Driver's side door lock issues

[LifeisaBeach]

Howdy all. Having a problem with my driver's side door lock intermittently failing to unlock. I tried lubing it up which so far has worked out for the rear hatch as recommended in another thread, but the front door appears more complicated.

The problem is that it fails to unlock with the remote on occasion. When this happens, I can see the "pull stick" on the top of the door jiggle some and come up slightly, but not all the way. Using the key is futile... it feels as if there is some mechanical obstruction and it won't turn completely to the unlocked position. I was able to consistently replicate this problem by pulling the outside door handle while in a locked position, then trying to remote unlock it. I've only been able to unlock the door using the inside handle when this happens.

Now... as I mentioned, I lubed everything good but to little avail. However, while inspected the latch assembly, I saw a small spring sitting there with the hook on one end clearly not connected to anything. I saw no such spring on the other door so I decided to fish it out. The other end clearly had broken off from somewhere. Since I find it incredulous that it could have gotten in there from outside the car, I think it's a fair bet that it's part of the door's locking mechanism. Problem is... I'm not sure how I'm supposed to get to the whole lock assembly or remove it from inside the door.

I just decided to test out that door some more. It's less of a problem now, but I still run into an apparent obstruction when trying to use the key. I'm thinking that spring served to hold some part out of the way when the door was locked. *shrug* Anywho... any thoughts/ideas the situation? As I said, it seems less a problem now, but it's clearly not working quite like it should. Even when it does unlock, it seems to be resisting it slightly.

 

[tothewoods]

I had the exact same problem and replaced the latch this morning. $40 at the dealer.Fairly easy to replace.

 

[tothewoods]

The part # for this is 6L5Z-7821813-C (mine is a '98 xlt should be the same.)

 

[LifeisaBeach]

Thanks for the tip. Does the part come with any sort of instructions on installing? It seems I'd have to do a lot of work blindly inside the door, attaching it and everything else back to it.

 

[tothewoods]

It does not come with instructions.There are a couple of excellent threads on latch replacement.Do a search on latch replacement and you will find the threads.It's not as hard as it looks or seems and you'll save a lot of money besides. If you get stuck give a shout, can walk you through it.

 

[TheJackal]

I'll add that it might be a good idea to do this ASAP, as there have been reports from time to time about doors that are stuck closed, which makes the procedure a royal PITA.

 

[LifeisaBeach]

I'll add that it might be a good idea to do this ASAP, as there have been reports from time to time about doors that are stuck closed, which makes the procedure a royal PITA.

Hmmm.... that is a most excellent point! I will get on it ASAP. Thanx a bunch all.

 

[MISTYPINK1022]

1999 explorer driver's doorlock problems

Hi, this is the exact reason that I joined this forum. My explorer doesn't have a remote to open the door but, it does have the ability to be openned using the passenger door lock/unlock button and the rear lock/unlock button. Unfortunately it now it also difficult to get it to lock as well. Sometimes I can get the lock to engage and go down by gently pushing on it while simultaniously opening and closing the door lock switch several times and then it will click and go down to lock that door. Does anyone know if this is a servo problem or an electrical issue? Now it has to occasionally be stimulated by triggering the other switches a few times just to get it to pop up too. Using the key is useless just as the op stated about his vehicle. The other day it wouldn't lock at all. Then the following day it was back to locking with the gentle push routine again. I am just afraid that one day I will be shopping and go to another store with purchases and be unable to protect them from theft. Can anyone offer me a solution as to how to fix it?

 

[N1265]

I had trouble keeping my rod down when locking the door, I found that there is a spring that holds the rod down that had broken, when you take the inner door pannel off look way up just above the latch and you will see where it goes, it is small, kinda like a spring in a ball point pen.

I replaced mine with a spring that I had laying around and now it wont stay unlocked, but I deal with it thinking it is better to have it lock on its own than not to be able to lock it at all...

as far as opening, I have no clue on that...