Driver door is stuck locked

So i recently bought a '98 Explorer, but now the driver side door is stuck locked. It started a few weeks ago and randomly it became unlocked. So i went to work on it two days ago and i thought i had it fixed. I tested it with the power lock button and with the key. Yesterday i went to open the door with my key and i guess the rod fell out of the clip and is now jammed. Is there any "trick" or anything to how i can get that rod unstuck so i can work on it again? Once i do get it unstuck how exactly does the rod connect to the door lock on the outside of the car? Any pictures of the door lock from the inside or instructions would be greatly appreciated.

This link shows what is most likely causing the problem - a broken lock arm return spring in the door latch -about $40.00 from a dealer.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165081&highlight=door+latch&page=3

Near the bottom of this link is a photo of the inside of the door. There is a pink colored plastic retainer on the lock end that the lock rod clips into.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165081&highlight=door+latch&page=4

If you use a slim jim or coat hanger to pull up on the rod that attaches to the Outside door handle and hold it up, then use the remote or door lock switch to unlock it you should be able to open the door. Then jury rig a spring to hold that rod up when you get the inner panel off while you are waiting for parts.

Hope this works for you.

One thing, be careful trying to force the door open I had the same problem, door locked closed tried to force open ended up having to replace the handles all the springs and connectors.

Mattski77, This is a very common problem. Ford only charged me $39 recently for the door latch mechanism. I highly recommend that you replace yours and solve the problem permanantly. It seems like a big PITA but once you do it, you'll be glad you did.

JCat said:

Mattski77, This is a very common problem. Ford only charged me $39 recently for the door latch mechanism. I highly recommend that you replace yours and solve the problem permanantly. It seems like a big PITA but once you do it, you'll be glad you did.

Click to expand...

Does this cause the door not to unlock periodically. On my truck I sometimes have to hit the unlock button twice before it willactually unlock the door.

I had the same problem. The rod that connects to the key mechanism was getting stuck behind the lock mechanism at the rear of the door. The guy I got the truck from was unable to open the door and I wasn't able to either. Today I finally got it temporarily fixed, because the door would not open it was a hassle to get the door panel off enough to get inside the door. The rod goes straight up/down and connects through a hole on a plastic part of the key mechanism. That rod had fallen off and was stuck. I was able to reach towards the rear of the door towards the outside and push it towards the outside of the vehicle. When I did this I felt something release and I tried to open the door and amazingly it opened. I had tried for over an hour to force the locking mechanism to open from the inside. Nothing worked until I saw that particular rod. After getting the door open I reconnected it to the key mechanism and it jammed again. I just removed it for now until I can get the parts. Now the door opens but it will not lock so the theft system will not activate, but at least the door works and my wife no longer has to jump across the driver's seat to get in. I had a very knowledgeable friend helping me and he was stumped as well as I. We worked for quite some time before I happened to pull on that particular rod. It was hard to see because of the tracks the window slides in. The rod connecting to the inside handle was connected, but a plastic piece inside the handle had broken and it wasn't working. For now, it is temporarily fixed. Now I have to get the rear driver's side door to open next. It is probably just a loose rod. Then I will need to find out why the radiator fluid mysteriously drains out despite the fact there is never a puddle under the vehicle. This truck has over 200K and the engine runs like a champ still, but it has been a learning experience.