Hi all - I searched through the archives and couldn't find what I was looking for, so i'll throw out a new problem. 2006 Xterra S, 95K miles. The driver-side back seat door won't open. It seems almost as though the door won't unlock. The other three doors open and lock just fine. I thought maybe I needed to replace the lock mechanism or something. But then I had a wierd thing happen when I inadvertently left the driver's door open all night in a pouring rain. When I started up the car and clicked the lock/unlock button on the door for all the door locks, the problem door unlocked and opened just fine. That lasted for a few hours, and now it's back to staying locked. A fuse problem perhaps? Any suggestions? I'm sure hoping this is something I can do myself and not have to take my beast back to the nearby Nissan dealer. Many thanks.

sounds like a faulty power door lock actuator to me.

Take a look at the plugs that attach to tha back of the door lock switch on the driver's door. Could have just enough corrosion on a single terminal to create a problem like this. Sounds like the rain water completed the contact for a while, and when it dried up, well, no more contact.
That'd be my guess by the info provided. Lots cheaper than an actuator, too.

Jeff!

I hope so the plugs has the major role but I have a some doubt that the power door is faulty. It seem to change the power door.

Yak, Welcome! Love the name BTW. I've been to Nepal twice where they USE yaks! Wonderful beasts too. But I digress...

I think it makes sense that it's the power plugs on the door too. Should be a simple fix. A PITA to get to, but once there, it should be pretty easy.

However, to throw this out, since I don't know where you are, is it cold there? Like freezing? I have a similar problem that may be related. My hatch lock won't unlock if it is cold. I can unlock it with the key just fine, but the electrics won't unlock it. The other doors work fine, just not the hatch. Once it gets above freezing, it's fine. My guess is that it probably needs some lube, because if it's in the mid-thirties it will unlock to the point that when I pull the handle, it will unlatch to the safety catch, but not fully. Other times it won't unlock at all. Again, depending on the temp. The colder it is, the less likely it will unlock. Below freezing, all bets are off. But it's not a big enough of a problem (yet) to take the panel off the inside of the hatch and fix it. So, what I'm suggesting is that it may be temp related. Just a thought.

-G

Thanks, gents. I appreciate the suggestions. I'll give it a try. Gonzo, I'm in Connecticut part of the year (as in now, the cold, snowy, icy part) and New Mexico during the summer. This started happening shortly after a vicious and unseasonable cold snap in CT in October. I'll do some tinkering and see what works out.

BTW, Yak is an old nickname stemming from part of my last name. I use a yak as my "mascot." I've got a whole yak schtik going on now.

Thanks again, y'all, for the suggestions. I'll follow up.