micknkazzyfonce · Jul 15, 2019

Hi. I have had my 2014 D4 SE for 3yrs, immediately prior to purchase the owner had to replace the drivers door actuator, nothing dodgy at all, we both use the same reputable independent garage. Since then I have had to replace the front passenger and rear drivers side, had an e-mail exchange with LR ending with a very snotty e-mail from me after they claimed to be "unaware" of there being an issue with door actuators, but offering to have the diagnostics carried out by a dealership but me having to pay for replacement if found to be US. The dealer refused, so I suggested a case of tail waging the dog and it ended there. The front passenger door is knackered again so I am planning to have a look at things and see if it is anything simple (loose connector / earth etc). I have read a fair bit on the replacement and it doesn't seem overly challenging if you have the tools and reasonable practical ability, what I am not sure about is if after actuator replacement dose the car's electronics brain have to be updated . Any body else had the same multiple door issues, Rip off Britain springs to mind.

lynall · Jul 15, 2019

I would not say they are challenging just an arse, the amount of crap you have to remove to get in there is silly.
I think Ive done 2 or them on my D3 in 4.5 yrs, NSF and OSR.

On the D3 its plug and play, so safe to assume the D4 is the same.

micknkazzyfonce · Jul 15, 2019

lynall said:
I would not say they are challenging just an arse, the amount of crap you have to remove to get in there is silly.
I think Ive done 2 or them on my D3 in 4.5 yrs, NSF and OSR.

On the D3 its plug and play, so safe to assume the D4 is the same.

Thanks for the info Lynall, had the door card off this afternoon but there seems (as you say) still a lot more to remove. Read with interest earlier (in these forums) that the actuator body only contains 2 x cheapo motors one to open & one to close (less than a fiver each) and its usually the brushes in them that give up the ghost, the posts had photos etc attached, will keep the duff one and have a play with it as it could become a future spare, unless every door has a "unique" fit, just for fun............ Thanks again.

Irishrover · Jul 15, 2019

Replaced the front l.h. one this weekend on my Disco 3 as it wouldn't unlock unless the button on the dash was repeatedly pressed-I also suspected the unlock motor was faulty.
Yes, it is a fiddly job, especially getting access to the rear glass clip on the regulator which has to be released first before the front clip is released and the glass removed.
There are two torx screws which have to be removed from the plastic moulding, one is visible through the hole where the cable to the inner door handle appears after pushing the grommet and cable through to the inside of the door. The other one is located at the rear of the handle moulding and is accessible by removing a small rubber plug located in the door edge-this screw secures the door lock barrel which has to be withdrawn. **IMPORTANT **
Do not remove the screw completely as it will fall into the bowels of the door and will be lost forever !!
Using the key in the door lock, or a suitable tool, apply light pull pressure to the lock barrel whilst undoing the screw until the barrel comes free. The lock barrel acts as a clamp for the outer handle at the rear to the outer door skin. After removing the front screw you will have noticed that the screw is a resistant fit in the plastic housing when you undo it...the rear screw is the same.
There is no need to remove the window regulator, remove the two nuts and four bolts securing the regulator plate and just move it towards the front of the door this will give you sufficient access to the latch and handle base/cables.

lynall · Jul 16, 2019

Irishrover said:
Replaced the front l.h. one this weekend on my Disco 3 as it wouldn't unlock unless the button on the dash was repeatedly pressed-I also suspected the unlock motor was faulty.
Yes, it is a fiddly job, especially getting access to the rear glass clip on the regulator which has to be released first before the front clip is released and the glass removed.
There are two torx screws which have to be removed from the plastic moulding, one is visible through the hole where the cable to the inner door handle appears after pushing the grommet and cable through to the inside of the door. The other one is located at the rear of the handle moulding and is accessible by removing a small rubber plug located in the door edge-this screw secures the door lock barrel which has to be withdrawn. **IMPORTANT **
Do not remove the screw completely as it will fall into the bowels of the door and will be lost forever !!
Using the key in the door lock, or a suitable tool, apply light pull pressure to the lock barrel whilst undoing the screw until the barrel comes free. The lock barrel acts as a clamp for the outer handle at the rear to the outer door skin. After removing the front screw you will have noticed that the screw is a resistant fit in the plastic housing when you undo it...the rear screw is the same.
There is no need to remove the window regulator, remove the two nuts and four bolts securing the regulator plate and just move it towards the front of the door this will give you sufficient access to the latch and handle base/cables.

Wish I had known that before, I took out the reg and the glass!
I have always hated working on the insides of car doors regardless of make.
Trucks are so much easier.

Irishrover · Jul 16, 2019

lynall said:
Wish I had known that before, I took out the reg and the glass!
I have always hated working on the insides of car doors regardless of make.
Trucks are so much easier.

Just removed the glass.
I found out the hard way about the rear screw which holds the lock barrel as I removed the screw completely and when I removed the barrel, the plastic handle base dropped into the door cavity with, I discovered, a metal cover. Despite fishing around with a magnetic gizmo the screw was lost forever

However, I had an M6 tap and a M6 stainless button head screw to hand which I cut to length-about 20mm from memory. Ran the tap through the hole in the plastic to cut a thread, inserted the barrel and ran the tap down that also using the previously tapped hole in the plastic as a guide. The original screw is a self tapper, I reckon around 5mm diameter. This screw is not shown on Microcat and may not be available separately.

micknkazzyfonce · Jul 19, 2019

Irishrover said:
Replaced the front l.h. one this weekend on my Disco 3 as it wouldn't unlock unless the button on the dash was repeatedly pressed-I also suspected the unlock motor was faulty.
Yes, it is a fiddly job, especially getting access to the rear glass clip on the regulator which has to be released first before the front clip is released and the glass removed.
There are two torx screws which have to be removed from the plastic moulding, one is visible through the hole where the cable to the inner door handle appears after pushing the grommet and cable through to the inside of the door. The other one is located at the rear of the handle moulding and is accessible by removing a small rubber plug located in the door edge-this screw secures the door lock barrel which has to be withdrawn. **IMPORTANT **
Do not remove the screw completely as it will fall into the bowels of the door and will be lost forever !!
Using the key in the door lock, or a suitable tool, apply light pull pressure to the lock barrel whilst undoing the screw until the barrel comes free. The lock barrel acts as a clamp for the outer handle at the rear to the outer door skin. After removing the front screw you will have noticed that the screw is a resistant fit in the plastic housing when you undo it...the rear screw is the same.
There is no need to remove the window regulator, remove the two nuts and four bolts securing the regulator plate and just move it towards the front of the door this will give you sufficient access to the latch and handle base/cables.

Hi, many thanks for the very detailed reply, the only bit worrying me it the lock barrel. I have seen a "U tube video of the same task on a Disc 4 but no mention of it, mine has the emergency key entry on the front passenger door handle but I guess / hope that is not what you are referring to. Receiving the latch later and have assembled the tools etc and been over the "how to do bits" a few times, a task for the weekend sometime.
Thanks again Mick

Irishrover · Jul 19, 2019

Yes, the emergency key entry

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