D3 Rear Door Lock Broken

[Oztourer]

Hi Brains Trust
The rear lock on my D3 is broken and it seems to be a relatively common issue. It seems as though a lever on a plastic cam breaks off (circled in red).

150825

I found a YouTube video showing how a guy “fixed” the problem without buying a new mechanism.

YouTube (https://youtu.be/Fk_vwrZCjb8)

Question - does anyone know if this “fix” actually works and have they done it?

I haven’t rung LR yet but I imagine a new locking mechanism isn’t cheap. Aliexpress claim to sell one for $34.27! Recon it would be any good?

New Door lock Actuator For Land Rover Discovery 3 & 4 Rear Right Hand LR011302-in Locks & Hardware from Automobiles & Motorcycles on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-Door-lock-Actuator-For-Land-Rover-Discovery-3-4-Front-Right-Hand-LR011275-LR011302/32827604253.html)

Cheers

[Disco-tastic]

I think it cost about $100 for a new lock for mine when I got it. Mine was sticky and wouldnt lock. They are available on eBay or from a few local suppliers.

Considering the amount of time it took for me to install it, I would just buy a new one! Then try and fix it and keep it as a spare.

[kenl]

I bought one from aliexpress but never fitted it I repaired my old one, but the repair was not what was shown in that video. In my case it was dirty brushes on the small electric motors inside the actuator that I cleaned.

Also I was not able to open your attachment, so am not sure if you are talking about the relatively common breakage on the rear tailgate?

[Oztourer]

I bought one from aliexpress but never fitted it I repaired my old one, but the repair was not what was shown in that video. In my case it was dirty brushes on the small electric motors inside the actuator that I cleaned.

Also I was not able to open your attachment, so am not sure if you are talking about the relatively common breakage on the rear tailgate?

I’m not sure what happened to the picture but it’s of the rear passenger door actuator not the tailgate (I’ve already fixed that one!!).

[twr7cx]

When you say rear door are you referring to the rear side doors or rear boot door?

I have no experience with the rear boot door but there’s plenty of threads about it online including the Disco3 forum, online guides and YouTube videos that you should have no issue finding what you need.

If you mean rear side doors, then this YouTube video by PowerfulUK should be all you need to know for replacing the unit:

YouTube (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7Tkimzb9LEA)

I have used it to do both my rear side doors. The first took about an hour and a half to do and the second an hour. The hardest (most frustrating and time consuming) part is fitting the ‘pear’ shaped fitting back in through the small holes in the door.

As for what units to replace with, I fitted the Aliexpress ones. My reasoning is that even though the genuine units are Made in a Germany, they’re rubbish and are failing far earlier than I feel is acceptable (our MY12 D4 fitted with parts with a build date of 5 May 2012 and having done 155,000km has had three fail already - both rear side doors and passenger front door, the drivers entire door has been previously replaced which is probably the only reason it hasn’t also gone! Comparatively my September 2002 build Discovery 2a with almost 300,000km hasn’t had a single lock fail yet...). It looks like the genuine units are on their fourth or fifth part number which I assume means the design has likely also been revised, yet they’re still failing on Disco 3’s, 4’, Range Rover Evoques, etc. Comparing the Aliexpress units and the genuine ones I pulled out there is no noticeable differences in design, components or quality.
Of note is that the postage from Aliexpress is very expensive - I think I paid $200.00 for the four units and $50.00 odd for delivery fees.

Regarding repairing them. It depends what is wrong with them. Of the three I have replaced, there were two differing problems (both passenger side units would lock but wouldn’t unlock with the remote, the drivers side rear door wouldn’t lock or unlock with the remote) so different repairs would be required. There’s some threads and videos around of people having done successful repairs (depending on the issue can be new motor brushes fitted, a hole and screw fitted to stop the one piece overlapping the other, resending a part back into shape so that the one leg pushes the other, simply cleaning it out as the original grease seems to be rubbish and cake up, etc.) and I’ve kept mine with the intention of perhaps looking at them and doing so on them in the future. Obviously the issue and repair required will influence the reliability of how long it holds up - that repair might hold but another issue might be experienced with it requiring a further repair or replacement...

[DiscoJeffster]

I replaced the motor on one of mine and it lasted 6 months before failing again. I gave in and bought a new unit over from the UK. I don’t think I went genuine, but an OEM version. Still going ok.