Power door lock problem

[RangerRico]

1989 Ford Ranger x-cab. The passenger door lock will lock/unlock the drivers side, but not the passenger side. Same with the drivers side switch, will lock/unlock the drivers side lock but the passenger lock will not lock/unlock.

Any ideas to what to trouble shoot? I know it has to have power to the passenger side switch because it locks/unlocks the drivers side, so has to be between the switch and whatever is behind the door panel that makes the little rod go up and down.

Any help is apprreciated.

 

[RobbieD]

If you're not hearing something inside the door, most likely it's a problem with the passenger door actuator. You'll need to pull the door panel, and check across the 2 actuator wires for power and ground when a switch is operated. If a meter or test light shows power and ground, the actuator's bad. If not, trace the 2 wires back to the passenger switch, repeating the test, until you find an open circuit. Or, you might find the actuator is operating but the linkage has come loose. And welcome to TRS.

 

[RangerRico]

Hey Robbie thanks for the info and the welcome. I had already pulled the door panel and still searching for where I last saw my circuit tester....LOL If the actuator you are referring to is a metal tube shaped device about 4 inches long that the push/pull rod goes into, then I cannot hear a noise coming from it when the switch is pushed.

If I manually push the rod down that the knob on the doorpanel attaches to, it is very stiff to push to lock and pull to unlock. Reckon this could be the problem while I still search for my circuit tester ?

 

[RobbieD]

I doubt that stiff linkage is all that's wrong with the door not locking electrically (you're not hearing it trying to work). It'd be best to determine first if the actuator is good or bad, and if it is bad to then see if the actuator is causing the stiff linkage; or, if the linkage has its own problems which may have contributed to actuator failing. There's a chance that the stiff linkage is because of a fried actuator, but if not the linkage parts should be corrected in addition to replacing the actuator. Usually cleaning and lubricating is all that's needed on the linkage.