Toyota Tacoma Power Door Lock Failure - Diagnosis Guide

Power door locks are extremely convenient and are often taken for granted. That is until they don’t work, then it is a nuisance. If your power door locks aren’t working quite right, here is a guide to figure out what is wrong. 

Toyota Tacoma Power Door Lock Failure - Diagnosis Guide

Having trouble with your Toyota Tacoma door locks? Fix it fast by following these steps.

Find Tacoma door parts here.

Diagnosing a door lock issue is pretty straightforward with many solutions being pretty simple. However, there can be a bigger issue at play. Before you fear the worst, go over this list to see if one of these items is the culprit.

All Doors/Multiple Door Fails

This is the worst scenario to find yourself in. If none of your door locks work with the key fob AND the inside power door lock buttons, then you most likely have a blown fuse or a larger electrical issue. Check the fuse box and maybe you will get lucky. If not, it is time to take the truck to a certified mechanic.

Single Door Won’t Work

If a single door won’t work with the key fob or interior switch, you most likely have also heard a “buzzing” sound. This is associated with a bad actuator motor. The motor is located inside the door panel and controls the door locks. Typically, the fix is to:

  1. Order an OEM replacement part.
  2. Remove the door panel by finding screws along the exterior of the door and on the armrest.
  3. While removing the panel, look for and detach electrical cables.
  4. Peel back the plastic shroud and follow the door lock rod to the bottom of the door. At the end of the rod is the actuator motor.
  5. Replace the motor and then reverse the directions.

Remote Lock Failure

Fortunately for you, this is the simplest fix. It is more than likely that the battery in your key fob has died. You can normally either squeeze the sides or remove a small screw and then replace the battery. If that doesn’t work, just swing by your dealership and have them put one in. This should be a very fast job.

If nothing works and none of these steps resolves your issue, you most likely have a larger electrical issue occurring. It is time, then, to seek out the help of a certified mechanic.