hi all! I've been 'lurking' off/on for a while but just registered because I'm desperately in need of some assistance. 93 LeSabre Custom, drivers door lock actuator failing/unreliable. Worse, the passenger door won't open-it'* my moms car and she had a fender bender......
I bought a replacement actuator, removed inner door panel etc but cannot, for the life of me , figure out how to get the lock rods off the bottom of the bad one to get it out of the door. Spent hours and hours searching for details and came up with 'bupkis'-nothing. Wasted over 16 hours only to have to re-assemble door w/the old, bad, actuator.
I must be missing something, there'* a bazillion references online as to what a common failure item this component is but details on the actual physical removal process are basically non-existent. I have photos of the problem parts I'm referring to but I don't think there'* a way to post them.
PLEASE can someone enlighten me? I need _details_, not generalities such as 'remove lock actuator from door'. I had it hanging by the two remaining lock rods that attach at the bottom-but could not figure out how to detach them (much less re-attach to the new actuator!) By the time I buttoned the door back up I wanted to do something really destructive to the car- kinda counterproductive, ya know......I need to get this fixed ASAP my mom looked at me like I'd broken her heart when I told her it wasn't fixed yet.
Thank you for taking the time to read this- many more thanks if you respond with some tips!

Welcome aboard!

One of the most common of the day was a rod with a sharp 90-degree bend in the end. Pop the bend into the business side of the actuator, install a clip on the tip of the bend, and then pivoting the clip on the end of the bend it clips sideways on the "downstream" end of the rod.

It would be great if you can figure out a way to post pictures, that would help a lot. It'* been a long time since I've been into the doors on one of these and I can remember about a bazillion ways that would be connected.

If the pic is on your computer, it'* super easy.......

In the quick replay header, to the left of the smiley face, is the image symbol.....click on that and then browse on your pc to the picture you want.......then you click on the picture, and click open, then hit upload and it appears in your quick reply....

As for the bottom rods, are they bent in a loop? If yes, then disconnect harnesses and you remove the torx screws from the door panel, freeing the actuator assembly.......then you rotate the actuator off the rods......if the end of rods are right angles, they pop out of the plastic retainers....if the rods have plastic clips(yellow in image), you take a curved pick, and you open the non hinged side, to release it....below is an actuator....

thank you for the welcome and the response, Cathedral Club- <warm fuzzy feelin' >. And thanks also to you Tech II -I guess I didn't expect such quick and helpful replies, you both have my sincere appreciation. !!!
So after I made my post yesterday my mom put me on the phone w/"her mechanic"; I guess so he could suss out where I ran into trouble before giving her an estimate for labor. He kept me on the phone for about 1/2 hour while he tried finding (detailed) videos specific to this issue-I explained to him that, if such thing exists, it'* well hidden or buried 'cause I could find NADA. Oddly enough, he wasn't able to find anything either.....quote: "that'* strange, they usually do such a good job....have everything on YouTube......" nope. Not everything!
I took pictures during this whole process, some of which are _excellent_ and some which it'* impossible to tell what the subject in the photo was. Guess which ones didn't turn out well? (pause while answers are contemplated....) Bingo! The ones most demonstrative of my query, naturally. So I'll post the 'next-best" ones and hope they'll suffice.
Again, thank you Cathedral Club and Tech II: you guys rock!


here'* one: lower left portion of photo, the slightly fuzzy-looking skinny silver tube w/90-degree left-handed bend at the end. There'* a second rod below and behind it that seemed impossible......I did remove the three torx screws to detach latch assembly from door to allow me better access. Please see separate 'follow-up' post for a poor-quality photo taken from different angle.

Those rt angle linkages just pop out......stick a flat end screw driver between the linkage and the plastic retainer and they pop out.....

Aww shucks

Yeah I did the same thing, except for the part where I came to the same conclusion in about three minutes. I was thinking [I'll just go use my powers of Youtube and post a link for poor lvs2rock and then eighteen seconds later I'll read someone else'* post.]

That didn't go how I expected.

Yeah, what Tech II said ^^^^^

With a big flat-head screwdriver either just pry close to the 90-degree bend or if room doesn't allow then twist the screwdriver and it should pop off fairly easily. By "big flat-head screwdriver" I mean something with about a half-inch wide tip.

If you take it off a bunch of times you might want to have a new plastic clip handy, but a couple of times won't wear it out.

sorry for the so-belated reply, guys- I try not to be a flake and leave things 'hanging' but - (haha gotcha,lol! -j/k........)
sorry, couldn't help m'self, things have been, um, crazy for me recently.
So, to update: when I couldn't 'fixit' mom called her (local) mechanic (the one who gets paid, in cash, y'know what I mean?)-said mechanic took one good look, picked up _his_phone and called _his_mechanic. cost $90, actuator installed and locks operational. -Mostly. (I'll come back to that inna minute.....)

The point of this post :
A heart-felt THANK YOU to Tech ll and CathedralClub for your time and kindly assistance - know that your efforts are earning 'brownie points' in some karmic ledger-somewhere (right?-right! You've both got a whole row of gold stars by your names in MY book!
Kudos to ya! and please keep up the good work.



.......so, fellas, got any hints on getting the front passenger inside door panel off w/o opening the door?

Aww shucks!

Those are fairly well trapped front and back. A locksmith (or auto thief) might be able to get it open. Otherwise, live with it until you can find a good replacement from a junkyard then do bad things to the current one until it comes off. You might get it to move upwards and break some clips and screw stands but I wouldn't bet on it looking decent when you're done.

Did you say Brownies?

Years ago, there was a store called Fuddrucker'* that made the best brownie in the world........Low and behold went to Foxwood'* and found a store there.....bought a half dozen....it was expensive! I should have bought just one and tried it......tasted nothing like what I remembered......I was going to throw them out, but my brother ate them......he eats anything....

As for your door, go to the opposite side and remove the panel on the door....this will give you experience where all the screws/bolts and christmas tree retainers are......will not be easy with seat in way....move it as far back as possible......

Sometimes the problem is rust in the latch assembly and is not the actuator.......that is the worst case scenario......you can move those rods until the cows come home and the door won't release.......I had one were I got the panel off, and had to soak the latch assembly from the inside with PB Blaster, while moving the release rod....took all day of soaking it......you have to push on the inside of the door while moving the rod constantly.....when it finally releases, you may go flying.....