How-to: Driver's door lock assembly replacement

The door lock finally gave up the ghost! Though after cleaning it having it outside the truck it'll likely work much better but for a C-note i suppose I'll get another 20 years outta it. It was beginning to require pretty much slamming the door to get the old worn out latch to operate correctly even after attempting to clean it and lubricating the assembly. Even then I could sometimes grab the bottom of the door and pull it open even though it looked closed. Part#

$188 69304-0C010 Door Lock Sub-Assembly

69304-0C010 for a 2006 Tundra.

The process is pretty straight forward after removing the door panel/card. I made a shitty YT video in an attempt to help people visually instead of typing with a bunch of pictures.

Door works and closes like new now. Part cost around 102.00 with a 25% off sale at one of the online dealers in AL.

https://youtu.be/vdl_kQrJKyk?si=LCXuVs2B9UjJV8NQ

 

Yeah, I still can’t figure out why Toyota chose to use that white plastic along the latch pieces, unless it’s a bushing of sorts? I’ve seen so many bare of those it’s not funny.

Y’all double cab guys are lucky. I haven’t been able to find just the latch alone for my truck or I’d probably buy a new driver and passenger door latch before Toyota ultimately decides to disco the damn things.

 

You took the time to add chapters! Nice work

 

I can do that! Gave me chance to poke fun at myself a little for once (I do satirical timestamps for a dog training channel for fun). I figured it was the least I could do since I'm not good at the videography part and the video was so F'in long.

 

I'm in this predicament now. But as that plastic deteriorated within the lock, my drivers side door is shut and I cannot get it opened. The outside handle and inside handle were tough pulls to open the door this weel. My part came yesterday but I can't even open my driver's side door to fix it.
Any tips? I got in though the passenger side and gave it a push from inside outwards and I thought a good shoulder push while I have the handle pulled would easily open it. No luck so far.

 

If ya have power locks if they unlocking and at the same time nudging it from the inside with shoulder?

 

They are power locks.
I tried the shoulder trick and didn't have any luck. I gave it a couple of pretty good shoulder shoves outward while pulling the interior door latch.
No luck yet. Might need to call in a friend with bigger shoulders.

 

I do know that the plastic coating is the source of the issue. I saw bits of it yesterday (before I knew what it was and why it was ever there) I tried to pull pieces out and didn't have much luck.

 

I plan to replace the outer door handles on mine this winter when we park the truck in the garage to keep it out of road salt.

 

Wow this is becoming the next lbj issue with these, jk. So you’re probably going to have to break the the latch/lock open if it’s all jammed up. This just happened to a friend.

 

Whew,
Made it past the stuck door stage. So pondering the situation last night, I came up with an idea.
The previous day I removed the passenger door panel so I could see what I'm dealing with.

Since I can't open the door at all from inside or outside handles and even both of those and a good shoulder shove from inside outward while in the cab. What I'm guessing is that plastic breaking down inside the mechanism has somehow locked the mechanism pieces in place. So my new approach was to pull the door cable with more force, bypassing the handle altogether.
1. Use a needle nose vice grip, I doubt needle nose Pliers will suffice.
2. Pull the door handle latch all the way like you're going to open the door. Slide the needle nose vice grips behind the handle, you can barely see it, but clamp onto it. Now pull that cable toward the front of the car, This is the same path it takes when you pull the handle but now there is no plastic handle flex and you have way more leverage on the cable. I did that with a little shoulder bump to the door and it opened easily. You may not even need the bump.
I put a photo of where the cable is locates, Yes, I know the door panel is already removed because I it was an after the fact photo and I wasn't going to restage the situation in place of a better photo Only the door handle fascia needs to be removed to get to the cable. Don't worry if it crumbles in your hand from age. They are a dime a dozen on Ebay and Amazon. Always buy in pairs and change both sides so you'll know they match, same if you need to place the inside door handle.

OMG. I am so thankful for everyone's help with this. On a side note, I realized my Amazon preplacement is not an electric one. Good grief. I did order an electric version and it should arrive today.

Next steps is to remove the old one. Still struggling to figure out the next steps as I thought everything looked disconnected. Time to rewatch the video and treads.

 

Here's what I did next...
The mechanism does not come out yet, so more reading research

 

Okay,
Watch the Youtube video again, and I have removed the upper nut and lower bolt of the window track. I can move it about freely and think it's out of the way. I'm not sure if my step 3.8 was even one I was supposed to disconnect. Also I freely moved the metal window track rail aside and took a bunch of photos inside the door. I still don't see what is keeping the mechanism from coming out. It moves about pretty freely and I know there is another rod to disconnect, but good grief, I don't see it.

 

Hey. A big shout out to Hi06silver for making the video and getting me this far.

 

OK. I am down to what I think is the last thing which is disconnect the door handle rod. I did see the clip and unclipped it from the rod but I cannot pull that rod out of its slot. Is there some magic?
I though, you swivel the clip so that it's not attached to the rod and the rod just slides out of its slot. No? I did push up the white rod connector more but it didn't help. Feels stuck in there.
I don't want to break the 21 year of plastic bits.

The bottom photo shows the clip detached, this is in the upper left of the driver's side front door. You can't see it there once your hands are up there. You attack this task blindly.

 

There’s not necessarily any magic, it’s the one you’re fooling with needs a little more persuasion. In attached pic, the one on right can easily come out but one on left has a notch to over come. If that makes sense.

 

Thanks BubbaW
I did get it out finally. Following these steps, once the handle was completely out of the car I used pliers to push the out head of that rod toward the body and it came out easier. In the photos it shows me doing the same while it was still on the truck. I was unsuccessful there but did the same on the workbench and I did remove it.

On this last photo - I cannot unplug the wire harness from the mechanism.

 

6.1 Breakway old casing to remove electrical plug
6.2 You tell me how to lift that tab while its plugged in
6.3 Sadly - Brought the wrong part - Arggg
6.4 The right part for a 2004 Access Cab now on order

 

What a day.
Here's where I am today.
So knowing others had lubed up their existing one and that I currently don't have a correct replacement part, but I do want to drive the Tundra until the factory part comes in, so...

I did tear apart my original to clear out all the nylon plastic mess but it had damage it beyond that. I cleared the nylon junk out, but I saw that it didn't matter as the interior cable and the external handle didn't release the clamping mechanism when I manually closed it. There was no friction stopping it anymore, it was some internal damage.

Eventually, I modded a non-electrical one to do the job. It wasn't the correct part either but I hacked it to work. Anyway, I got it working from the inside. I could fix the outside handle if I extend the rod to it but I was beat. It was hot here today and I was drained.