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Replacing Door Lock

This procedure describes how you replace a door lock.  Either with a new one or one made from the Ford kit, instruction for which are described under another help page.

Normal tools are required, but you will need access to a socket set that includes long bodied sockets and a splined screwdriver.

These instructions are for the drivers door, which is the most complicated, as it also contains a number of control switches.

Safety

Firstly disconnect the battery because we are going near the electrics, so it is better to be safe than sorry.  If you have short fat arms, do not attempt this procedure without first contacting the local blood bank.  Actually this was not really a problem as although tight in places the job is not too bad.

To get to the lock you will need to remove the door lining.  As this involves a number of plastic clips some care should be taken to avoid snapping any.

Phase 1, door panel

Remove the door pocket by removing the two screws that hold it to the door.  The screws are hidden behind two plastic covers that can be prized off from behind, by reaching inside the pocket.  Ease the door pocket from the door by tipping it downwards.  It is supported by four lugs along its bottom edge that slot into the door liner.  Once tipped down, it may simply be lifted from the slots. 

This picture shows the removed door panel.  

The door in the background shows the colourful window switch wiring, and below the speaker, the memory seat position switch wiring.

The switch itself is the smaller black one lying on my drive on the left.  The grey switch holder is next to it, by the whole in the door pocket in which it goes.  

In front of the door pocket is the window switch resting on the door release plastic finger guard.

Hard to see (unless you click the picture to see a larger version) are the two small plastic covers that hide the screws that hold the door pocket to the door liner.

On the back of the door liner you can see a number of push fit plastic locaters.  Try not to break any of these of you may end up with a rattling door afterwards.

If you have the memory seat option switch you will need to detach the switch from the pocket.  This is easiest achieved by firstly removing the switch from the pocket the other way (1 lift out of pocket, 2 remove from housing, 3 feed back through pocket)!  The switch slots into a housing which itself slots into the door pocket.  The housing fixes to the door pocket with two lugs.  From underneath one lug will be clearly visible and the other is not.  To release the back one, I used a nail, that I could slide behind the switch and up to push down the lug.  Remove the switch unit, and then remove the switch from its holder.  Now that it is narrower, the switch may be fed back through the pocket and the pocket detached from the door.  The seat switch may remain attached to its wire, and dangling from the door.

From the hinge edge of the door remove the three screws.

The door release handle has a screw that must be removed, followed by the plastic surround.  Under the door release handle is another screw that must be removed.

 Next remove the door window switches and mirror adjustment.  It is attached by five lugs that may be seen in the picture.  Ease the switch out by fitting a small bladed screwdriver to depress the lugs.  There is one on each top corner, one each side just below the front window switches and one at the very base, in the centre.

The back of the unit has five switches, each of which must be unplugged.  They are colour coded, as may be seen in the picture.  You can see in the pictures that there is a lug, which holds each switch (showing as a coloured rectangle through the black switch casing).  A thin screwdriver must be used to depress the lug (pushed down into casing) whilst at the same time another screwdriver may be used to lever off the switch at the base of this lug (lifting the coloured plug from the black switch casing).   Once there is a bit of a gap a larger screwdriver should be used to continue to ease off the switch.  The black mirror switch on the left  is very hard to come off, unless you find the lug on the bottom side just between the two front window switches!

Having removed the switches, inside the door arm rest, a screw is revealed that should be removed.  It is inserted at a jaunty angle, but there is just enough room to get it out.

Now the door liner may be eased away from the door itself.  It is only now held in place by plastic push fit connectors.  Start form the bottom of the door and once it begins to come away lift it all up slightly to come away from the weather strip at the top of the door, by the glass.

If you arrange the parts suitably, you should now be able to re-create the first picture.

Phase 2, Lock Removal

Peel off the waterproof membrane liner that is affixed to the edge of the door with mastic like substance.  I used a combination of gentle pulling combined with a blade, to slice apart the stretching mastic.  Peel off enough to allow you to get to the latch end of the door.  The last picture below shows the mastic like substance which will stick to you if you touch it, so beware.

The job would almost be over if it was not for the shiny box shown here (partly disassembled).  This is the door shield which is designed to stop thieves tampering with the lock mechanism.  What an efficient job it does too, as you about to find out.

Poking temptingly from the shield is a bit of the lock, and dangling below are some wires going to the central locking.

To the left is the door handle and the gold rod is the mechanical link from the handle to the latch.

Top right is part of the window mechanism the top runner can be seen at the top and to the right is the vertical runner.

Remove the two screws from the door shield and the bolt from the end of the top runner (behind the cable wrap in this picture).

You can see the shield is also semi held in place by the vertical window runner.  To get the shield off we need to make some room by slacking off these parts.  Removed the three splined bolts from around the latch on the doorjamb side of the door.  Also the normal screw above that, which holds the top of the vertical window runner.

The door handle is held with three nuts, the central one being visible in this photo.  Just off the picture, to the left, is the second.  The third is behind the door shield.  Conveniently in the shield is a small access hatch that may be bent open to reveal the third nut, as illustrated.  To reach it you will need a long bodied socket.

The reason you need to remove this nut, is it is the last thing holding on the shield.  This is the difficult bit now, as you remove the shield.  It needs to come down, from under the horizontal window runner.  It needs to move left from under the vertical window runner.  It needs to come forward, to get it out of the door.  I grabbed the bottom of the plate with pliers and imagined I was a dentist.  Do all this without breaking the mechanical link from the handle to the lock.  The smart thing would be to remove it, but I could not figure out how, well not in a manner that would ensure I could refit it afterwards.

Once the shield is off you can really get to see the lock.

The lock body is wrapped in a white plastic switch that must be removed.

This unclips with minimal force and with a slight wriggle will allow the mechanism to drop away from the lock.  

In the picture I have looped it round the gold link bar.  It is shown even better in the picture below.  The white plastic part grips the lock barrel (the silver part).  The black part of the switch is the slider that moves as the lock is turned.

The lock is mainly held to the door by a sliding silver plate, that slides up a bit like a portcullis.

The door handle needs to be removed to entirely remove the old lock, so undo the three nuts.  With the gold bar in place you can't entirely remove the door handle , but there is enough play to get the old lock out.

On the lock itself is a long black arm that works the rod that goes to the door latch lock.  

Once again I could not easily get it off.  Rather that risk breaking anything, I opted for the lateral thinking approach and removed the cir-clip from the end of the lock and took the black arm off the bar.  

I then repeated this procedure with the new lock.  

When I put it in the door I put the original black arm onto the new lock and held it in place with the circlip.

Phase 3, Fitting New Lock

Insert the new lock.  Put the black end of it.  Temporarily put the handle back on, to hold the lock in place.  Put the cir-clip on.  

Remove the three bolts and the door handle to slide down the portcullis plate.  Then put the door handle back and tighten.  

Attach the electric door mechanism such that the two plastic lugs (opposite the spring) actuate the switch.  Snap the connector on to clamp it in place.

Test the new lock works.  As the electrics are out the central locking obviously won’t work at this stage.

Having been there once, you will appreciate the struggle that is to follow to put the shield back in place.  

Professional mechanics may ignore this advice, but I modified the shield snapping off the top bit and the cover for the bolt.  Less secure I grant you, but a lot easier to refit.

Generally work your way backwards re-assembling as you go.

Once you have your switches in place you may re-connect the battery and test the locking / windows / mirrors / seats.

Having assured yourself of a job well done, finish job by re-inserting switches into door.

Thanks to Jethro F for words and pix