Since I got the car around 4 years ago, the power locks from the key and buttons on driver and passenger door have had issues. I'm not sure if all of the issues I'm about to list have always been the case or have popped up after some time, but I know for sure, the car has always had issues with locking and unlocking multiple times. (For clarity, I will refer to the master door locks that control all locks on the driver and passenger door as the "switch" and the buttons on the key fob as "key lock").

1. Whenever I'm trying to program a new key, to program the buttons I have to hit lock and unlock on the driver door switch 5 times, and after about 3 times, the locks on all doors (I think it's all doors but its been a while since I attempted this) get stuck halfway and start to not fully lock/unlock but just staying in the middle and kinda twitching when I hit the button, as in trying to lock or unlock as its told, but it's moving like 1/8th of an inch in the desired direction then moving back to where it was. Then after about 10-20 seconds of not touching the switch on the doors, it starts working again.
2. The rear passenger door lock does not respond to any buttons from master key or door locking button. I think it only does the twitching I referred too, but I will need to check tomorrow.
3. Occasionally, once every 2-4 weeks or so, when I unlock the doors with the key lock, the driver door is stuck in the locked position, I think it is only when I double hit unlock to unlock all doors, but I'm not sure. But I have to open the rear driver door, reach to the front and manually pull the lock to the unlocked position. This started happening roughly a year ago from when I last recall.

After a few minutes of research, I think it might be the lock actuators, but my dad says they it could be that the doors lock need to just be cleaned? Is there any hope of me fixing this without taking off the door panels on all 4 doors?
I know I have to take off the driver door panel because the inside door handle disconnected itself. Since about a week ago, I have to roll down the window, open the door from the outside, roll it up, then shut off the car and get out. But that's a whole other problem that I can fix semi easily with my dad (hopefully).

Does anyone have threads/videos of what's going on with my power locks or have any advice as to what to do?

 

Let try to share a high level view that might assist you in figuring out the problem(s)

1. Door lock/un-lock [even door ajar/close] function are all in the door lock actuator.
2. There 3 (front doors) and 2 back (back doors) independent lock/unlock mechanisms [ignoring the hatch].
electro-mechanical [key-fob, push-switch on inside front doors], mechanical **** by the inside door lever, key- mechanical outside front doors (in case 12v is dead]

Electro mechanical is the typical high use fail mechanism. 12v motor or gearing is the root cause. There are plenty of posts in how to replace them [later some motors would spin the wrong way ... so make sure you get the right one].
Electromechanical has two modes ... RF signal or physical key [outside the front doors].
The RF signal from key-fob is interpreted and security checked with received signal [receiver is near the gas filler]. which then triggers the electrical lock/unlock. The Key in the front doors also produces the same signal (security is the key personalization groove that allows it to be turned). The switches on the front also produce the same lock/unlock.

MY issue has been with folks who instead of thinking it through assume that it is the programming issue [receiver] and start messing with programming. With three sources it should be easy to eliminate or confirm. Worst is when they inadvertently get into imobilizer programming. ... Sorry for the rant!

Check the mechanical operation [inside **** by the door release lever]. If there is a problem there could be a need for cleanup but very unlikely.
Check the electromechanical operation with inside switched, front door-keys.
If both of the above pass, then investigate the key-fob RF receiver or programming.

Typical fail is the electromechanical one.
Cheapest and most involved fix is replace the motor. Lately there are aftermarket actuators. The oldest and the easiest hack is to add an external motor.

Caution: Do not be in a hurry to put back the inside door liner. Test for few days to confine every thing is working as expected. Some folks had to resort to ripping the panel to get back in.

Salim

 

So if I'm understanding you correctly, your saying to:

1: check if the physical locks on the doors need to be cleaned or have something blocking them.
2: then if that's not the case, check the connection between the master lock button on the driver/passenger door and check the motor
3: then if that's not the case, check out the programming between the key and car.

I don't believe its the programming but I have 0 knowledge regarding that so it could be, but I haven't changed the battery in my key fob since I got the car, so is there a chance that might fix one of the problems? If that process is not to complicated, I feel like that would be the easiest fix to one of the problems, wouldn't it?

Also, when we were having issues with my spare key, we could get it programed to where it could start and drive the car, but the lock/unlock/panic buttons would not work. (Probably irrelevant but I wanted to clarify).

 

Turns out I should not have added "Hopefully" at the end of that sentence
Is there an easy way to reattach this without completely replacing the wire thing?

 

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...-write-up.html

I found this thread working on the actuator motors for the window and it was very informative for what I need.

Also for the actuator I need,
https://www.ebay.com/itm/11118211275...r=413798187224
Does this look like it will be fine?

 

I see a break in the steel cable. Just get that from Lexus or salvage yard.

For key-fob battery, the red led should light up bright during day. If not the battery is weak and no light means dead.

You should be able to start with a dead key-fob battery if it is a registered key.

Check the DIY sticky for key-fob programming ... just make sure you do not attempt to program the imobilizer.

Cant help you with the part number. Also right/left/front/back are different. Ask your Lexus parts for part number or go on to sites like Lexus of South Atlanta for their web based parts. Drill down to model yr and local actuator would be under body parts.

Salim

 

I got the cable ordered from the dealership and coming this Tuesday.
I just put in a new key fob battery and the like is like 30% brighter than it was before so I guess it was having some issues, but as far as I can tell while inspecting all of the door handles, I think its all the actuators in my car. Especially the driver and rear passenger doors. I'm not sure if all 4 actuators are bad but I can send a video of the issue in a few hours and it might be easier to dissect what the problem is from that.

 

Do you get any sound when you use the lock switch (electrical) to lock/unlock?

Next level check will be check all fuses as I am nott sure which fuse protects the door locks.

Next would be to connect voltmeter to the door power lock wires and operate the switch in the first line.

Salim

 

Here is a video of me locking and unlocking the doors in quick succession while the camera is looking at the front passenger door. I am using the driver door switch in this video.
After each press of the switches, each press after the next seems to make the noise of locking slightly quieter and only the trunk door is staying the same volume.
Then I wait about 15 seconds and it resets to the first noise in this video.

I have already checked the fuses for this a while ago and just re-checked, the fuse is fine.

Right now I'm not thinking it's all actuators anymore but it could be whatever is powering them. (The main car battery is fine, replaced like 4 months ago, but I don't know if there is a secondary power source or circut being cut off somehow.)

As far as I can tell, the rear passenger door doesn't follow the locks at all, it doesn't budge even the slightest bit besides when physically moved. But the door does lock, so the cable is still in tact.
The driver door might be quick to follow soon, it appears to not like to lock when the other doors do but it works about 90% of the time when the others do. (I think)

 

The video of the front passenger lock operation is classic - bad actuator. As Salim says, you can try lubing the cables, replacing the actuator motor, replacing the actuator, or just adding an additional aftermarket power locking solenoid.

 

I stole this image from another thread. (https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...-write-up.html)
Which one is which in this case?


As far as I've been told this is the actuator, but according to google and reading the difference, is this the motor?
(Also if I were to buy this, do you think this would work for my car?)

 

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...uator-diy.html
post #16

That motor worked in my ES

 

Okay, I ordered 4 of the actuators and they will be here July 2nd. Will update by the 4th hopefully.

 

Is it really just take a knife to the seam and cut the glue out or am I missing something obvious that would make this easier?


as you can see, I'm already having issues
(date of delivery was 28th-2nd so that's why I have it earlier than I said)

The door latch cable was so much easier than this why couldn't Lexus just put a few more screws and a gasket and call it a day, I've been dealing with this dumb thing for like 2 hours now, I'm about to replace the entire thing instead of just the motor.
(https://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/19...k_actuator_set)
Is parts geek reputable for stuff like this? (It will be like 3x the price at $15 per but my pain and suffering is gonna cost a lot more than that if I can't get this open not gonna lie).

 

I give up, my dad agrees it's worth it if it's only $15 per door.

It did not take a lot of convincing for me to do this lol. (Sorry for complaining btw)