Door won't open

Hi turdroller,

This is a sticky problem that I never like to handle. The door latch is faulty and the only way to get it open is to break the latch.

You need to try to get the inner door linig out which is quite tricky as the door is closed and there are not much space. You would need to force the trim a bit.

The latch has a plastic part which has the latch lock spring in it and if you break the part and get the spring out, the door would open.

Hi shilaman,

You have a bad door lock latch and it is going to be difficult to get it replaced. Check out this link, it has some tips on how to get the door opened but you need to have a door latch ready for replacement.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHX6Up7HCfs

good luck

The drilling is to get the door latch catch to release. There is a spring inside the latch that is holding the catch. If the drilling did not get to it, the latch woulod not release.

With window fully down, use a torchlight to see from top into the door and see if the position of the drilling is correct. There is a white plastic portion on the door latch and under it is where the catch is held by a spring. You need to get the spring out. If all fails, use a long screw driver sharp enough to chisel off the top of the plastic part. Take care not to break the door glass.

Please reply to post so that I and can attend to you when notification is received.

Hi stamina,

With a fine stiff hooked wire you should be able to dig the piece out.

You can get a locksmith the take out the cylinder to clean and service the tumblers and it should be as good as new.

Two things I would do. First I would find the fuse for the seat belt and I can't remember if there was something related to that under the hood at that fuse box. Then if that does not offer a cure I would check the door switch and even swap with another if possible.

The trick is to see if the lever and it is very short moves the actual latching assembly where it contacts the post on the door frame. I would say that the locking assembly is shot and needs to be replaced. You have fun job because getting the inside panel off is really a maddening challenge.

Hi mflo,

The door ajar warning coming on is most likely due to the door switch being activated. Check the door adjustment and the door switch condition. If the door is loose, the door switch would have minimal contact to deactivate it and braking would cause the door to move resulting in the door switch being activated.

The lighting switch is failing resulting in the headlights going off when the turn signal lever flips back.

Is it locked or just stuck? I assume that you can pull up on the lock pull and that you feel resistance as is normal. The door should be unlocked then. Do the handles both feel like they are connected to something in the door? If I were in your shoes and I knew that the door was unlocked and that the door latch is open but the door was stuck I might try prying it open on the inside or pushing it gently from the inside. That said and it does not work, your next resort is to remove the screw from the door handle and the one from the door pull. Take off the door handle by sliding it toward the back of the car. Unhook the electrical and the snap lock holding the rod. This will be a tight fit to try and get the inside panel of the door off. The bottom half unsnaps. There is a plastic plug but come to think about it it is maybe hidden. The whole panel lifts up and out. From there you can get access to the latch assembly.

Anyone else got any ideas? I bet there are better ones.

Ive never done that before to be honest with you. What is different in the videos from your car that is stopping it from working?I usually remove the inner door panel to access the lock.