hofiveo

My first ever DIY and I am not computer savy, do not know how to take pics, can't find camera( pics with my cell, sorry for quality) and nervous if i forgot something or not explained well enough. Here it goes.
This is really a pretty easy fix, Mods and others please add or help explain. This is on the Front pass. side 04 TL Base.
Tools needed are #1, #2 and a #3 philips screwdriver, special trim removal tool(do not have to have). Good Tunes!

Leave window up and disconnect battery(if you are that type) and remove door panel. Here is the link to The 3G garage scans for removal and Door Latch Replacement

https://acurazine.com/forums/car-talk-5/my-car-super-street-143797/

It is easy if you can have the door wide open.
Once the panel is off peel back the white plastic from right to left gently and with caution just pass half way of door.
The Actuator is on far right side in center, there are two grey connectors attached and one whitish/gray cable and one black cable.

0217001744_0001.jpg?t=1266461292

Unplug the connectors.

Then look inside the door at the actuator/assembly with a flashlight

0217001741_0001.jpg?t=1266461662

Disconnect the brown clip, it goes towards the inside of car. remove the metal rod from hole and let hang.

Remove the 3 screws on outside edge of door to release latch assembly.

0217001736_0001.jpg?t=1266462098

Pull out assembly carefully, pay attention to the cables and how they are routed and take a good look over the whole assembly and compare with the new actuator in relation to the old one installed.
There is a cover over the assembly that has to come off to get inside and remove screw and clip.

0217001745_0001.jpg?t=1266462417

Remove that screw.

0217001748_0001.jpg?t=1266462469

undo that latch and slide/pull the cover off and along the cables.

0217001749_0001.jpg?t=1266462596

Remove the screw and undo the purple clip ad remove cable.
Also remove the purple clip from old Actuator and install in new actuator.

Make sure the new actuator is installed the sameway it came out.

0217001755_0001.jpg?t=1266462837

0217001754_0001.jpg?t=1266462880

Make sure those are connected/mated correctly once you are ready to install. Read this post in reverse to put back in. Hope this turns out well, I take criticism very well so do not hold back.

con5tant

iTrader: (4)

nice job! how much was the actuator? and do you have the part number? thanks for posting this

hofiveo

ACTUATOR ASSY., L. FR. DOOR LOCK (72155-SDA-A01)
$21.74$21.74
estore.honda.com

scadavid2000

Nice Job. I just replaced my front passenger's door myself on my 04 TSX. It is basically the exact same part and procedure.

ptrillaaa

Wow.. So I'm new to this forum, but I have a 2004 tsx I just recently bought, and the front passenger door lock doesn't work when I press powerlock for all the doors in the car.. well I went to a mechanic and he checked it out and says that I need to order "pass door- door latch mechanism for 2004 acura". Is this the same as the actuator that you are showing here?

jimmyl

Nice DIY, with pics!!!
Nice to have "substance" on this forum to go along with all the fluff!! Very good job and you saved yourself tons of $$$$ by doing it yourself. Also potentially saved many other folks some $$$ too who benefit from your write up.
Thanks!!

scottDOTb

just replaced mine yesterday. not too bad. i did the drivers side door. i think it was about the same. hardest part was getting the 3 screws off that hold the locking mechanism in place. i almost stripped one. but thats another story. everything came apart easily and went back together the same. thanks for the diy, it helped a bunch and saved me some money. Total cost was 23.00 after tax for the part and the whole thing took about an hour.

LoveMyTL-S

Don't forget to save your Radio and Navi codes before disconnecting the battery. NICE DIY.

ocdp

I did this in my Accord when I had it. Ended up stripping one of those three screws which made the job like 3 hours longer than it should've been.

e-dub

Thought I could add to this old thread. Guys, try some "valve grinding compound" dab some on your screw driver tips for extra "bite" before removing the said screws that seem to strip out. Sounds hokey, but it actually works very well. You can pick up a small tube from any auto parts store for cheap. Key is to do it BEFORE removing the screws, but it may also bail your but out if there half stripped.

csmeance

Added to the 3G Garage/Service Dept! F-179

dracer219

Just replaced mine and I can now lock and unlock all doors at once :-D Who's a happy camper??? <----------This guy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ribasaurus

Thanks for the DIY... once I got the door panel off it was pretty straight forward.

I had a hard time locating some of the clips at first, but I found that using my cell phone camera as a live video monitor made the task very easy.

Now, I'm off to order a new "nut" for the stopper screw. What a terrible design for that one little piece

Greg T

Thanks for the post!! I am a new member and have this same issue. i will refer to this post when ready to fix! Thanks Again!

SpecialFX

I've recently been having trouble with my locks as well. They unlock fine (with the remote, with the buttons and with the key hole in the door) but will not lock with the remote or from the lock button on either door. If I use the key only the drivers door locks, the rest I must do individually

Does this sound like it is an actuator problem also? Would it only be the driver's side? It doesn't seem possible that both actuators would go at the same time.

This has been going on for a few weeks and is getting to be a pain.

Thanks for any help/suggestions.

v|nsan|ty

Many thanks for this thread. Will be referring to this soon as my passenger door lock has decided to quit.

maddsiick

Im having this same problem right now. Does anyone know if this is an actuator issue or the lock relay? I really don't want to have the fuse box replaced as I've read the lock relay is integrated with the fuse box.

davidbclark3

I also now have this issue on the driver side front door, need to replace the actuator. However, I can't get the * door panel off! The stopper screw (lower left) turns and turns and refuses to come off the door. I've even attempted needle nose pliers on the other side of the plastic to hold one side still, no dice. Anyone seen this, got an tips so I can get my panel off?

SpecialFX

Is there some kind of trick to getting the old actuator out of the door once it is free. I can't get it out of the door no matter what I try. Anyone have any trick to getting it out? I have everything off and the screws renoved b ut I can't wiggle it free.

Thanks.

digitaltrance

I am having the EXACT issue. Is the driver side actuator the main actuator that controls all the others? How do I know the driver side is the bad actuator or if it's one of the other doors?

digitaltrance

Anyone? I searched and couldn't find my answer.

Thanks in advance guys.

ars2210

Bump. I'm having the same problem exactly as well. Need to know if its the actuator in driver's door or if it is something else. Could drop by the dealership and ask them, think they would know just from asking them?

digitaltrance

One guy at the dealership the driver side actuator links to all the others? But I just need confirmation on this. I bought the driver side actuator anyway, gonna see if it fixes the problem for now...

ars2210

Went by the dealership today and guy said that would be a good place to start and probably a pretty good bet to fix the problem. Let us know if it fixes the problem. I may not be able to tackle it until the summer sometime, but if I get it done before I'll post back.

digitaltrance

Sounds good, I get mine here pretty soon. Will post results.

ars2210

So, I plugged in code reader today just to make sure there weren't any DTCs. There were not, but when I unplugged the code reader, the door switches and key fob started working again. I don't know how long it will last but I'm glad it working again for now.

digitaltrance

Yeah, I got it to work one day by manually locking all the doors by hand. And then it quit. So might just be a temp fix. Still waiting on part.

digitaltrance

ars2210,

I got the doors working. It was the passenger side actuator, after that was replaced, all started working. So I guess driver side is the main.

Regards,
DT

digitaltrance

I mean it was the DRIVERS side actuator! Excuse me.

ars2210

Thanks for the update and good info to know. Mine are still working fine (knock on wood) after the trick of plugging in the bus reader that last time. Good for close to a month now, but should I have the problem again, I will plan to replace. Did you do the actuator replacement yourself? How long did it take you? Thanks again.

digitaltrance

Yes, I did it myself. If you have light technical background it's pretty easy, took me about 1hr 30mins.

ThirdGenTL

I stripped two of the three screws that are on the outside edge of the door. Does anyone know the part number? Thanks in advance.

mc_holla

Seems like the front passenger door is what gives most people problems. Def a QA issue.

Thanks OP

slb33

I need to possibly replace mine but I am having trouble getting the driver door inner latch cable disconnected from the door panel. Is there some sort of trick to disconnect the cable without breaking the green plastic connector?

slb33

Bump!
I don't want to break that green plastic piece on the inner latch cable because it was just replaced. Does it just pop out or is there some trick to it?

mc_holla

I did the same and stripped one of the 3 screws while trying to remove the assembly. Anyone with a part number and maybe the best method fro trying to extract that last screw.

Mc

pohljm

Did you drill head off? Last piece should stay in mechanism being replaced correct? You should not have to remove once head is drilled off. Use an impact driver to remove the screws

mc_holla

I just barely stripped the screw (just enough to where I cant get Phillips head to bite) and stopped before doing serious damage. The mechanism is not being replaced, just the actuator, so I am trying to save that piece.

hoby1cat

Why is the rear door lock actuators cost $80+ compared to $20+ for the front door lock actuators?

maddsiick

Mine ended up being the lock relay. I had to replace the fuse box in the car to get this fixed. Works as it should now.