How to: Remove and replace door latch assembly

Door latch removal and replacement.

I encountered this common problem on my 98 explorer and could not find a good how-to online. The symptoms I was experiencing were problems unlocking the door. To unlock the door I had to work the interior door handle while hitting the power button to get the door open. The power actuator on it's own would not unlock the door. The small spring in the latch assembly had broken, I re-bent it once but it broke a 2nd time so I decided to replace the latch assembly. My interior handle also broke leaving me unable to open the door.

This removal and replacement can be done by the knowledgeable enthusiast, but if you have large hands with fat fingers you may struggle. The following procedure worked on my 98, but your mileage my vary.

1. Remove the door panel and peel back the liner. If you can't get the door panel off you probably need to stop and seek help. If you are in the same situation as me and can't get the door open because of the broken interior handle you can roll down the window and pop the top of the door panel out of the track at the top with a flat screwdriver. This will allow you to get your arm in and manipulate the rod to open the door.

2. With the door open roll the window up and remove the window track at the rear edge of the window. There is a bolt at the bottom of the track, remove this bolt and lay the track down in the bottom of the door.

3. Remove the interior door handle. There are two screws to remove then slide it towards the front of the car and pull. You can then rotate it off of the rod.

4. Remove the two wiring connectors from the latch assembly. The larger one has a clip, and the smaller one in the upper corner just pulls off.

5. Locate the rod that goes from the latch assembly to the exterior door handle. Open the clip on the latch end to free the rod and leave it hanging free. Count how many threads are exposed or mark the bar so you can install it in the same place on the new assembly.

6. Use a large phillips screw driver to remove the three screws holding the latch assembly in place. You may have to use a pair of vice grips on the screw driver handle for leverage.

7. With the latch assembly free in the door pull it down to free the bar that runs to the lock button from the sheet metal at the top of the door. Leave it hanging from the latch assembly.

8. Work the end of the bar that runs from the lock assembly to the lock cylinder free of the rubber clips on the arm on the back of the cylinder.

9. Take the entire assembly and rotate it to free it from the J on the end of the rod from the actuator on the bottom of the door. Work the assembly out of the door with the interior handle rod, door lock button rod, and lock cylinder rod still attached.

10. Transfer the interior handle rod, door lock button rod, and lock cylinder rod to the new lock assembly. There is a tab in the top corner of of the assembly where the smaller wiring connector slides on, make sure it is bent out perpendicular so you can slide the connector on.

11. Insert the new assembly into the door and rotate it over the J bend on the end of the rod coming form the lock actuator. Make sure that you are not trapping the wiring or the exterior handle rod behind the assembly.

12. Hook the lock cylinder rod through the rubber clips on the arm on the back of the cylinder.

13. Insert the lock button bar through the hole in the sheet metal at the top of the door.

14. Screw the latch assembly down with the three existing screws through the edge of the door.

15. Use the plastic clip to attach the exterior door handle rod to the latch assembly.

16. Connect the two wiring connectors.

17. Reinstall the interior door handle.

18. Reinstall the window track. It snaps into place at the top then replace the bolt at the bottom.

18. Make sure everything works! Don't shut the door yet, just make sure the power lock works, and the dor unlocks when you pull the interior handle. Use a screwdriver to close the latch jaws and make sure the interior handle releases them. You should now be able to shut and reopen the door and make sure the window goes up and down.

NOTES : During this process a mirror may help you see what is going on. If you need a reference for reassembly take the door panel off of the other door to look at.

There may be a better way to do this, but this is what I know worked on my 98.

 

[Mikey Wrench]

Anyone have instructions to get to the latch on a rear side door? Even how much disassembly to get the window track out of the way?

Job complete in about 2 hours. It seems that this can be performed without removing the window and track by working around the rear track if you've got flexible hands and a few tools to reach into the clips on the rods.

'97 Explorer XLT 5.0L AWD

 

[Turdle]

Thanks for the how to!

 

[massacre]

Thanks for this thread, going to have to do this soon

 

[massacre]

Did this today, was not able to remove the window track. Made it a pain in the ass. But I marked the threaded rod before unsnapping the connector for the outside door handle, and then marked on the new latch with a sharpie what goes where. The new latch has an electrical connector on it that my original latch did not have. I just left it alone and it seems to work great regardless.
Had to use an impact driver to remove the 3 Phillips to avoid stripping them. Once everything was back in place, the inside door handle would not open the door. Looked around and saw a black plastic tab sticking out of the door. I moved that black plastic tab down(I assume this is for the child locks) and now everything works as it should.

I didn’t take any pics because I needed three hands as it was, and things are tight in there without removing the window track. Just getting light at the correct angle to see what the hell was going on was difficult enough.

Took a pic of the 2 latches though, you can see there is an electrical connector there that was not on the original.

And here is the part #

Last digit is B

 

[massacre]

This is for pass side rear door BTW

 

[swshawaii]

Did this today, was not able to remove the window track.

I had the same issue with BOTH rear doors. To date I've replaced both front latches and all four lock actuators. Front window run channels came off easily by removing the 11mm bolt and attached wiring, then pulling the run channel straight down. Tried the same for rear doors and could not budge either channel. Agree that rear door latches and actuators are much more difficult to access compared to the front, especially with the run channels in the way.

For future reference, and if someone has removed the rear channels, is there anything else other than the single bolt holding it in? TIA

 

[massacre]

I’m not sure, as I haven’t done the fronts yet lol
Are the front and rear latches the same part ?

Anyone?

Thanks

 

[swshawaii]

Apparently not.
Search Results | Auto Nation Ford White Bear Lake

 

[massacre]

From this pic it looks like the rear window track cannot easily be removed

 

[massacre]

Also I ordered the driver’s side rear latch from Tasca
Part # F77Z-7826413-B
Hopefully it shows up and fits
Haven’t had much luck locating the front latches yet but the rear doors really need it bad
Fronts can wait lol

 

[Zman302]

The springs broke on both sides on my 98 Eddie Bauer. Also the driver door will lock itself if you open/close it too many times. I just did the driver side one. This post was really helpful. The hardest part is on mine the lock button in the door, that lever would not clear the door frame, I had to position the latch at just the right angle while it was on the actuator. If I could unbolt the actuator it would be really easy.

 

[joney]

Door latch removal and replacement.

I encountered this common problem on my 98 explorer and could not find a good how-to online. The symptoms I was experiencing were problems unlocking the door. To unlock the door I had to work the interior door handle while hitting the power button to get the door open. The power actuator on it's own would not unlock the door. The small spring in the latch assembly had broken, I re-bent it once but it broke a 2nd time so I decided to replace the latch assembly. My interior handle also broke leaving me unable to open the door.

This removal and replacement can be done by the knowledgeable enthusiast, but if you have large hands with fat fingers you may struggle. The following procedure worked on my 98, but your mileage my vary.

1. Remove the door panel and peel back the liner. If you can't get the door panel off you probably need to stop and seek help. If you are in the same situation as me and can't get the door open because of the broken interior handle you can roll down the window and pop the top of the door panel out of the track at the top with a flat screwdriver. This will allow you to get your arm in and manipulate the rod to open the door.

2. With the door open roll the window up and remove the window track at the rear edge of the window. There is a bolt at the bottom of the track, remove this bolt and lay the track down in the bottom of the door.

3. Remove the interior door handle. There are two screws to remove then slide it towards the front of the car and pull. You can then rotate it off of the rod.

4. Remove the two wiring connectors from the latch assembly. The larger one has a clip, and the smaller one in the upper corner just pulls off.

5. Locate the rod that goes from the latch assembly to the exterior door handle. Open the clip on the latch end to free the rod and leave it hanging free. Count how many threads are exposed or mark the bar so you can install it in the same place on the new assembly.

6. Use a large phillips screw driver to remove the three screws holding the latch assembly in place. You may have to use a pair of vice grips on the screw driver handle for leverage.

7. With the latch assembly free in the door pull it down to free the bar that runs to the lock button from the sheet metal at the top of the door. Leave it hanging from the latch assembly.

8. Work the end of the bar that runs from the lock assembly to the lock cylinder free of the rubber clips on the arm on the back of the cylinder.

9. Take the entire assembly and rotate it to free it from the J on the end of the rod from the actuator on the bottom of the door. Work the assembly out of the door with the interior handle rod, door lock button rod, and lock cylinder rod still attached.

10. Transfer the interior handle rod, door lock button rod, and lock cylinder rod to the new lock assembly. There is a tab in the top corner of of the assembly where the smaller wiring connector slides on, make sure it is bent out perpendicular so you can slide the connector on.

11. Insert the new assembly into the door and rotate it over the J bend on the end of the rod coming form the lock actuator. Make sure that you are not trapping the wiring or the exterior handle rod behind the assembly.

12. Hook the lock cylinder rod through the rubber clips on the arm on the back of the cylinder.

13. Insert the lock button bar through the hole in the sheet metal at the top of the door.

14. Screw the latch assembly down with the three existing screws through the edge of the door.

15. Use the plastic clip to attach the exterior door handle rod to the latch assembly.

16. Connect the two wiring connectors.

17. Reinstall the interior door handle.

18. Reinstall the window track. It snaps into place at the top then replace the bolt at the bottom.

18. Make sure everything works! Don't shut the door yet, just make sure the power lock works, and the dor unlocks when you pull the interior handle. Use a screwdriver to close the latch jaws and make sure the interior handle releases them. You should now be able to shut and reopen the door and make sure the window goes up and down.

NOTES : During this process a mirror may help you see what is going on. If you need a reference for reassembly take the door panel off of the other door to look at.

There may be a better way to do this, but this is what I know worked on my 98.

video how to remove the door panel -