Your best bet will be to open up the door to first confirm if there is a motor problem, and second to figure out the shaft length and rotation direction. Most of what I may have known in the past has been forgotten, but it should all be on the site here, sometimes with photos. Yes, my repairs were on my '99. I almost always am careful to include the part number when I post on things like this - for the main reason that it can later be easily found by searching. So I think if you search this site for that Mabuchi part number, you'll find all I've done with these motors on this car.

But things might vary from front door to side door to rear door, for example. Probably the same motor, but perhaps different shaft length (and there will be a gear pressed on there that you'll need to press off and re-install on the new one) and rotation direction (if your replacement is wrong, you can swap wires to effect the change).

When I did that BMW repair (far more difficult because the actuator is riveted steel, not designed to ever be opened up; these Hondas are screwed plastic and trivial to disassemble), and I got all the way down to the bad motor, it had the long shaft, which I did not have in-stock. I ended up transplanting the front end of the new motor (plastic face, brushes, bushings - the stuff that had actually worn out) to the old one since transplanting the gear and the shaft seemed far more difficult. Details in that posting on the x5 website.
Here's that story on the BMW x5 website: https://xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-forums...sav-forums/x5-e53-forum/105036-e53-drivers-door-lock-actuator-motor-repair.html

 

Thank you, Oldskewel, I'll look for posts about Mabuchi motor. I stopped at local Honda /service dealer today for a free latte from their machine and I asked the parts guy about the need for new fobs. He said it was a common part request along with actuators, especially for a certain year Honda Pilot. I was driving my '91 Camry and I parked outside. My wife has the Odyssey and she says she doesn't care about having to use the key to open the door, but I'd like to find an inexpensive way to fix the problem. Anyway, I gave my phone number to the mechanic I saw working on the inside of an Element door and asked him to call me over the weekend. I said I'd bring the van to him. I'll see if he calls and what he'd charge. (Years ago in NYC I had a TR-3 and I approached a mechanic at the dealer about working on my car at his place. He called me, and I brought it to him in the Bronx at his home where he redid my brakes and shocks.) I already bought the Standard (brand) front actuators and the multiplex. We have a 2001 EX Odyssey in Massachusetts that I could probably fix the old parts from the '03 for and use on that van when/if needed. I appreciate the help offered here and have watched the internet videos of the actuator job and soldering the multiplex. I wonder if the solder pen I bought would work to close any solder gaps. I'm getting my nerve up to tackle this job myself, if I can't get a pro to do it for a reasonable payment.

 

E-bay has 2 remote fobs for $36, in case I need them. They're after-market but look the same; a far cry from the $175 (each) dealer price and the $125 mechanic shop yesterday. They come with programming instructions and I'm told it's easy; so for whatever reason, new remotes are not a big deal.

 

You need the short 10mm or 9mm round shaft mabuchi motors. Not the long 20mm ones. As Oldskewel mentioned, best to pull out one of the actuators and see for yourself. But I am pretty sure its the short one. Heat up the old shaft for faster removal of the black attachment for the worm drive. It cost <11 for 4 motors - China seller. Or Maybe 20 bucks for 4 motors USA sellers on ebay.

Your FOB is fine why change it? I would first pull out the multiplexer first and check for burnt marks and short if you have not done yet. If none found then its just the old tired motors on the actuators which I suspect.

 

You need the short 10mm or 9mm round shaft mabuchi motors. Not the long 20mm ones. As Oldskewel mentioned, best to pull out one of the actuators and see for yourself. But I am pretty sure its the short one. Heat up the old shaft for faster removal of the black attachment for the worm drive. It cost <11 for 4 motors - China seller. Or Maybe 20 bucks for 4 motors USA sellers on ebay.

Your FOB is fine why change it? I would first pull out the multiplexer first and check for burnt marks and short if you have not done
yet. If none found then its just the old tired motors on the actuators which I suspect.

Nitely2, thank you. You guys are great and I'll pass on the good help whenever I can. If the multiplex is burnt, does that mean a new one would burn out as well because of tired actuator motors? I'll buy the shorter Mabuchi motors on eBay and use them in the front door actuators.

 

This is an older post on the Forum by Nitely2:
02-17-2017, 04:17 PM #7
nitely2
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I am gonna bet its the individual locks needing new motors. Since your tailgate lock still works, almost sure its not the fuse. Another possible is the multiplexer, you can check those before opening up each door. I replaced all the door lock actuator motors for my 99 few years ago and it just takes some patience in removing the parts but fairly easy. You want to get the mabuchi motors from ebay - 8-16V 9mm Round Shaft Auto Motor Car Door Lock &Mirror Repair FC280PC/FC-280 | eBay and just swap that out to save money. No need to buy the entire door lock assembly which should still be functioning properly. They are repair friendly with screws to open it up to get to the small motors. Look here...ebay door lock actuators

BTW, to remove the attachment on the motor, you can just apply some heat and it will easily slide off with a pliers. I have done this with 2 of my vehicles and used the same motor size.

And to open up the sliding doors you need to first remove the plastic covering around the sliding door window and then the panel itself. They are just held by clips and a few screws. You just pop it out. Use those plastic upholstery tool from HF. There are youtube how to's on these I think. Good luck.

 

I'm ashamed to admit it but, I paid a roving mechanic $100 to change the two front actuators. It took him an hour each. The van locks & opens fine now; no need for multiplex or new fobs. I'll put the new, Honda multiplex on eBay and the fobs, either I'll add a third to each of our two Odysseys , or send them back or list them on eBay. I listed "gig available" on craigslist, described the job and got about ten replies. This guy asked for $99 total. Others wanted to low-ball to $80 but I had agreed and don't think anyone should do that job for any less. I'm getting up in years and blood thinners cause me to bleed sometimes when I brush up against something. DIYers, don't be horrified! I bought the actuators from Rock Auto for $30 each. I have two mabuchi motors coming from China to try and fix the original actuators for our 2001 EX. Thanks for all the help!

 

Locks worked for awhile but started acting-up again. Back doors had to be manually locked and unlocked intermittently, so I bought actuators for both sides and for tail gate door as well. After they were installed, everything seemed to work again, but again, intermittently they won't lock with remote or door switch. What seems to work is to start the van again, lock the doors then shut off van, open ds door to get out and push button down and close the door. Check with fob for beep and doors are locked. It's happening less frequently now, all actuators have been replaced, but it's still not perfect.

The new multiplex I had bought on eBay for $60 was not the right one, so I was able to return it for a refund. I don't know what the solution is.

 

Drivers side door lock diagnosis redeux

This is on a 1999 Canadian Ody.

I know, I know this is an old beaten thread but I just thought I'd reach out for door lock failure diagnosis help based on the following logic as I don't believe this exact lock trouble sequence has been previously mentioned.

1) Key fob remote (with new battery) locks and unlocks all the doors EXCEPT drivers side.
2) Turning key in lock on drivers side will lock all doors and if all doors on vehicle are locked it will UNLOCK ONLY the drivers side door, other door remain LOCKED
3) When in cabin with all doors closed, drivers side door electirc door lock toggle switch does the same; i.e. locks and unlocks all doors except drivers side, ditto for passenger side electric door lock toggle switch
4) While in cabin with all doors unlocked, pushing down on drivers side plunger will lock all the doors.
5) But when drivers side door manual plunger in in the DOWN position pulling it up will unlock only the drivers side door, no other doors affected and no mechanical sound from them.
6) Erratic locking and unlocking of both sliding doors using both remote and drivers and passengers toggle switch, but in all cases a mechanical/electirc sound can be heard at the side door locks but the lock slider not always move.

I'm thinking I may have a combination of driver side actuator failure AND passenger side multiplex unit but wondering if you Ody gurus can suggest what to try first before buying parts I may not need.

Thanks in advance and Happy New Years from Vancouver Canada

 

OK, step 1) - there are two doors on the driver's side. Which one are you talking about?

 

Thanks for replying!



Thought my description was unambiguous because there's only one door with a keylock!
-It's the main driver's seat front door.

-Mike

 

Hello, When I press the unlock/lock button inside the car the locks do nothing. When I push the remote to do it it does the same nothing. When I manually push one down it goes down and locks just that door but nothing else. Now when I hit the lock and unlock button the back hatch door unlocks and locks. Any ideals here ?? I have checked fuses and seems all to me ok. Can seems to figure this one out.. 2004 Honda Odyssey EX

 

Left further baffled and flummoxed

Well, just to make my diagnosis of locking problems on my '99 Ody even more conflused:
Yesterday my '99 Ody front door lock problem suddenly automagically cured itself! It was a sunny day and the temp here in Vancouver BC had risen from the previous lows (near freezing) and when I went out to the garage and pressed Unlock on the remote the front driver door button went up and unlocked as it should. This after several months of the drivers door absolutely NOT working. Tried several cycles with the remote and as of today it's still responding as it should. Unfortunately this magic return to normal remote function on the drivers doors did not affect a fix to my sliding door lock/unlock problem which is that the passenger slider door locks and unlocks only sporadically and drivers door just clicks and whirrs but will not lock or unlock. After a lengthy chat with a friendly local Honda dealer service manager found out that their experience with the older Odys (at least here in Canada) was that it is very rare for the Passenger side Muliplex processor board to go out or malfunction as has been reported on this forum in a number of posts. This dealer finds that 99% of the time that it's the door lock actuator mechanisms themselves (front or sliding) which wears out or breaks. Sometimes it's just dried up lubrication on the moving parts especially on the actuators on the sliding doors which causes them to work sporadically. Could be that the lock actuator's movement (or lack of movement) is temp related as my drivers door lock started working when the outside temp got well above freezing. I'm going to wait until it drivers door stops working again to do more but I have a feeling it's going to mean diving into the door panel and replacing that actuator.