Door lock actuators - Chinese v

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dazthephot
Joined: Wed 09 Apr, 2008 18:58
Posts: 266

  Z3 roadster 1.9i
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Door lock actuators - Chinese v

Post by dazthephot »

A quick report after having a cheapo Chinese door lock actuator in for a year.
The summary is easy - not worth the £15 I paid.

When I first installed it I thought great that’s my offside door central locking working again. Then later on I had cause to use the key to lock after having alarm issues (still ongoing btw). I couldn’t lock the door with the key.

The key turned and activated the other locks and sent the window up as it should but it wouldn’t lock the drivers door.
At the time the wife needed it Daily so i put it off knowing the central locking worked ok all be it slow on re drivers door.

Months on the alarm is going mental again. Now I had to sort the door lock snag. After taking the door apart for the umpteenth time I figured out the snag. The Chinese actuator is made of softer inferior plastic and so sits at an odd angle, it puts pressure on the brass locking arm in the lock which is a spring loaded arm on a pivot, it’s set to open/close the lock be the slightest pressure down but because the actuator was twisted it put sideways force on the pivot arm and stopped it dropping and raiding past its little cam.

Anyway I’ve took the actuator out and will settle for all doors to manual whilst I get to grips with this bloody alarm. That’s another Post soon.

I’ve noticed some actuators saying OEM for £60 but I’m still dubious. I just can’t bring myself to fork out £120 for a BMW One. (My last quote, the price may have changed)

D


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mrscalex
Joined: Fri 13 Mar, 2015 09:14
Posts: 910

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Door lock actuators - Chinese v

Post by mrscalex »

Can help with secondhand if required. PM me if interested.
ImageImage
2001 Z3 2.2 Topaz Blue (Trudy) - Keeper rebuilt from a write-off
2002 Z3 2.2 Titan Silver (Cookies) - Keeper rebuilt having been bought with a seized engine
2002 Z3 3.0 Sapphire Black (Peanut) - Keeper awaiting rebuilding having been bought as an abandoned project
Plus Willy, Kodak & Maycee - All 2.2 Sport projects. Yes, 6 is a lot of Z3s :)
Always happy to try and help with spares :)
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dazthephot
Joined: Wed 09 Apr, 2008 18:58
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  Z3 roadster 1.9i
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Re: Door lock actuators - Chinese v

Post by dazthephot »

Okedoke thanks will do


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dazthephot
Joined: Wed 09 Apr, 2008 18:58
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  Z3 roadster 1.9i
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Re: Door lock actuators - Chinese v

Post by dazthephot »

mrscalex wrote:Can help with secondhand if required. PM me if interested.
Hi, pm’d you.


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Zedbedee
Joined: Sun 15 Mar, 2009 20:04
Posts: 157

  Z3 roadster 2.0
Location: Yeovil

Re: Door lock actuators - Chinese v

Post by Zedbedee »

For what it's worth! I had a problem with the passenger door lock actuator not working about 3 years ago. I removed the actuator intending to get another one, possibly used, but after a clean and spraying the internals with silicone lube it worked perfectly and has done ever since. Worth a try?
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dazthephot
Joined: Wed 09 Apr, 2008 18:58
Posts: 266

  Z3 roadster 1.9i
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Re: Door lock actuators - Chinese v

Post by dazthephot »

Thanks, worth a go indeed.
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