2002 Tbird Door Lock Relay

[Gdfella]

Gentlemen,

I have an 2002 Tbird, the door lock actuators seem to work fine at times and not so much at other. I have the same issue using the key fob, or door switch itself. To lock or unlock the doors the actuators are engaging, (moving) but does not actually complete the process. The dealer said it's possibly the door lock relay, but they do not sell them. Then he could not tell me where this relay is located. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[ricki]

Gentlemen,

I have an 2002 Tbird, the door lock actuators seem to work fine at times and not so much at other. ....... Does anyone have any suggestions?

Battery. Any idea if it is a Motorcraft battery and how old it is? There is a code stamped on them that can provide manuf date. Suspect if over 5-6 years old.

The electrical & controls system in these cars is extremely sensitive to a battery that is anything but in top shape. I've read that Simple issues like yours has gone on and on, then finally resolved by a new battery. And if you do replace it, get a Motorcraft vented battery - batteries are not all equal.

 

[CherokeeMarty]

Gentlemen,

I have an 2002 Tbird, the door lock actuators seem to work fine at times and not so much at other. I have the same issue using the key fob, or door switch itself. To lock or unlock the doors the actuators are engaging, (moving) but does not actually complete the process. The dealer said it's possibly the door lock relay, but they do not sell them. Then he could not tell me where this relay is located. Does anyone have any suggestions?

I was having the same problem with the passenger side door lock. So I bought a new actuator, installed it and wound up with the same problem. So I really went after the latch mechanism visible at the end of the door with WD40. I treated it with several applications, checking the locking function after each application, and after the third application, it worked just fine.

Just don't be chintzy with the WD40. Just enough to flush the latch mechanism out completely.

 

[Transporter]

I was having the same problem with the passenger side door lock. So I bought a new actuator, installed it and wound up with the same problem. So I really went after the latch mechanism visible at the end of the door with WD40. I treated it with several applications, checking the locking function after each application, and after the third application, it worked just fine.

Just don't be chintzy with the WD40. Just enough to flush the latch mechanism out completely.

.
I am wondering if I have the same issue: the passenger door will not unlock with the key fob or the door switch. What ends up happening is the door locking post which you could manually lock the door with but which there is not enough to grab to unlock it with, bounces up and down when using either unlocking method but the travel is only about a third of the way up and NEVER finishes in any up position, it always finishes all the way down in the lock position again with not enough to pull it up manually. The only way I can unlock the passenger door is to reach across and up the door handle from the drivers side (thank the stars Ford is one of the cars one can open the front pair of doors by pulling on the door handle even when locked!). And yes, locking them works fine using all three methods, manually pushing it down, key fob, or door switch.

Thoughts, ideas, suggestions, things to try?

PS: obviously because I am messing with doors, we are again driving the Tbird after replacing the fuel pickup and fuel pump that was blowing the 15 amp fuse.

 

[Transporter]

OK, new symptom before I got around to pulling the door panel and seeing if large amounts of WD-40 would fix things. Before the passenger side door was trying to open but would go half way up then pull back down before one could open the door (but I doubt it was unlocked yet anyway). Once opening the door from the inside, the lock knob went up and if you hit the remote lock, door lock button on either side, or auto lock after starting to drive, it went down again.

As of today all bets are off. It stays down even when opening the door from the inside, but at least the door still opens. I also now don't hear any noise from the passenger side door if I hit the remote, door lock button, or start driving off after having unlocked the door. I assume this is beyond WD-40 and I am now actually looking at a door lock actuator?