1997 Mercury Villager power door locks

1997 MERCURY VILLAGER

10,000 MILES • 6 CYL • FWD • AUTOMATIC

MMD

MEMBER
2 POSTS

We do not have remote entry. When I press the lock or unlock button on either door, the two front door locks may not respond or they will respond very sluggishly, that is they will make a rattling sound for a second or two then respond. The side door and rear hatch work fine. Also, if I excercise the locks, lock, unlock, lock, unlock 8 or 10 times, the front doorlocks work fine for a short time. But after setting idle for 5 minutes, they are sluggish again.

Dec 14, 2008 at 6:13 PM

JAMES W.

✓ASE Certified Mechanic
2,394 POSTS

Sounds like your door latches need to be lubed. You can liberally spray them down with silicone, lithium, or a graphite lube and work them a few times This should help. I don't recommend using WD40 or any kind of a rust breaker. This will become corrosive after time and make the problem worse. Hopr this helps.

Dec 14, 2008 at 7:38 PM

MMD

MEMBER
2 POSTS

You said to lube the door latches. What part do you mean. The doors open and close and latch just fine. Do you mean to remove the door panels and lube the door locks?

Dec 14, 2008 at 9:52 PM

JAMES W.

✓ASE Certified Mechanic
2,394 POSTS

Yes, when you spray the latch in the end of the door, you will be lubing the lock mechanism at the same time. If, this doesn't work, you may have to pull the door panel, but I don't you'll have to.

Dec 15, 2008 at 7:49 AM

Repair Safety Notice: This information is for general instructional purposes only. Vehicle repair can be dangerous. Verify all information, follow manufacturer service procedures, use proper tools and safety equipment, and consult a qualified repair shop when needed.