99 Ranger. Rear door won't open.

Ive read a few posts with the same issue but none have been answered... Passenger rear door wont open at the bottom latch. Took off the inner panel, WD40'd, tried pulling and lifting upwards and all this but nothing. Very minimal room to work with from inside the truck, but is there any way to fix this manually?

Welcome to this forum! I've moved your thread into the Ranger section.

No one has the answer yet? I have the same problem on both rear doors.

...The question in post#1 here sounds eerily similar to this thread and this guy fixed his..

post#5
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=230014&highlight=ranger+door

2002 Ranger rear small door bottom latch wont open

I have the same problem but with the driver side rear door that wont open at the bottom latch. Have anyone solved this common problem? Can anyone provide a hint how to tackle this one?

Try my previous post..
Posted via Mobile Device

There is a Black rubber plug at the bottom of the outer door edge.
Remove plug & using a long screw driver try to get to the tab on the latch to open it.
Not easy but doable.
Once open, check the cables!
Both of my cables were broken at the mount for them.
Bottom cable can be replace, top cable comes with the top latch.

Thanks, you just provided much more information on how to get the door open than any previous posts I've seen.

Seems like my Ranger Super Cab has a broken lower door latch cable problem.

How difficult is to remove the inside panel and work inside the small door?
Can you provide some more details?

I was able to print the door diagram with original parts numbers from:
http://www.silverstatefordparts.com/ford-ranger-parts.html
and from:
http://www.fordparts.com

The parts diagrams don't show a separate part number for the bottom cable.
Do you have the lower cable part number?

jmtous said:

Thanks, you just provided much more information on how to get the door open than any previous posts I've seen.

Seems like my Ranger Super Cab has a broken lower door latch cable problem.

How difficult is to remove the inside panel and work inside the small door?
Can you provide some more details?

I was able to print the door diagram with original parts numbers from:
http://www.silverstatefordparts.com/ford-ranger-parts.html
and from:
http://www.fordparts.com

The parts diagrams don't show a separate part number for the bottom cable.
Do you have the lower cable part number?

Click to expand...

I got mine from a junk yard lower cable & upper latch with cable $20.00.
On the lower latch with the rubber plug remove, if you use a flash light you can see a small tab on the top of the latch assy.
Needs to be lifted up with a long thin screw drive.
Not easy, but can be done.
With the small space inside to work, it's still a SOB to get to the latch.
Remove the latch assy. once you get the door open & you can remove the cable.
The door handle also needs to by drilling out the black pop rivets, then remove the cables. Got new rivets from a car paint supplier & had to use a 1/4" large rivet gun to remount.
Trick on the handle! Top cable is bottom latch & bottom cable is the top latch, don't get them mixed up.
You can get the cables off of '99 - '09 Ranger or Mazda B3000/B4000 4dr model 2wd or 4wd.
I think I may have an extra top latch, would have to check my pile.

Bottom latch from inside with panel removed! you can barely see it!



Top latch remove the 4 bolts on the door.

Super! The upper latch opens OK, is the bottom that's stuck.
Thanks for the extra details & photos.
I'll try to mess with it this weekend.

jmtous said:

Super! The upper latch opens OK, is the bottom that's stuck.
Thanks for the extra details & photos.
I'll try to mess with it this weekend.

Click to expand...

Check the cable when you are in there.
Mine worked but the part that mounted it was broken!

I have a slightly different problem...My 03 passenger rear door lower latch won't latch, giving me a constant door ajar light. Any suggestions?

https://greasybeets.imgur.com/all/

Hi there, recent lurker, first time poster here. I'm in my mid 40's, construction engineer / very novice wannabe mechanic from Maui, Hawaii. '98 Ranger 2wd; I know this is an old thread but thanks for the info here, anyone else having this issue like me where the bottom latch won't open but the top one will? I managed to get both of my broken rear doors open for the first time in over a year, and temporarily bypassed the door handles while I wait for my new aluminum cable ends to arrive. I did a pictorial and walk-thru if anyone can benefit from my experience I have all the images posted here: https://greasybeets.imgur.com/all/

I tried using a screwdriver through the small plug-hole but could not get the latch to open. Spent a long time trying and ended up frustrated, almost gave up. But I tried another idea and ended up removing the interior trim panel while the door was still closed, in order to access the lower latch through a hole in the door panel. Then as I figured out how the latches worked I made a temporary handle bypass to allow the doors to be closed and opened. It works great until my new cable ends arrive in the mail, and it will be a quick swap out when they do. Anyways, howdy to you all in advance, thanks for listenin' & remember to keep your wheels a-rollin' in the right direction!