2013 GRAND CARAVAN (TOWN & COUNTRY) SLIDING DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR INSTALL

[@jsopala]

Here's the link for the piece: www.1aauto.com/1A/DoorLockActuators/Chrysler/TownCountry/1ADLA000

[@SpamburgerHamburger]

This part says it fits an 2001 - 2007 Town&Country. Will it also fit the 2013?

[@vdominato]

How about a 2012

[@marionikospiro]

My 2013 is not a power door , I can open and close the door manually do you think it’s still the same part ?

[@JonEhBee]

@@SpamburgerHamburger Yeah, they are the same.

[@JonEhBee]

@@marionikospiro This part fixes the power locks for when you press lock and unlock on your key fob. If you are having door trouble, opening the door up is your best bet to have a peak around to search for the cause.

[@laymanboyd9101]

Very good video, I’m impressed not one cuss word for such a over engineered mess of a door actuator. This is the guy you want for your neighbor !!!

[@josephsopala7642]

My neighbors think the same. Thanks pal.

[@dporrasxtremeLS3]

I was cussing and spitting just watching, and I don't have to do this YET!

[@brianpellow7343]

2016 T&C. Great video. I just did this myself and found the easiest way was to remove the door and lay it on a table and do pretty much everything as you described. 7 screws and power connecter to disconnect. This makes it much easier to access those troublesome spots with out having to open and close the door and your not in an awkward position all the time. You don't necessarily have to block the window in position either. I put a support under the door and removed the 7 bolts that held the door to the upper, middle, and lower tracks. My wife helped me move it to a table and off to the races.

[@DMWDEADMAN]

Lol I was thinking of doing that but wasn't sure if there was a spring on the door that would be a pain to bend back and try too put on

[@jsopala]

Glad it helped. Congrats!

[@recon532002]

I have worked in the industry for 32 yrs and have never work on such a bad cluster flop in all my life It took me 5 hours to do this door lock actuator I would love to have the engineer do this himself I would have never invented such a creature.

[@jsopala]

That is hilarious! I thought the exact same thing. Whoever designed this door should be the one who has to repair it when it fails. All they needed was a little access door to the actuator and life would be great once again. What were they thinking?!

[@njautodetail663]

@@jsopala If I had an autoboy shop I would cut the metal in the back and use some water proof flex tape. Your right that would make it 1000 times easier to have an access door in the back. remove two bolts swing the door open a bit with some support on the bottom and viola. They have to engineer the tight down small torx bolt on the inside of the door as well. What a complete nightmare this is to do. We got very lucky and the door got stuck closed before even attempting to remove anything. Break and then found some used door panels at the salvage yard. Thanks for the video. best one yet on youtube.

[@clicketysplit1817]

@@njautodetail663 what's even worse is that these vehicles are becoming less and less user repairable. I went to an electrical specialist to diagnose the rear power inverter in my SXT and was told that they won't touch it because Chrysler wants too much for the programming manuals. Other day I went for an alignment and was told if my vehicle it's equipped with RCC (Radar Cruise Control) they won't be able to do it because shop does not have the programming that costs them 10K from Chrysler. I sighed when I found out it does not have RCC.

[@elphi4321]

I've noticed from looking at similar videos, that the sliding door locks seem to be an issue (bi***) from the earliest models. Thanks Chrysler 🤥

[@easierthisway4431]

Don't need to pull the whole door apart: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rojXepiVrbpkbJI

[@davidnelson4783]

Great video! It took me about 2 hours to do mine on my 2014 Dodge GC. I left the whole inner assembly all together rather than taking the cables all apart, but to each his own. Thanks much!

[@tpcshadow]

Thank you! Just performed this invasive procedure on my 2012 T&C, and man do I hate whoever designed that thing. Also thank you for the info on the lock actuator; that saves a lot of money. After doing this, here's what I would say: - I had my laptop in the garage with this video up so I could reference the steps as I went - watch part of the video, perform the step, repeat. - Give yourself a lot of time. I did this in the Texas heat, so with breaks, etc, it took about 3 hours start to finish. - Having a helper would be very useful for things like operating the window controls, holding the door in position, etc - Move all the middle seats out of the way and push the front seats all the way forward to give you as much room as possible - I used blue painters tape on the outside of the glass and up over the top of the door. Held really well. - Take lots of pictures of the routing of all the cables, wires, and the lock rod so you can put it back. - Use something to keep all the screws handy; I used a cheap $1.50 fishing lure box to keep the different bolts separate - Be careful running the window regulator up and down without the window. It can over-travel and break the brackets on the window tracks. - Everything in the door is sharp; my arm looks like I lost a fight to a feral cat

[@jsopala]

You're welcome. Glad I could help and thanks for all the tips.

[@vdominato]

Yes, I too have a 2012 unit. My RH slider is U/S too. I am about to dive into this once I have the part. My unit just jammed. I cannot move the manual slider switch at all. The only blessing is that it jammed in the unlock position.

[@vdominato]

Nice Video. My son works for FCA. He sent me the R&R Docs on this. Not as good as your video. It is giving me the courage to dive into this on my own. The dealer bill could be huge!!!

[@clicketysplit1817]

@@vdominato good grief... Mine jammed in the unlock position and now I'm frantic and sleepless over the security of my 2017 Caravan.

[@dknollRX7]

All good points. I just did this for my friend...BOTH slider doors. What a nightmare haha. The engineer who designed this must be into masochism. The only thing I’ll say about your post and this video is that there’s no need to operate the window motor once you have the glass loos. Simply slide your hand inside the vapor barrier area and push upward on that side and your other hand on the inner face of the window that’s above the door. Have a second person tape it and wedge it. That way you don’t have to worry about operating the regulator without the glass installed. Also, when taking off the Bowden cable for the inner door handle pull, I just pulled the 2x T20 torx that hold the door handle to the vapor barrier. It made removing and attaching that Bowden cable MUCH easier. After all of my fun helping my buddy with the left door...we went and did the right door. The left door took up about 3 hours with figuring it out and hesitation. We knocked the right door out in about an hour.

[@darnelljordan2644]

This is an awesome video. Did it in 1 hour and 40. The grommets on the right side, you don't have to mess with. But he was on point with the whole video. Kudos points to him. I took the two silver bolts out on the left side of the handle that opens the door so I can get the cable out easier. And then I bolted it back afterwards and then pulled the whole assembly out

[@roadrunners2014]

I just wanted to voice my appreciation for this repair guide. Hands down the best resource for this repair. I repaired our 2017 G/C GT about a year ago and now the door is stuck in the lock position and I cannot open that door now. I know it’s the poor quality actuator I purchased however I have done the job before. So now I will be proficient in doing it again lol. THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS VIDEO!!!!!!!

[@clicketysplit1817]

Better to be stuck in the lock position then unlock, it's always open. Besides, you can always use the other door.

[@jsopala]

So glad it helped! Crazy job but the car is worth it!

[@torquedtoe]

jsopala - this is the best video yet on this repair. I did my right slider about 3 years ago on my 2011 - and it took me about 8 hours to figure it out. Today I did the left slider and it took me about 4 hours. Your method seems best -- it is much easier to fit the rear piece (window channel, accuator, 1/2 the assembly on the plastic frame) before installing the door panel. 3 years ago I tried all sorts of gymnastics trying to get the damn thing back together. I did not separate the two plastic frames though -- somehow I was able to wiggle this thing back together. I wish I did it your way! Great instructional.

[@thomasswidler3019]

Thank you. I repaired many items but I will skip this one being scared by your video.

[@josephsopala7642]

It was not an easy endeavor. I always enjoy a good challenge.

[@motoxjosh29]

After watching this, i realized im more than willing to pay someone now to do this hahaha. my van isnt failing in the lock actuator but the motor the pulls the door closed once you shut the door. thanks for the video.

[@nathanespinoza405]

Thanks for the video. Helped a lot. Two other things that helped. Popping the outside trim off of the c post to adjust the window slide. Then placing the actuator assembly in place, backing it out slightly to connect it back to the door panel assembly. I couldn't get them to connect together otherwise, and couldn't get the whole thing to slide in already connected.

[@daviddameron6274]

I just finished this on my 2016 Town and Country. I actually broke the plastic bracket that the lock actuator assembly and the window track fit onto. $11 from dealer. I also didn’t rejoin the assembly to the window regulator panel. No need to and will make a future job a lot easier, just be sure the piece slides behind the window track. Feeling proud as dealer quoted me $800 to replace it and I was in it for $60.

[@jsopala]

Sweet! Very satisfying right? And hopefully there won't be a future job. Glad I could help.

[@hammondjones]

I was having trouble getting the assembly to snap back on, wondering if I left it un attached (since it is bolted very well) if it would impede the window at all..... you never had trouble with that?

[@leestewart3690]

I am having this problem no lock open.... I knew right away I was not going to attack this problem, I watched your whole video as you are awesome at making videos!!!

[@jsopala]

Thanks. It's not an easy job at all!

[@440-6pakroadrunner]

I referenced this video, and I must say that taking the window out makes everything so much easier! That rear bolt for the window guide on the door lock actuator is almost impossible without removing the window. Other than the exterior trim panels on the door. And removing the entire sliding door is also another way to make your life alot easier lol

[@jspitler20]

Dude, this video saved me $978. Local dealership quoted me on labor for this. Lock only cost me $28. Took me a Friday night, Saturday afternoon, and a few hours on Sunday. It sucked. Like really bad. I would have rather wrestled an alligator. But thanks to you and this video I was able to save some $$$ and learn that automotive engineers can suck at their job and projects.

[@matt2181]

I’m just starting to tackle this now. Only problem was I started following another video and my window cables fell all a part. I’m dreading this project already. This video seems extremely good and the comments support this. At this point I gotta fix it or my wife is going to kill me.

[@jc1636]

Man, this ate up an entire weekend, but it’s done! And everything works as it should. Couldn’t have done it without this vid. Thanks a million!

[@jsopala]

So glad I could help! Good job!

[@flakoHuertas]

Thanks bro!! It took me 5 hours to get it done!!

[@josephsopala7642]

You’re welcome. Glad it helped.

[@davidbarthel1771]

Oh man this project nearly broke my will to live. The swear count was so high. Definitely huge thanks to the poster as this video made all the difference in the world. At first it seemed to be going well and even after taking out the actuator part I was a little cut up and pretty frustrated but again the video helped. Was he right that you had to push down and twist it out? Yes. Did it happen easily? Absolutely not. It's like wrestling a cactus and is just as fun. So then I change the actuator lock and try to get the actuator part back in.... major swearing was involved and I am thankful my kids were not around. Then at 17:14 it instructs you to just slide the panel into the plastic groves.... oh man... I tried for 40 minutes and the process took a year off my life. I ended up taking the whole thing back out (😡) and attaching it. Then wrestling the whole thing back in. I would have recommended to keep as much together as possible. Great video but terrible project. This man is a saint for keeping so calm cause I cursed every engineer ever involved with the design of this door. Took me 6 hours and am glad I saved the money but man I would not recommend it.

[@anonymousanonymous-bd1be]

I ran into the same problem. At 15:35 he tightens up the three bolts for the latch. My solution was to do that then back them out far enough that they are only engaged by a few threads and then remove the two bolts on the inside of the door. You will have enough play then to line up the mechanical insert and slide it onto the latch insert. Tighten the three bolts and reinstall the two inside door bolts and tighten. I have a feeling that many tragedies have occurred in the engineers personal life since he designed this door insert due to the fact that this repair's difficulty is a crime against humanity.

[@russellkime9260]

This was a great and detailed video on this fix. One thing I would add is the description of re-attaching the cable to the outside door handle. You said just feel around for it. It is much easier if you can see what you are doing. If you pulled the rubber piece from the bottom of the window, you can look down inside the door from there and see clearly the cable you are taking off the outside door handle and later re-attaching. But thanks again...working great!

[@jsopala]

Glad it helped.

[@robbrito8325]

Thank you so much for this detailed video. Even though this repair is a major hassle, your video and instructions saved me a lot of money. Thank you again.

[@josephsopala7642]

Hassle is putting it nicely. So glad I could help!

[@victordominato3783]

Did my R&R on the RH door. Took it out and in as a complete unit. Was not easy. Outer door hand cable and the lower door cable was the only cable disconnect to do. A lot of pushing and pulling to get the dam thing in and out but possible ...Lubing the aft window guide helped to get it back in. Thanks for the video. Your hints and the pictures of the guts of this thing gave me the courage to do the job. Thanks, jsopala!!! Saved some buckaroos! Still took 6 hours total to do this.

[@cj_guinn]

Thanks Joe, just performed this weekend! I greatly appreciate the video you provided. I don't know how you kept your cool in some of those tricky situations! Our door completely quit working no manual operation or anything. But got the part off eBay for 16$ took me a while but also saved 800$ plus. Thanks again.

[@jsopala]

You are very welcome! I'm glad I could help.

[@yourcourtcasevideos]

This is why my local dealer wanted $1,800.00 to fix. 4 hours..... and done. Thank you.

[@josephsopala7642]

Crazy right?

[@sonicbluezx3]

$1800??? That's ridiculous

[@littlebill2601]

I am going to add this bit of help, I struggled for a while trying to put it back together. I put it back together in separate pieces like the op did. I initially could not get it to lock the 2 pieces together, and I tried for hours. The secret? after you put the window up and wedge it, power down the window motor so that the 2 mount points that you unbolted for the window at the bottom, drops about 2 inches. Once I did this, I was able to snap the large panel back into the plastic 3 tab door actuator/window rail on my first try, in 5 seconds as you get a ton more room to work as the window is not stopping you. I hope this saves someone hours.

[@davidbarthel1771]

Still couldn't do it. Most frustrating part of the entire process....

[@UCFKN1GHTS]

This worked for me except I had to go up an inch!!! Holy sh1t. Thank you!

[@clemonsjw]

I could not have done this without your video. Thank you!! Best on KZbin for this type of thing. It took several hours over three days, but its finally done and working!! In hindsight, I might have just paid someone the $800. It may not be an engine teardown, but it's close!

[@josephsopala7642]

Glad I could help. I enjoy taking things apart and trying to figure out how they go back together. This was definitely a challenge but fun nonetheless.

[@eldersmithhernandez7809]

Thank you for this instructive video. I was waiting for good weather here in Ontario Canada and finally the day arrived. It brought me some pain to out the internal system but it is worthy in terms of money. Work made with the same recommend actuator for Dodge Grand Caravan 2011. To hold the glass I use two Silicone spatula spoons $3... It is safer! Warning: Avoid close the door completely while you are working on it... Then you have to guess what steel cable you have to pull manually in order to open it again.

[@jsopala]

You're welcome Glad I could help.

[@TheAlonzo220]

Just completed this job, could not have done it without this video - so thank you! This job is not for the weak minded.

[@jsopala]

Congratulations! Not an easy job but I had so much fun doing it.

[@Glowbetraveler]

Diving into the a project and no looking back. Thanks for the video. I was stuck disassembling the cables not even knowing the actual place of the actuator. I think you just saved be 2 hours of what ifs.:) Still not a simple task. I'm sure there will be a left over screw at the end. Cheers

[@josephsopala7642]

Good luck! It’s a challenge but what isn’t now days?

[@Glowbetraveler]

@@josephsopala7642 I finished this morning. It works. So I have a static window. And that window guide is useless except It is connected to the internal bracket. Getting the repaired unit back in the window was impossible. So I cut 4” off the bracket top. And the unit went in with ease. And still had the support. And bolted it in securely. And only one extra screw. 🤣

[@josephsopala7642]

@@Glowbetraveler Wow. That was fast! Good job on the improvised cut. Whatever works right! Glad I could help. Take care.

[@Glowbetraveler]

@@josephsopala7642 Yes u did a great job on the video. Thanks a million.

[@ashtondukart8840]

Thank you for the video, there is no way im paying 800 for this. Im sending this video to my wife, so she understands why ill be in the shop for a couple hours. Lol

[@josephsopala7642]

Funny.

[@christinaporter8028]

this video is the BEST ever!!! I tried to take apart my door without watching this and failed. Then, step by step I followed this video! It worked! BTW... Advance Auto does NOT sell the actuator for the 2010 T & C. You must ask for the 2007 one which they had in stock for $63. Only problem for me was the window regulator came apart on me, probably from my first attempt of repair. I damage the regulator wires by trying to repair it. Had to go to the junk yard to get one off a Dodge Caravan. Now I'm back in business. Can't thank you enough!

[@jsopala]

Noooo! Not the window cables! Good thing I didn't have to deal with that. Thanks for watching I'm glad I could help! BTW it was 1A Auto that has the part for $25 in the link below.

[@JonEhBee]

Hey, that's true! I went to a few auto parts stores and they either didn't have one for 2013 or it was about $150! I heard the 2007 actuator was a perfect match and ended up picking that one up for only $60. Crazy!

[@JonEhBee]

And yeah, it was Advance Auto Parts, too.

[@craigaguiarwinter5208]

Great video. I did the left door with the assembly all in one piece which required removing the window, and finding new clips to replace the ones I broke removing the exterior trim panel to do so. Then I found your video when it came time to do the right side door. Two pieces is the way to go for sure. Full disclosure my panel was not a simple “rotate counter clockwise and pop it out”. The plastic connector that joins the two pieces together broke when I rotated the door. Now Ive realized that because the lock assembly/window track bolts in with 5 of its own bolts, and the main panel had its own bolts, that connection between the two isn’t even required. First one took 6 hours (including finding a body shop with clips). This one took me 1:45! Thanks again.

[@autobike1]

that connection between the two isn’t even required... very informative Thanks

[@wereeves]

Thank you - used this to get through the same repair on our 2014 Town & Country.

[@josephsopala7642]

Glad it helped!

[@Artube19]

To be honest, it is so complicated for me, too many cables, bolts, and wires, but you did great work with one hand only 👍

[@jsopala]

I agree. It's an insane do it yourselfer. Thanks for your comment though.

[@Roadworn12]

jsopala thank you SO MUCH for posting this video. With your help I was able to tackle this in about 2 hours...I was prepared for 6. I totally shocked myself. You took all the unknowns out of this job with your video which was a huge help. I wound up taking it out as one assembly and putting it back in as one assembly. I lubed up that rear widow channel good and got someone to help maneuver the panel assembly in and up while I found the holes for the bolts of the actuator sub assembly at the back of the door and bolted it up. I did find that there is one slight difference between the 2007 actuator and one for my 2011 and later. That is there is a tiny tab on the electrical connection of the actuator that secures the electrical plug of that harness to the actuator. The 07 would slide on and off and not lock onto anything while my stock one locked in. To secure it I used a small zip tie because I sure did not want vibrations to make the electrical connection come off the actuator over time necessitating me to go back in there. Thanks again for posting this!

[@jsopala]

That's great. Glad I could help.

[@kevinmoe100]

Great video work... Your descriptions were great and I love your sense of humor. I had my tablet in the van playing your video over and over again. Just like having a good buddy with you helping. I also like your music. 😁

[@josephsopala7642]

I'm so glad I could help and be your portable personal assistant. Have a great day.

[@jsopala]

You're very welcome buddy! Glad I could help.

[@fperez2nd]

Thanks for the video; it definitely help guide me through the process. I just completed this repair on my 2019 DGC GT. The outer trim panel on mine was a bit more difficult to remove due to additional clips, velcro, a window shade, and very tight fits that were difficult to pry off. I was able to remove the entire inner panel without disconnecting most of the wiring and cabling or removing rubber grommets. I was even able push the entire panel back up in one shot. However, the guide wasn't properly seated around the glass. The trick to fixing that was to remove a trim panel on the outside of the door. This provided easy access to adjust it properly.

[@jsopala]

Glad it helped.

[@jpformwschick6364]

Thanks! Got it done, and can confirm that the recommended part from 1A auto does work on a 2013 T&C. Difficult and frustrating project, your video made it much better. I had to refer to it several times during the install.

[@jsopala]

Sweet! Glad I could help. Almost a year after install and opening and closing the door a thousand times a day and mine still works!

[@christophercoupe5006]

Thank you for doing this! I broke the rear plastic section trying to remove everything so I'm off to the wreckers for a good one. I'm giving myself most of the day to do this job!

[@josephsopala7642]

Have fun and good luck.

[@Udvaros]

Thank you for the uploading, it helped me very much. For the second time I succeeded in 2 hours... OK, the whole thing is more sophisticated if you have manual sliding doors (like me) and only two hands... :) By the way I used duct tape to hold the window in the upper position. Best regards from Hungary!

[@taywazo]

I did this repair on a 2018. Thank you for taking the time to make this.

[@rayspencer5009]

Thank you!!! Just replaced this on my 2016 Dodge GC and it took me about 2 hours. Probably would have took twice as long or more without this video. Don't be intimidated, you can do it too. Just follow the steps and get r done!

[@jsopala]

Sweet. Glad I could help.

[@cindycampbell-gillies385]

Our 2016 dodge door is jammed. Can you share where you bought the part from? Also, how did you get the door open?

[@jsopala]

@@cindycampbell-gillies385 www.1aauto.com/chrysler-town-and-country-power-door-lock-actuator/mo-c/369-21

[@jsopala]

@@cindycampbell-gillies385 About opening the jammed door...once you get the cover panel off you'll have access to the lock latch and door cables which may get it opened. Good luck!

[@patrickanglim4807]

@@jsopala This was my problem also, couldn't get the cables to release the lock..still trying..thanks bud!

[@brookmitchell5885]

Great video. Just did it on a 2016 grand caravan. Parts are different when it comes to the window slider, but mostly the same. Make sure to check your child lock mechanism while you have the piece out. Turns out mine got broke off where is comes into the main mechanism and the actuator was fine.

[@przemyslawrudzinski8915]

Yesterday I fixed this lock actuator according to this movie. I can only thank You for this movie! Without it, this wouldn't be possible at all to replace this... The person who designed those door was a son of devil.... It took me 6 hours and I wasn't alone as I was fixing this with my brother in law... I have no idea how the author of this movie did it alone and with one hand busy with camera :) good job!

[@jsopala]

I'm glad I could help. You see us Polacks ain't so dumb!

[@przemyslawrudzinski8915]

@@jsopala so You come from Poland?

[@jsopala]

No but my grandfather did many moons ago!

[@przemyslawrudzinski8915]

@@jsopala :) thx for the answers. I have one more question. Do You know if this car (2012) has a timing belt or chain? do I have to replace it and when? I can't find this information anywhere...

[@jsopala]

@@przemyslawrudzinski8915 My 3.6 has a combp of 3 chains but each model has different specs. It depends on your engine size I think. 2.4s have belts and other 3.3 engines have chains.

[@rubengallegos6251]

It was going to be an $800+ job, but thanks to you and time on my hands it was done with just the cost of the actuator. -$71.00 at Auto Zone. Thank you for helping me save my money for rent next month Cuz!!!!

[@jsopala]

Sweet! Glad I could help.

[@iambrian81]

Thanks for this. Saved me a ton of money hiring someone to fix it. For anyone wondering I can confirm this works for a 2016 also. Just replaced my passenger side one last night. Luckily I don't have power windows so it came apart and went together a little easier.

[@jsopala]

You're welcome. I'm glad I could help.

[@patrickanglim4807]

I have the power windows...yuck!!!!!!!!!!!

[@clicketysplit1817]

If, like in my case, the door ceased in the lock position you will not be able to take the inside panel off unless the door is open. If this is the case, take the outer cover off where the door handle is (it easily prys off with a flathead screwdriver) and force and hold the lock latch beyond it's normal unlock position (it may snap back) and pull on the handle -presto!. Was so nervous that i would never be able to get the door open to take the interior panel off, but this little trick worked like a charm without damaging anything.

[@jascatt3341]

Incredible video! thanks for helping me take it apart and put it back together, hopefully the actuator was the problem! Symptom was it would close but if it was hot out, door would continue to try close but wouldn’t?? Just kept hearing the motor trying to close if you bumped it would sometimes help!

[@MrGrizzlyXiong]

For anyone who is attempting this there is a more simple way to remove and install the door latch/actuator assembly. First you want to remove the window by removing the outer trim on glass. Remove the 2 bolts holding the window track and slide it over then the window will come out. You'll have much more space to work with and you can remove the whole door card along with everything that is attached to it. And to install it is alot easier to get the window channel over the brace with the window out.

[@josephsopala7642]

Thanks for the info. If you have a video of this simpler way please do post it. I’m curious to see what you’re talking about.

[@MrGrizzlyXiong]

@@josephsopala7642 I wish I had one. I work at a shop where we change these too often so I figured I had to share to help out the community because I was in a stress trying to finagle that whole assembly in. Lol

[@helixfunger642]

the coolest thing in the world is that you showed your own music. the internet has become a place that is no longer friendly to the people uploading and finding new music. it has become another means of throttling us all back where we are all listening to corporate ran media from iheartradio, formerly known as clear channel communications.

[@reamonlinnabary9749]

Excellent video!!! Well thought out and executed. Couldn't have done this without your help and advice.

[@josephsopala7642]

So glad I could help and thanks for the compliments!

[@ericridout5524]

Wow its an absolute jig saw puzzle it would be quicker to just weld my door shut

[@jsopala]

That thought did cross my mind...lol

[@michaelm9623]

Thank you for the source. Every place I looked wanted $100+ for each actuator. Compared to your 2013 my 2006 T&C is a piece of cake.

[@josephsopala7642]

Glad I could help. And you're right the door got a serious makeover soon after yours.

[@KFahmawi]

Thank you for the video, very helpful. The job was painful! It took my five hours to compete

[@jsopala]

Glad I could help. You did it faster than I did. It took me 6 hours. Good Job!

[@danmiller6880]

Hi Joe, Thanks so much for the assist here. My boys and I were able to get this done in an afternoon. Price went up slightly to $28. ;-) What a huge help using that part reference from a 2007 Caravan. One thing I would recommend, though, would be to *start only* the two window guide bolts at bout 16:00 - and do not install the three latch bolts. This gives that latch assy a lot of room to move. Otherwise, getting the actuator assy to engage properly with the door cover (@17:15) is a *bitch*. We fought with that for some time. Once we removed the three latch bolts and seriously loosened the window guide bolts (just start them in), the actuator assy snapped right in with the help of a screwdriver to pry it forward while pushing the cover back. Just a hint of the rectangular hole of where those pins engage is showing, you can again put a screwdriver in there and pry the actuator assembly backwards now and you will hear it snap into place. Then it's a simple matter to tighten the window guide bolts and reinstall the latch bolts. I didn't try it but I wonder if removing the window and inserting the whole unit together might not be easier. Next time, eh? Anyway, thanks again for the help!

[@jsopala]

Glad I could help. Thanks for the suggestions. About that last comment: since the window is larger than the panel opening you will have the darndest of times getting it out. Believe me, I tried.

[@JonEhBee]

I also had trouble connecting the panel as you mentioned. I'm really not sure if I got it in or not but I really had a tough time and it's all together and working so I won't mess with it further.

[@manuellopez8086]

This video was the best help in resolving the problem with the replacing of the actuator. did the job jsut as shown and saved mucho money. Thanks

[@jsopala]

Glad it helped!

[@hammondjones]

Thank you so much. I will say, that for the 17:22 mark, I could not get the actuator assembly snapped back in from that side. However, I was able to slide other arm through larger opening on the other side of the panel (inside the door) and finally get them to fit together.

[@radioboyjr]

2017 Grand Caravan owners - this issue is covered under an EXTENDED WARRANTY! Call your dealer first to check. I found my letter from FCA after completing this repair and was pretty bummed that I did all of this myself with no method for reimbursement. If yours is not covered here are my lessons learned: unscrew both latches from inside the door, and disconnect the cable from the door handle inside the door. Do not disconnect any of the cables or rods from the plastic door assembly itself - it will not help. Finally and most importantly, the assembly with the lock actuator is foam taped to the inside of your C pillar! The plastic trim on the c pillar (outside rear pillar of the sliding door) must be removed. Not only does this make install a breeze, it has to be resealed anyways to prevent water intrusion into the door. I spent hours fighting this before I figured out what was going on.

[@josephsopala7642]

Thanks for posting this information. I may add that my 2013 was not covered and every model, year and manufacturing plant puts these doors together in a slightly different way so no two doors are the same. Thanks again for the news flash.

[@richcampbell6118]

Was a lot more difficult than even the video. Taking out the panel required pushing with a thin putty knife against the track while wiggling the inner door panel. Sprayed some silicone on the track to reinstall, made it easier. Overall, difficult but satisfying project.

[@jsopala]

I would say INSANE but satisfying but you're right it ain't easy!

[@jjmarshik4324]

Thank you! I never would have been able to do this without the video. It's done and it all works.. EXCEPT the inside door handle will not open the door. Outside handle and all the auto open/close buttons work. What did I miss???

[@josephsopala7642]

The cable probably came undone . This is an easy fix . Take off the handle cover to see if you can work it back in from there:

[@clintwylie8021]

Sir, If I ever meet you in real life, I'm buying you a beer 🍺. Took 8 hours but finished. Oh and you walk through worked for my 2017 model

[@nathanstephenson7917]

Most informative video I can find on this subject. thanks for posing your adventure!

[@andybody7542]

READ THIS - IF YOUR SLIDING DOOR IS STUCK AND UNABLE TO OPEN. I was unable to open driver side sliding door for months (no buzzing noise from lock mechanism on this side). The manual lock actuator for this door was stuck and could not be forced. The tip about pressing the unlock button and forcing the manual door lock at the same time worked to release the actuator!! KEEP IN MIND... This did not work when using the unlock button on the remote... I had to use the unlock button on the driver door. Now the door lock on this side works fine (like it was never broken). Not sure how long this will last but at least I can open the door currently.

[@jc1636]

I had a tough time because my door was stuck closed. I figured out a couple things. The metal bar is the door lock. If it isn’t moving correctly, push it INTO the actuator to get it to unlock. Then, I had to pull the cable that unlatched the front of the door while pulling the cable that triggers the door open. My old actuator wasn’t entirely burnt out, apparently. The door opened like it’s supposed to. I’m wondering if it wasn’t just a timing of all these pulley cables that caused the problem, and obviously, the jammed lock.

[@user2023c]

IMPORTANT!! Try forcing open the lock on the sliding door while pressing the unlock button on the driver 's door it may clear the jam in the actuator and fix the problem. Try it several times if it doesn't work from the first time.

[@Jeremy-go8mp]

I'd like to say thank you to this creator! What a huge pain of a project! Just got the actuator switched only to break something on the window arm (

[@jsopala]

Sorry to hear that. Hope it all worked out.

[@SouthernCarnivore]

Thanks for the great video! We have 2010 G. Caravan making the horrible buzzing noise when unlocking. Now we know for sure what it is and what to do. I think I see why the dealer would charge so much for this repair, geez! I will be attempting this repair in the near future.

[@jsopala]

I'm glad I could help. I actually really enjoyed the challenge. Good luck.

[@SouthernCarnivore]

Just wanted to say thanks again for the video. Worked on it a couple of hours last night and all morning long. Everything works well!! 2010 Grand Caravan

[@jsopala]

You got skills!

[@geocacher1980]

Thank you so much for the video. I ordered the part from A1 auto and it works. My door would not lock, manually or automatically, the manual lock wouldn't move at all. It was a giant pain getting it all back in and then the door wouldn't open so I took it apart again. It turns out as I was putting it back in, I engaged the child lock so i wouldn't open from the inside. Once I figured that out it went back together and it works great. Thanks again for the video.

[@jsopala]

Glad I could help! Mine is still going strong!

[@geocacher1980]

Well the door is not working again, I guess I will be taking it apart again I'm guessing the part failed but I won't know until I take it apart. I am going to try the same fix again considering how much more affordable it was.

[@jsopala]

That's too bad. Before you take everything apart make sure the (ridiculously long) lock latch is freed up and not bent or pressed against anything hindering its function. Good luck!

[@clicketysplit1817]

LMAO! Sounds like something I would do, -take the whole bleedin thing apart again to find that it was something as simple as the child lock on the back edge of the door. Thanks for your honesty, I can definitely relate.

[@advancedsuperpaper1947]

Awesome video, thank you for posting this. What do I do if the door actuator is stuck on lock and i am unable to open the slide door to reach the rest of the screws?

[@travisnever7025]

Im in the same position

[@clicketysplit1817]

Complain to Chrysler that you demand a safety recall! They're probably already aware of it but based on their cheap factory installed actuator I doubt they are willing to fess up to the expense of this job and a recall.

[@geneticsequence]

You can force/push the lock lever inside the door into the open position and while holding it there, press the lock and unlock buttons on the keyfob. This will release the lock and maybe buy you some time while you source a new actuator / new van

[@sellerbee5560]

Great work!, and much gratitude to you Sir! Thank you for creating and sharing the video! It is informative and to the point on both big picture and the details...with some great words of encouragement (and tunes) along the way! Just did my second door lock actuator with your instructions...did my '11 DGC 3 years ago and this past weekend, did one on the '17 DGC.... Projects like this make us all better for future projects to come....but sometimes, I'm tired of getting better! :) and....why isn't Stellantis using parts with longer life times?!?

[@josephsopala7642]

Glad I could help. They really should build things to last. You are right about that.

[@salowist]

Thank you so much for this video! I was able to replace mine in a 13 T&C as well. The only issue is that when I put it back together the power sliding door would not shut all the way. Everything was connected properly as far as I could tell. I reached out to a friend that is an engineer at Chrysler and he thought it needed to be reprogrammed. I took it to the dealer, paid $50 for the reprogramming. The PDS would work properly when activated by the handle but not the key fob or interior buttons. Just got back from my 2nd trip to the dealer and they are now saying its a problem in the rear latch assembly and needs to be replaced. Any thoughts on that? They estimated $1,000 for that so its probably not going to happen. I found the assembly for $450 on a mopar site but its still pretty steep.

[@jsopala]

Good job. Glad I could help!

[@brookmitchell5885]

Use rock auto for parts my friend

[@juliocesar-mg5kp]

Thank you, knowledge is timeless. Help me big time today!💯

[@josephsopala7642]

Glad I could help!

[@Cru-JohnNicholson]

Thanks for the extremely detailed video. Honestly, I can live with the electric locking actuator not working as long as I can manually lock and unlock the door. 1) is there an easy point where I can disengage the actuator so the manual lock is not frozen? And 2) will the door then still open and close as it should when manually unlocked? Right now the door is locked shut.

[@jsopala]

You could try to wiggle the lock latch and see if that frees it up a little. Just take panel cover off and you'll see the super long latch link going from the handle all the way to the back of the door. It may just be stuck. Good luck.

[@clicketysplit1817]

This seems so complicated of a job. Wish there was an easy workaround to just disengage the actuator and manually lock the door with the latch..

[@Engahmedamin1988]

Did this end up working? I am having the same issue with my 16 GC and at this point, I just want to be able to manually lock/unlock the door.

[@madluvr]

Thank you so much for posting. I am going to need to tackle this issue, but I don't know if I would have attempted without your vid. Thanks. Ill let you know how it goes.

[@josephsopala7642]

Good luck!

[@Schwartz3411]

Video was very helpful for a 2016 grand caravan. Unfortunately the orange tab broke off during assembly and when I began to take apart for a 2nd time to replace the tab, the one of the T30 screws on the outside of the door just spins. I must have over tightened and stripped the threads. Now I'm screwed. I put it completely abck together and everything is off. It locks and unlocks with the remote but not manually because that tab broke off. It also will not open by hand but will close by hand. Now I'm stuck with electric lock/unlock and electric open/close. It will work for now but I eventually need to take it to a shop and get fixed 100%. I'm very handy and work on my cars regularly but this job got the best of me and I don't have a grinder to break the head off that screw. Drilling the head won't work because it will spin with the drill bit

[@chito604]

im amazed how you put that thing back together without taking a pictures.

[@jsopala]

It's probably the only thing I'm really good at. Taking things apart and putting them back together. Strange but true. I'm glad you were amazed.

[@BittyVids]

Thanks so much for the video. Saved me so much headache. Got it fixed in about 3 hours.

[@jsopala]

Nice! It took me six. Glad it helped.

[@kamiljezierski7658]

Hi. I have 2014 t&c w/power sliding doors. I need it for rear passenger side like yours. Is it the same for this model and year?

[@jsopala]

@@kamiljezierski7658 Yes it is.

[@johnwayne397]

Id like to know how this a hole got the release link back on without it popping off i did what he said and it keeps popping off from the weight of the panel and angles other videos they didnt take it off

[@josephsopala7642]

This a hole keeps trying and not whining until he gets it right. Good luck and who is the a hole since I got it right and you didn’t?

[@adamwest4987]

Be sure you sliders are lubed. My door was stopping half way then reversing. I lubed it up with penetrating oil by simply spraying it in the upper slider and that fixed it. It closed/completed the cycle after that.

[@marionikospiro]

Thank you so much for the video Jsopala !! i have 1 question because my sliding door is jammed closed and locked how do i get it to unlock before removing the door trim ?

[@daviddameron6274]

Peter Anton pop the front panel off the latch and work with the metal bar with pliers. This should unlock the stuck actuator and allow the door to open.

[@jsopala]

If the door is jammed It might be a problem with your door relay. You might just need to reset it. Try disconnecting the cables from your car battery terminals for 5 minutes (both black and red) reconnect (tight) and see if that fixes it. Good luck.

[@marionikospiro]

David Dameron thank you so much I’ll give it a try

[@marionikospiro]

jsopala how you doing Joe :) I will definitely give it a try before touching the door :) love your video thanks and have a wonderful day :)

[@makanagiordano]

@@marionikospiro did you have any luck? I'm having the same problem. Cant get door open

[@robertuchman6947]

I think you should update your video as to the situation of taking the plate off installing the window guide and reattaching it to the panel there seems to be a flange of plastic preventing you from pushing it towards the back of the van at least another half inch so you can lock the plastic flange from the guide into the plastic panel

[@GrantSR]

Thanks for convincing me that it is totally NOT worth the trouble to try to fix this. I don't use the passenger side sliding door much anyway.

[@jsopala]

LOL! I know it's a crazy job!

[@jsopala]

@hello hh probably try with a handle grinder.

[@833psz]

jsopala Hey what size do you think the hole would have to be? I’m strongly considering the angle grinder...

[@jsopala]

@@833psz Re-thinking the hole idea. You would actually have to cut a hole on the outside of the door to get to the screw in the actuator and release the latch properly. If you have vinyl adhesive like mine it wouldn't be a problem covering it up. The hole has to be at least 4x4 inches. I'll give it a little more thought to see if there is a better way.

[@833psz]

@@jsopala I took the panel off and looked, the actuator is too far over towards the latch to cut the hole with the door attached to the van. The door would have to come off, unless you wanted to use a smaller cutting tool like a dremel... but you would be cutting with the door open very close to the paint... which you would need to cover. And the dremel is gonna take a few discs to cut that steel lol. I don't see it working without a lot of trouble. I will try it the way Dodge does it, removing the outside window trim and then pulling the whole sub-panel out in one piece.

[@mikerodriguez1963]

Dude ... you saved my ass!! Great video. Wells part from Rockauto for 2007 worked great in my 2013 T&C. Didn't have to remove the little orange clip, either. New one came with a better one. Three thumbs up!

[@jsopala]

Sweet. Glad I could help.

[@TheCelticGoldsmith]

Thanks for posting this vid, I will be doing this to my 2010 basic one. It's a totally common problem on all models from 2007-2014.

[@jsopala]

You bet. Hope it helps.

[@andym9955]

great video. I need to start on this project, and your video is very helpful. Thanks!

[@josephsopala7642]

Good luck. I saw somewhere on the comments that there is a bypass device that does the job in minutes instead of hours. Definitely worth looking into.

[@airric166]

Just did one today, I've been a tech for 26 years. What a pile of engineering cluster f@!(k. I swore like a sailer. Got it done but geez. Besides that book time showed 1.7 hrs. Glad I saw many posts on the actual time.

[@josephsopala7642]

Glad I could help.

[@vanlife4256]

Awesome job of explaining! Thank you for sharing Joe!

[@alsukraine]

Thank you for such a comprehensive tutorial! You saved me a lot of money. Cheers!

[@josephsopala7642]

Cheers to you for it getting done!

[@StruggleBusAqua]

This video was helpful in many ways man thanks. I had to perform this job on two different vans. But I did them with the door off the vehicle.

[@StruggleBusAqua]

Having said that the first one had no power window guess you could figure which one I’d rather work on.

[@jsopala]

You're welcome. I can imagine taking the door off first and how much fun that was.

[@Hyper0910-t9w]

Thank you very much for this video. It helps me replace my 2013 VW Routan's actuator, which is exactly the same. It is much more difficult than I expected, I spent one whole day on this. So far the only problem remain is that the fastener/retainer for the plastic door panel seems no longer be able to lock the panel. You said you cracked a couple of them too at 20:47, do you have any solution or recommendation on this issue? Once again, thanks for the detailed tutorial and the parts.

[@jsopala]

That's awesome! I'm glad I could help. There is a link in one of these comments with the item number for the little fasteners. You can get them anywhere on line. It is a very tough job! I agree.

[@Iknowonlywhatimtaught]

Mine was not as easy. Mine was stuck shut. Since I couldn't see anything, it was a very long process. Lucky for me I videoed everything when I took it apart. I will never buy another Chrysler. I have had nothing but problems out of my SXT. Just poorly manufactured parts in it. Thanks for video.

[@billhowe7]

I just did this to a 2019 caravan. I got all the way to putting the door panel on when that actuator lock arm fell off and I had to start over. Since I had already made every mistake you can make even with the video I was able to do it pretty quickly after that big mistake.

[@zeenathomes1320]

Thank you very much for the video, it really helped, highly and truly appreciated. 😊

[@josephsopala7642]

I’m glad it helped.

[@nickcastillo2952]

MAN you just saved my life posting this video!!

[@jsopala]

Awesome! I'm glad I could help.

[@cb84capri]

​@@jsopala This video saved me so many times, words can't express my gratitude. That window track fought me hard and almost caused tools to fly. I owe you some beer.

[@paulnutcher2532]

I like your video and believe this works for my 2016 TC, however, our sliding door will not open for me to unbolt from the door jam. Do you have any tips for getting the door open that I have not tried yet. I've gone through all the disconnect battery, fuses stuff. None of that worked. Really getting frustrated with this job. Your video looked easy but again you were able to open your door. What can I do at this point?

[@jsopala]

Check that the cable and connector under the sliding door is properly fitted. That door is so over engineered with motorized locks and theblikes that it is hard get to the cables to manually open the door but you can try. Somewhere in my video I explain how to get the doors open by pulling a couple cables. Good luck.

[@andybody7542]

READ THIS - IF YOUR SLIDING DOOR IS STUCK AND UNABLE TO OPEN. I was unable to open driver side sliding door for months (no buzzing noise from lock mechanism on this side). The manual lock actuator for this door was stuck and could not be forced. The tip about pressing the unlock button and forcing the manual door lock at the same time worked to release the actuator!! KEEP IN MIND... This did not work when using the unlock button on the remote... I had to use the unlock button on the driver door. Now the door lock on this side works fine (like it was never broken). Not sure how long this will last but at least I can open the door currently.

[@Irony58]

Just a comment that these instructions won't work in every situation. In my case, I can't open the door at all, thanks to Dodge/Chrysler's defective actuator design. My door is locked shut and part of the instructions here say to open the door to get the panel off. Thanks for putting it together. It looks like quite a few people were helped - just not me 😞.

[@josephsopala7642]

There are actually 2 actuators one unlocks the door and the other one pulls it shut. Try disconnecting your car battery for 4 minutes to reset the relays. That might get things working again. Good luck.

[@Irony58]

@@josephsopala7642 Thanks. I was able to remove the panel without opening the door. After I did that, I was able to unlock the door just by sliding the bar that connects the lock lever to the actuator. When I did that, the door worked like it should .... for an entire day 😞. So now I think it really is the lock actuator, but I don't think I want to tackle replacing it. More power to you and anyone else who goes through this!

[@dadlills4372]

Yeah I'd rather eat glass and while throwing up blood swim with Great White Sharks then attempt this. Omg rofl. You're a magician dude. Good job.

[@josephsopala7642]

😂That’s hilarious.

[@briandass5988]

The reset on the relay worked thank you!!

[@JonEhBee]

I think we all missed the part in the intro where it said "INSANE install". Holy $#!÷ what a MESS of a design. Get the panel off... fine. Undo some bolts, cool. Getting somewhere. Such naive confidence. Grommets, wtf. Cables everywhere. Power cable anaconda. What have I gotten myself into. Press on, got the vid, we'll be cool. Get the inner panel off... kinda... okay, screw it. Disconnected everything and sweating like a lunatic in the hot van. Yank that actuator housing out and voila, there she is. The little heathen. The little failure. The cause of all this pain. In my haste to just GET ER DUN, I missed the liiiiiiiittle part at 11:30 where you slipped a pin into a slot on the little actuator arm. I didnt realize this yet so I proceeded to spend two hours trying to get the actuator housing and window rail up there. The whole thing kept coming loose, the plastic part comes apart from the metal part of the housing that holds the actuator itself, and the rail was very difficult to get up there because it just flops about like an inflatable tube man. Once you work out how to do it, you could do it 100 times just fine. Great, something I will never willingly do again. Just give me a whole new door!!! I DONT CARE. AHHH. The window rail part, you have to reach waaaaay up in there and pull it against the window so the window sits inside the rail so that you can get that top bolt in. Got that done, all the cables ran back through, grommets all snug, bolts back in. But it turns out the cables were all twisted up and I couldnt get them connected. Gave up after 4 hours and a few dozen mosquito bites. By now, my luck, the rear latch was stuck shut so the door wouldnt even close. Laid in bed that night sore as all hell from head to toe and realized I have to take it all back apart for the one little thing I missed at 11:30 in the video. Drove to work the next morning with the door open. YOLO. Next evening, take it all apart still sore as hell, and I mean so sore, I couldn't sit, lay, breathe without pain, with cuts all over my fingers and arms to add to that. Of course, the floor in the back of a GC is not ideal. Should have bought knee pads and a soft stool. Got it all out and got that pin into the actuator slot and all over again, got it back together. Got the window rail up first try, all bolts in. YEAH, GET SOME. I left that damn long locking bar thing attached to the actuator the whole time because no way was I going to be able to reach it, and it worked out. Grommets are so annoying on sore, cut up fingers. Couldnt get the black panel connected to the inner piece of that actuator housing that you say to pull forward, line it up, then slide it back to lock it together, or maybe I did. Cant be sure. I tried, maybe it wont be a problem. Who knows. All cables reconnected, wiring attached, all bolts tightened, handle back on, wedge removed from window and down, and then the nuts tightened on the lift, final outer panel with last power connection DONE. Moment of truth. Got the fob and... oh wait, hang on, it's a Grand Caravan fob. Give it a minute, it will work eventually, maybe. Oh, there, lock, unlock, lock, unlock. YES, MY DUDE. Go to start the car to check the window and my fuel pump is making a god awful sound. Great. All hail the mighty fail that is EVERY COMPONENT of the #%@$%#$ 2013 Grand Caravan. I made a DIY fuel pump relay bypass a while back because Grand Caravans arent in Safety Recall p54 for some stupid reason, despite being the exact same part failing in other models, and the bypass kit by Mopar is reserved for only the other models. Disconnected that DIY bypass and was able to start the van to test the window. CRUNCH. oops. Guess I'll be taping up some of those wires out of the way once every muscle from my neck to my big toes heals. For now, no window. I dont mind, at least it's up. HUGE thanks to the badass Mr. Sopala's very helpful video that helped me get through solving the world's most RIDICULOUS puzzle ever created by man. Cheers J. You made it look easy. Seriously, thank you.

[@jsopala]

It sounds like you just described my entire experience with this door. The world's most ridiculous puzzle ever created. Hilarious! I'm still laughing so hard you won't believe it. Dude! You crack me up. Thanks for this amazing essay commentary!

[@Andrei-jh5fx]

😂 Better than Netflix comedy show, Thank you!

[@jsopala]

Thanks. That's hilarious.