2002 ford escape bolted right in works great much stronger than the oem one I replaced

I bought this door lock actuator to replace the broken one in the rear lift door of my 2001 Ford Escape SUV. It mounted perfectly into the exact same spot where the original factory actuator was mounted. Tight working space made re-connecting the linkage arms a bit tedious, but the part is essentially a drop in replacement. As other reviewers noted, this part is louder when actuated than the original part. But I found that to be a minor inconvenience. I'm just happy to get it fixed inexpensively rather than paying Ford over $100 for the complete assembly. (Ford does not sell just the lock actuator alone.)

I purchased this to fix the rear liftgate lock on my 2002 Ford Escape. Except for the end of the actuator plunger and the electrical connector, it was pretty much an exact fit. I was able to swap out the end for the end that came with the original actuator--it takes a bit of careful work with pliers, but it can be removed, as it just snaps in place. The wiring also needs to be dealt with. I was able to use the original connector in the vehicle's wiring harness by improvising some spade connectors. So far, the new actuator works just fine, although it seems noisier than the original. I was certainly happy to save $200 or more by replacing just the actuator than the whole lock assembly, which is what the Ford dealer sells.