I have a 1998 cherokee and my door locks wont engage when I try to lock them. It just makes a loud noise as if it wants to lock but it wont.
I dont know if I need a new part or maybe theres a power problem. I took apart the entire door and all the wires look fine. The only lock that works is surprisingly the tailgate lock.
If someone knows what the problem is or knows how to fix this let me know.

I dont know if I need a new part or maybe theres a power problem. I took apart the entire door and all the wires look fine. The only lock that works is surprisingly the tailgate lock.
If someone knows what the problem is or knows how to fix this let me know.

Anyone want to help
Senior Member
The gear teeth in your door lock actuator are probably stripped. A junk yard or ebay are your best bets. They're pretty high from a dealership.
Junior Member
I had one that didn't work on a 93 zj took the motor apart and noticed the motor and gears were fine but there was a piece of plastic that housed a spring with a lot of tension and that housing looked cracked I'm guessing it caused it to lose enough tension. I still don't get quite how it works but I was able to get it to work by flipping that part. if you go to a junkyard I would test it first all those junkers have at least a gazillion miles. I would not bother doing what I did its not really serviceable I was just curious and a lil bored.




Junior Member
mine are messed up as well. my rear doors seem to work fine but the passenger front only works sometimes and i don't even remember if the driver door works. the rear hatch will unlock, but not lock.
its pretty annoying having power locks and still having to use my key to unlock my door haha
its pretty annoying having power locks and still having to use my key to unlock my door haha
Seasoned Member
My locks would just randomly decide to not lock from the driver's side but would from the the passenger side though......
CF Veteran
I had the same problem as all of you. I could get my passenger door to unlock and on a hot day after I greased everything up and flipping the switch several times I could get the driver door to work. Then (after a lot if searching) i stumbled upon this http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1874
Now all my locks work like a charm, sometimes I'm afraid I might brake them because they slam open and shut so hard. It's the only thing I have ever found to work without a doubt. Even brand new actuators won't work (most of the time) he explains all of this in the write up.
Now all my locks work like a charm, sometimes I'm afraid I might brake them because they slam open and shut so hard. It's the only thing I have ever found to work without a doubt. Even brand new actuators won't work (most of the time) he explains all of this in the write up.
