How Does A Power Door Lock Actuator Work

A car door in this car the power door lock actuator is positioned below the latch.

How does a power door lock actuator work. Door lock systems operate the actuator by toggling positive negative voltage to the actuator. Then when you press the switch to lock the doors the lock moves in the opposite direction. It mimics your motions when you pull the knob up or push it down. A rod con nects the actuator to the latch and another rod connects the latch to the knob that sticks up out of the top of the door.

Once the button is pressed it triggers the actuator allowing the doors to be locked. When mounted in the car it is vertical so the hook can move up or down. The last gear drives a rack and pinion gear set that is connected to the actuator rod. This actuator can move the metal hook shown in this photo to the left or right.

A small electric motor turns a series of spur gears that serve as a gear reduction. The power door lock actuator is a simple mechanical device. You should see the voltage polarity toggle with each switch activation. Door lock actuators are an electronic component found on vehicles equipped with power door locks.

The lock buttons are located on each of the doors with a master switch on the driver s door. Unplug the door lock actuator electrical connector. The mechanism allows for the rods to work in conjunction to power the actuator. How power door locks work.

But first let s see how the car keeps all its signals straight. This system is quite small in size. In this edition of howstuffworks we ll learn just what s inside your door that ma kes it unlock we ll take apart the actuator that does the work and then we ll learn how the lock can be forced open. When the actuator moves the latch up it connects the outside door handle to the opening mechanism.

Then use your test light or digital meter to check for power and ground at the connector when you operate the lock unlock switch. The body controller is a computer in your car. But in more complicated systems that have several ways to lock and unlock the doors the body controller decides when to do the unlocking. By a signal from a control center in some cars that have power door locks the lock unlock switch actually sends power to the actuators that unlock the door.

The door lock actuator locks and unlocks your vehicle s doors. A door lock actuator is basically a reversible motor or a solenoid on some vehicles with gears that operate the door lock. The motor reverses direction so that when you press the switch to unlock the doors the lock moves in one direction. What happens inside the car door.