How to unlock jammed rear door

Tiny
ODAHOM
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 128,000 MILES
Hit switch. Mechanism clicks. Lock will not open. Tried using key, lock will not open. Tried lubrication by spraying. Frustration, lock will not open.
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Tuesday, March 13th, 2012 AT 8:21 PM

9 Replies

Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,699 POSTS
Which rear door? The sliding side door or the the lift gate? If it's a sliding door, you have to pull the trim panel off, then unbolt the large plate near the front and pull it away enough to look behind it to see if a linkage popped off. They look like a threaded wood screw that snaps into a spring-metal clip. On once you pop it back on, add a dab of silicone gasket sealer to prevent that from happening again.
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Tuesday, March 13th, 2012 AT 8:28 PM
Tiny
WONDERLADY
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1998 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 155,000 MILES
This started a few weeks ago with our Dodge Grand Caravan: we would have several doors open for a few minutes (maybe 15) and the battery would totally run down. We had the battery checked and it is fine. I think we even had a new one put in. Then different things like the gas gauge would all of a sudden drop to empty, ping and then bounce up again. Or all of the lights on the buttons for things like the airflow/recirculating air would flash on and off continually. Or the interior lights would stay on even after we started the van. Or the rear windshield wiper would go on by itself, along with the washer and stay on for a few minutes. We did put in a new transmission a few months ago and we would like to get some more use out of this van. It belongs to our nonprofit, Respecting Our Elders and is used every day for food pickups and deliveries to seniors in our county. No9w when we open any doors to put food in or take it out, we leave the engine running. Oh yes, the automatic door locks work sometimes and not others, and they have been known to lock automatically with the engine running! Fortunately we keep an extra door key with us. Any ideas of what could be causing this?
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Monday, January 6th, 2020 AT 4:49 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
Get hold of the tranny shop and ask them to look over there work. They may or may not be responsible, but an easily made error that can happen while changing the transmission is possible.
The pcm may have had a terminal stressed and pulled out of position. This may be a long shot, but worth looking at.

More likley the BCM (body control module) went bad.
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Monday, January 6th, 2020 AT 4:49 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DANDAMANN
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
  • DODGE CARAVAN
Hi, heres the problem. My 95 Grand Caravan 130, 00 mi passenger door wont open either from the inside or outside handles do you have a susgestion on how to get it open the power door lock does work. :Cry:
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Monday, January 6th, 2020 AT 4:49 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RAYHUT
  • MECHANIC
  • 134 POSTS
This is a brain scratcher. It might be that a fuse or regulator fuse under your hood could be blown or under your dash. I'm not sure on that but check the one under the hood to make sure.
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Monday, January 6th, 2020 AT 4:49 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JPAM
  • MECHANIC
  • 307 POSTS
What u talking about fuses for? Front pass. Door wont open. Power locks are working.

Only thing you probally could do is go to a body shop and ask them the easiest way to get at it. Door removal could be invovled.

Well good luck jess s.
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Monday, January 6th, 2020 AT 4:49 PM (Merged)
Tiny
STHOM
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • DODGE CARAVAN
I have noticed that the speaker on the drivers side doesnt work when my van is cold. If I let it sit in the sun on a hot day then when I start it - it suddenly works however if the AC is turned on, it stops working. I have also noticed the interior lights in the front have glitches - sometimes they turn on when the door is opened, sometimes not. Recently I opened my vent windows in the back and when I went to close them, the passenger side closed fine but the drivers side did not close at all. About a day later, when I got in, started my van the drivers side window didnt open at all, nor did not make any noise. Its like it is stuck. I have a 98 dodge grandcaravan and have changed the battery about 8 months ago or longer. Is there a control module that operates both the rear vent window and the drivers side window that perhaps need replaced because neither are working and stopped at the same time about. Also could there be an electrical problem that would cause the lights to flicker or not work? And as far as the speaker, could it be the wiring. Or perhaps the wiring is faulting all of my problems?
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Monday, January 6th, 2020 AT 4:49 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JPAM
  • MECHANIC
  • 307 POSTS
Probally got wiring problems in driver door panel. Something grounding out ever once in a while and cutting power.
If your capable of taking off panel Id just start looking around makiing sure all wires are hooked and nothing shorting out.
Let us how it goes thnks jess s.
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Monday, January 6th, 2020 AT 4:49 PM (Merged)
Tiny
STHOM
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
It does seem to be in the door panel where the wiring goes into the door, this actually when jiggled works the back rear window, however does not correct the speaker or the driver window. We took off the panel and looked at the wiring and there are no evident problems as far as the eye can see in the wiring that goes directly to the control. When we tapped the control with a screw driver the window started to work. Off and on. This tells me its in the control which will have to be replaced. I will keep you posted. Thanks for all of your help.
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Monday, January 6th, 2020 AT 4:49 PM (Merged)

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