Interior problem
1999 Chevy Venture 6 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic 152000 miles
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Personal investigation has revealed a small metal catch approx. 2 inched in length that is connected to a cable resided under and ahead of the front part of the door. I belive the functionof this is to act as a stoppong mechanism in case the door latch fails. Problem: it is not laying flat when I try to open the door and as a result the door will only open a crack. I have removed the door and lubricated this part achieving a temporary fix but now it is not working again. Am I correct in the function of this device? Can it be simply reparired? Can I just remove it?

Thanks