Both my front door locks on my 2010 Panamera 4S stopped working after connecting my battery maintainer for 8 days I was away on vacation. I did some google to figure out what to do and all pointed to the actuators needing to be replaced. So I contacted Porsche dealership and was given an estimate of $1500. The two actuators was $250 each and 6 hours labor. So I found a few You Tube videos on how to remove the door panel and the actuator. I then found the exact actuator used by Porsche on Rock Auto for $89 each. I had T45 and T30 bits and trim remover plastic tool and I bought 2 tools I needed for under $30 - tamper proof T45 bit and M6 Triple square bit. I followed the videos and installed both driver side and passenger side door lock actuators. 1st one took couple hours but the second only little over and hour due to having done the first one and knowing what to do. I spent about $225 and couple hours installing vs $1500 + tax at Porsche local dealership. Savings about $1300. What a win win!

 

Well done. Thanks for sharing.

$250 for an $80 part. Sadly, that sounds about right for the brand which will charge you almost $1,000 for a $200 12v AGM battery. However, the $250 item does come with a sticker, printed in China, that says, "Porsche. Superior German Engineering". Most modern day Porsche owners will gladly pay the premium for that sticker so they can boast to their friends.

 

That a nice win. Porsche tax is ridiculous.

 

This is the kind of insanity that bolstered my decision to cross the Panamera off my "next car" list.

 

I have a rear door that needs a lock repair that I'm dragging my feet on. I'd like to try and just replace only the motor, which would be a $5 part. When I get around to it, I'll be sure and post my findings.

 

It needs an actuator not a motor! The lock isn't a motor.

 

This is a pic from an Audi actuator, not a Porsche, but it’s my understanding that most modern door locks are built like this. Much of the time when an actuator is going bad, it’s the cheap little motor they sourced and not the actual actuator mechanism. It’s possible a gear breaks or gets worn, but the motor is a common issue.




My feeling is that the OEM actuator mechanism is going to be the highest quality available, so why not reuse it and just replace the bad motor rather than take a gamble on some 3rd party replacement.

Of course I could be totally wrong on this and the actuator could be plastic welded together. I’ll find out!

 

To take it apart and locate the motor to buy and then wait for it and all the time to do that not knowing if it even is the motor when you can buy the actuator for $89 is insanity. To get to the actuator by removing the door panel and then the inside panel which you will need help from someone to hold the panel while you install the actuator is a good 2 hour job if you never did it. Secondly the actuator I bought from Rock Auto (URO part) is the same exact one that Porsche uses I believe.