the window all the way and with a flashlight look down inside the door as you move the lock up and down by hand, see if you see anything it's held up on.
The next step would be to give it a small shot of WD40 oil.
What I did for my slow window was to add a 2 foot extension tube to the can and as I looked into the door, spray slightly at all friction points, gears, slides ect.
Also clean and oil the door latch.

[brooster42]

Please pleae please ! Do not use Liquid Wrench or WD40! EXCEPT to loosen and lubricate rusted or painted or gummy parts. If the parts need lubrication that is to remain, use either grease or lightweight oil. LW and WD40 will gum up! I'm not trying to slam the products - I use a lot of both! But be aware that they will gum up over time...maybe as soon as 6 months time.

Back to your problem - the door lock solenoids are shot. I am assuming your car doors have not received any recent dents or other reason to suspect foul-play in the linkage. The solenoids sell for about $50. When you replace them, you will find they are held in place by a spring-steel "clamp" that is riveted to the door panel. The rivet is huge and takes a special air powered rivet gun to replace. Leave the rivet and clamp in place and use a screwdriver to pry the old solenoid from the clamp. The trick is getting the new solenoid into the clamp. I use a Snap-On disk pad spreader tool - used to collapse the caliper piston back into the caliper housing. It works pretty slick for me.

[abhenson]

I came to this site looking for this info EXACTLY! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[PumpItUp]

Replying to all above..Ford Windstar owner here and have the exact problem with actuator motors dying !! (Windstars a steal of parts from the Taurus)Usually a grinding noise is heard when the gears are not meshing anymore and that is what to look for when you get inside the door panel and get the actuator out of it's harness as Brooster 42 said earlier in this thread. Pulling the hooked end of the actuator in and out should hear a meshing sound of gears and a in and out throw of no more then 1 1/2 inces or so. If the gears are sloppy or it seems loose inside it most likely is toast . Can be tested once disconnected,. I had noted a web page under Windstar's door lock actuator problems to disassemble the door panel of a Windstar and I believe it will say the same for Taurus as well. Motor Actuators at a wrecker here in my home city were $25.00 ea. those were taken out and tested true as well! Good luck!