Door lock sounds horrible
 

I recently noticed that my passenger side door lock is making a horrible grinding sound (like rrraaaaaah!) as opposed to the nice "ka-chunk" sound the driver's side makes. Is there anywhere online that shows how to get into the door to take a look at it? It still locks but I have a sneaky suspicion that the lock motor is going out. Any suggestions and help would be much appreciated.

This may be a $0.75 repair :) Well, $.075 + $10 shipping.


Does it sound like plastic ripping for half a second?

I think I know what it is. I had the same problem. It may be the fuel door actuator but probably just a missing fuel door actuator guide rose. Open the metal fuel door. Lock and unlock your car with the fuel door open. There's a little plastic rod that extends from inside the fender when you lock the car, it locks the fuel door. You should see it move in and out as you lock and unlock. Where the plastic rod of the actuator pokes through the sheet metal is there a little plastic washer/ring or rose guide that keeps the rod centered in the opening? If there is not then that's what you need. The ripping sound is this peg dragging on the sheet metal because it's not being kept centered.

Go to the Pelican Parts Katalog PDF

Go to page 183.

The part you are probably missing, the little plasctic guide ring is labeled 12 in this diagram. Super cheap, super easy to replace. It just snaps into place around that rod/peg on the outside.

12 - Guide rose Pt # 996 624 505 02

If you see that little ring and it's snug in place then it's probably the fuel door actuator which is #11 in the diagram and not so easy to replace. You have to get inside the fender to replace the actuator.

11 - Actuator Pt # 996 624 113 00


Hope that helps. Let me know if you need the actuator part. If so I have one I'll sell for cheap. I bought it and only needed the guide rose.

:cheers:

Let me know if this is it!

YOU WIN!

This must have been going on for a long time because I found that guide rose loose in inside my fuel door many months ago and never could figure out where it went back. I'm still not a 100% sure but at least now I have an idea what to look for. And this repair will be FREE!

Thanks Tim!

Glad I could help. Not often that I can :)

I found the hole on the left side just inside the gas door. The guide rose fit right back in there. No more nasty sound when I lock the doors.

DIY ftw! :dance:

Thanks for Pelican source
 

Thanks for posting as part of your message the Pelican catalog. I am new to the boxster scene so anything helps.

no problem. I almost exclusively order from Pelican Parts or Suncoast Porsche. I haven't found better prices. Pelican is great because orders over $75 (that qualify) have free shipping! And the cataloge is a life saver. If you are new to the Boxster scene I would get a Bentley Manual and an OBD II diagnostic reader. If you throw a check engine light you can diagnose the problem yourself and decide whether it's a problem you can tackle yourself or take it to the shop for. Anyone have a link for a god price on the OBDII. A while back someone sent out an AMAZON.com link and I got mine for less than $100.

I dreged up this older thread to update it. Porsche has superceded the part number for the fuel door guide rose to 997 624 505 00

Yeah, I had that nasty clacking sound when locking the doors and tracked the noise to the fuel door lock mechanism. First thing I noticed is that the fuel door was not locked when I hit the remote. The black plastic gromet or "guide rose" for the male end of the fuel door lock was missing. The male end was kind of flopping around as the doors locked. The part is listed on Pelican for $1.00 which would cost more to ship than buy. Lucky for me, my local dealership has the part in stock for $2.50.

Its funny how irritating these smallish issues can be.... Hope this helps other forum members.

I thought I could resurect this thread and hope someone chimes in. Recently my remote on my key stopped working so I've been doing the manual thing using the key. I've noticed when I lock my car with the key the gas door does not lock. Everything looks in place with the actuator and I can't hear it locking. I hear the two doors lock but that's it. Is there something I don't know about this alarm system and do I have to do something to lock everything with the key? It's a 2000 Porsche boxster . It's a new car to me and I'm still trying to learn everything without an owners manual.
Thanks guys
Seth

Exactly the same is happening to me at present. I am hoping that the dead actuator for the fuel cap is causing the remote key to stop operating the central locking.

Looks an easy enough DIY based on the rentech thread so I think I will attempt this at some point soon.


PS I wish Porsche left off some of these electrics....! or at least configured them in a manner in which they ran independently of the entire central locking system. I can live without my fuel cap not locking for a while but if it takes out the entire remote entry then it kinda erks me a bit :confused:

I just finished replacing my actuator. My guide was still in place and the actuator worked fine, it just made a horrible noise. It all started after a bad storm and water got under the driver seat (clean your drains!!!) causing the car to go all Christine... the alarm was going off, the locks were constantly locking and unlocking, it was crazy. I think the actuator overheated or something. Anyway, the noise was in the actuator itself and happened after the mechanism completed the movement. It is as if, something was still spinning inside the actuator (after removing it, I could physically move the actuator and it would make the noise). The new one is smooth and quiet.

Did I mention you should check your drains? $1K lesson for me.

See Rear Drain Protector Screens:Porsche Parts & Porsche Accessories - Wholesale Porsche Parts & Tequipment

Ordered, received, and installed! Thanks for the link.