Another door stuck thread.

[mike052082]

I've read a lot of threads on here as well as other forums about doors being stuck on Explorers and none of them that I have come across helped fix mine.

Here it goes:
The rear passenger door stopped opening. The door will not unlock. The lock is stuck in the lock position.

So here is what I know and what I have done:
The hinge has good pressure.
Inside door latch linkage is connected.
Door lock pin linkage is connected.
The actuator works in the direction to lock the door when pushing the button on the front door or key fob.
The actuator seems to work in the direction to unlock the door when pushing the button but it is hard to tell because this is where the lock mechanism seems to be stuck so it could be trying to pull and not moving for this reason. I do feel it trying when my hand is on it and touching the actuator.
I have tried to open the door while jiggling the lock knob as well as the lock knob linkage while using the inside and the outside latch with many variations.
I have reached my hand up in there to the darkness and felt the lock mechanism and tried moving things around to unlock it manually to no avail.
The only thing I think I have not checked is the linkage from the outside handle to the lock mechanism due to not being able to get my hand back there and not knowing what I'm feeling for.

Anyone have a picture of the lock mechanism that I can see or have any ideas of what I need to be doing? I'll try to make a video but honestly by the time I thought about it, it was getting dark. I didn't think it would take all this. I got two days or about 6 hours on this as of now.

Thanks in advance. Mike

 

[fixt]

Pictures of the lock internals off a 96. I had to replace the lock so I took the old one apart and took pics. Mine was intermittent, sometimes I could unlock it from inside the door, sometimes not.
There is a little spring shown that breaks, seems to be a common problem.
Wasn't mine entirely, but mine was broken too, along with another spring.
Mine was a real pain, I ended up replacing the mechanism along with the electric lock.

The front and back plates of the lock are separated.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3172432#post3172432
Same thing only driver's side.

With a flashlight you can see inside through a hole in the door at an angle. The little plastic "thingy" on the outside door handle linkage just hinges open where it attaches to the mechanism inside the door.

 

[kert0307]

My explorer did this on the drivers door. I was able to fix mine my taking the slack out of the linkage for the exterior door handle. The linkage points have clips on them that you can snap apart and snap back on in a different spot to adjust them. I found there is a spot where if the linkage got out of adjustment a little bit part of the locking mechanism would bind and now allow the door to unlock.

 

[Steeda04SVT]

My left rear door is doing this now and god it's so frusturating. The outer door handle is floppy like the springs are broken so that isn't helping at all either. Still trying to figure out how to open the door too. Any ideas?

 

[MercuryMullet]

My left rear door is doing this now and god it's so frusturating. The outer door handle is floppy like the springs are broken so that isn't helping at all either. Still trying to figure out how to open the door too. Any ideas?

My left rear door sticks as well. Its an off road truck so I figured it was dirt build up. I take chain lube and spray it on the rod of the outside handle so it will run down inside the door. I also spray the latch assy via the crack between the door and wheel well. I'm 3 for 3 doing this.

 

[Steeda04SVT]

I'll def have to try that. Upsets me I can't even use that door in the mean time but yeah gotta see what the deal is. Hope it's a simple fix and don't need to change out the latch or lock assembly. Thank you too for the info with the lube. Gonna have to wait till my days off next week to try it.

 

[Steeda04SVT]

Well I'm at a loss for words on how to get this door open. Can't open it from the outside and got the door panel off and sprayed the hell out of the door latch mechanism with WD40 and it wont open. Can't cycle the manual man door lock knob up and down at all. Any ideas?

 

[swshawaii]

Tried this? Remove inner handle.

98 Ford Explorer Door Problems- how to open without panel removal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJ0Fsh3561s

 

[LUV45ACP]

I watched that video because my driver side front quit opening. I got the screws out, got the door latch out, attached my vice grips as shown. When I moved the rod back nothing happens. I can't get the panel off since the door is closed.

ANY advice is appreciated!

 

[swshawaii]

You meant inner door handle, not latch. Disconnect the battery and unbolt the seat to to remove the door panel.