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Door Lock Actuator Problems


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Hi All, I am wondering if I am the only Legacy owner to have issued with door lock actuators. Problems started with the Front Passenger lock not opening or closing at times, then stopped altogether, I took the actuator out and cleaned the motor brushes on the commutator, and all was good for about 16 months, now it has started doing it again and so has the right rear passengers door. I would normally just get a new linear actuator but the 04 BP model has weird rotary ones that pull a cable.

Any ideas? Anyone know of replacement ones for sale (don't say Subaru, will be cheaper to buy another car). So just let me know I'm not the only one with these problems...:spin:

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http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/oem-online-subaru-parts-vendors-42243.html

 

You may want to look at the sticky's at the top of this forum.

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

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  • 1 month later...

I have the same problem with the rear door door lock actuators on Legacy 2006, the rear left door is not working at all, and the rear right door actuator sometimes lcoks the door.

 

I have noticed that the rear right door actuator sometimes move only half of the way, so pressing the central locking system twice does the locking.

 

It appear that the actuators are working on both doors cause i'm hearing the sound of them moving and sometimes it's sound like they are missing couple of notch's on the weel.

 

A friend of mine told me to check for the resistance on the cable pushing the locker, it might be the issue.

Edited by amirz
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HI I had been told to check the cables too. There was nothing wrong with the cables at all. The problem (in my case) lays with the small electric motor in the actuator. I took one apart (remember this is not a serviceable component) and cleaned the built up of grease and graphite from the commutator and brushes. So the first issue is how/why the heck is there grease on this part of the motor? No grease or oil should ever be near the graphite brushes. Once this was done and reinstalled, it worked fine. I am really surprised we are the only two owners of this model to have problems.
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I'm afraid i have the same problem, it appear that the motor is too week to pull the cable. I took off the door cover and checked the cables and also noticed grease on the actuator unit. The unit seemed to be sealed tight, did you clean it from the outside or were you able to open it ?
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I'm afraid i have the same problem, it appear that the motor is too week to pull the cable. I took off the door cover and checked the cables and also noticed grease on the actuator unit. The unit seemed to be sealed tight, did you clean it from the outside or were you able to open it ?

Yeah I cracked it open, it's the only way to get to the motor bush contacts. There needs to be grease pretty much on all moving parts just not on or close to the graphite bushes.

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must be a common problem..suprised no recall yet, since recalls are becoming common...my left rear door only locks once and a blue moon

 

I doubt they would do a recall, it is just disappointing that these units are failing after just a few years. I had, had a 89 camry up until two years ago, and everything still worked on that.

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  • 2 months later...
I doubt if subaru will call a recall just like what Toyota did. I also had the same problems, the thing was I already bought a door lock actuator before consulting the internet. My mechanic said to buy it and he will be the one who's going to install it. anyways i do hope that mine is not a motor thing since I'll just be getting my car from my mechanic tomorrow. Anyways, got the door lock actuator online, I hope you can send me insights about that site. :)

 

Hi I hope that you get it sorted, however I didn't see an actuator on that site for a BP/Bl model???

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Here is an online store that sale an OEM actuator:

http://www.trademotion.com/partlocator/index.cfm?action=getJointLocator&siteid=214857&Sectionids=0,2763&groupid=51895&subgroupid=2378&componentid=&make=32&model=Legacy&year=2006&graphicID=7523635&callout=12&catalogid=2&displayCatalogid=0

 

It's pricey, and i don't want to be on the same situation again. So i was wondering if a standard actuator can be inserted in the door and can make the same job, cheeper and more reliable.

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  • 2 months later...

Thanks to Chrisay's suggestion I opened mine up today and repaired successfully. The motor is in a sealed plastic case which can be fairly easiy split open by running a craft knife along the seam.

 

It's a poor design on Subaru's behalf. Motor sits at the bottom of the case where molten grease collects (and there is a LOT of it). Hopefully with all the excess cleaned out now I am good for another 6 years.

 

I wrote up a DIY:

 

http://forum.liberty.asn.au/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=10479

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Thanks Chrisay. Was your repair unsuccessful or did you do a rush job and just need to clean it up a bit? :)

 

I was mindful that when I superglued the casing back together that there was no going back it would be hard to open it up again. Accordingly I spent a lot of time cleaning and checking everything beforehand.

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Hi Tek,

When I initially did it I wasn't as aware of the problem that grease on the graphite brushes has, as I do now, and probably didn't clean that area as well as I should have. I used a solder iron to seal the unit back up, but should be able to get back into it.

 

I am surprised there is not more comments about this issue. Perhaps they are yet to come.

 

Chris

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Thanks to Chrisay's suggestion I opened mine up today and repaired successfully. The motor is in a sealed plastic case which can be fairly easiy split open by running a craft knife along the seam.

 

It's a poor design on Subaru's behalf. Motor sits at the bottom of the case where molten grease collects (and there is a LOT of it). Hopefully with all the excess cleaned out now I am good for another 6 years.

 

I wrote up a DIY:

 

http://forum.liberty.asn.au/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=10479

 

Hi teK.. Thanks for this excellent DIY, i follow it step by step and indeed my motor was greased like hell. clean it as you specified and reassemble.. unfortunately i think it was already too much for the motor.. it does not have the power to rotate the spring cogwheel. You were right by stating "poor design". why the hell they installed this strong spring, when it's purpose it only to return the cogwheel to it's starting position. my guess is that what's "killing" the motors. I'm thinking of taking the motor to a shop for re-wrapping.

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No worries Amirz.

 

The motor looks like any run of the mill DC electric motor. Much the same as used in those little Tamiya motorised cars we use to race in primary school :)

 

You may be able to swap another motor or its guts in, or move the worm gear over.

 

Good luck with it!

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Good detective work. Hopefully they don't ask you how many hundred thousand you want to buy :)

 

Alternatively, now you have the motor specs just go to a hobby or electronics shop and see if you can find a similar replacement for much cheaper.

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Having a look around on ebay, there is a load of these little DC motors for sale. Subbies aren't the only ones with actuator problems. I have already ordered a few for when I get time to crack open the door(s) again. My only concern is, it is the Mabuchi motor that was the problem the first time round, hmmm the company CEO must be laughing.

 

BTW; the joys of living at the bottom of the world, I found a business selling the motors in NZ, his best price including shipping(inside of NZ) is twice the price I am paying to get them from the states, inclusive of shipping!!

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I don't think that the Mabuchi motors are the main problem, the motors are installed in vast variety of car manufactures. I'm guessing that the shit load of grease which entered to the motor shorten it's life. I'm looking for a seller who ship international cause some of eBay sellers only ship in the US only.
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