Door won't open!

alinton · Post by **alinton** » Sat Jun 14, 2014 8:47 pm

Just got the car back from the spray shop, and I was putting all the bits back on.

I refitted the door handle and lock assy on the pass side, before I closed the door I checked that the handle would flip the lock open by simulating a closure with a screwdriver, and it worked.

However, tragedy. I then shut the door and now it won't open. Neither by the outside or inside handles. The door card is still off so I can see the rods moving, they all look OK. The rod from the lock barrel is still not attached, and I can reach in and manually move that up and down, but still no door open.

It just appears that the lock mechanism itself has jammed or is simply not releasing.

Any ideas PLEASE?

Andy

Post by **RattyMcClelland** » Sat Jun 14, 2014 8:54 pm

A few people come out of their closets all the time on here. So their doors must work.

I suspect the rod on the actual lock isnt connected.

alinton · Post by **alinton** » Sun Jun 15, 2014 2:15 am

Yes the rods are connected. It neither works from the inside or the outside, I can see the rods are connected to the lock assy.

It 'feels' as is the lock is 'locked', even though that shouldn't make any difference from the inside. The lock/unlock rods are also connected, and feel as if they're doing something.

What a pain in the aris.

K30DPC · Post by **K30DPC** » Sun Jun 15, 2014 11:41 am

Are rods connected correctly?

alinton · Post by **alinton** » Sun Jun 15, 2014 1:56 pm

Yes, rods on.

But I've fixed it, and I'll explain how, as there is a plethora of people on various fora with the same problem.

It seems a little spring in the lock mech breaks, or the mech just jams. Some people advocate going at the back of the lock mech with a drill until you destroy it, others mention a little hole you can stick a rod in and flip the latch.

In either case you have to get the door card off with the door closed, which is a bit hairy, but can be done.

Even after I got my door open and removed the latch assy I couldn't see any hole in the back of the mech, but what I did was simultaneously jiggle the lever that the rod from the outside handle pushes down on up and down, and flip the lock/unlock handle a few times, then it flipped open.

Joy! This was after being at it for about 2 hours yesterday, today it took 10 mins.

So- there is a little tab which when pushed will unlatch the door, but it seems only accessible from the side of the latch which is up against the inside of the door skin. So, in case it ever happens again I've drilled a 6mm hole through the door to meet this tab, and a matching hole in the door frame to the inside of the car. I'll put a blind grommet in these.

Then if it happens, all I need to do is remove the inner rear plastic panel behind the door, and stick a long thin screwdriver in. Pierce the grommets and push the magic tab.

Its a PITA though guys, I'd recommend ensuring that the latches are lubricated properly (I squirted WD40 in then when that had washed out the grime, some 3-in-one).

Also, as my car is 1996 and those little springs get brittle, I'm gonna order a pair of mechanisms and replace them anyway.

A