door latch problem solved - temporarily maybe??

[pablosolo]

For six years i have been aggravated by my driver side door lock rarely working, one five dollar set of springs and this post and i have a big smile on my face. Its Miller time!! Thanks for this!

 

[aletheuo]

Another thankful customer here. Took 15 minutes. Thanks

 

[avknav]

I was successful with this fix. I used a brake spring and instead of hooking to the lock cylinder clip I used a tie-rap around the remaining spring loop on the handle (hooked to the tie-rap) and adjusted the length of the tie wrap to get extra spring tension. So far so good...great fix

Thanks

p.s. the handle itself is pretty cheap I've seen it online for 15 to 25 bucks just could not be bothered to wait once I had the panel off I wanted to try the fix.

 

[ronnieg315]

Drivers door handle

$10.00 doorman replacemnt interior handle, $3.00 spring from Ace Hardware, 1 hour out of my Sunday. Door now opens better than new PRICELESS. Thanks to all that makes this site possible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[WatchThis!!]

Yesterday I replaced the driver side door handle and that damn retarded spring but after testing to make sure everything was back together and working I noticed that the lower claw of the latch doesn't open from the outside; only the inside so I still have to reach through from the back door to get in. Did I miss something or do I have another problem altogether?

 

[koda2000]

Thank you bdmaash for the fix. i realize this is an old thread, but it helped me to fix an annoying problem on both my '01 Explorers. i wasn't having any locking/opening problems (yet), but the driver's side outside handles were both a bit floppy and i just didn't like the way they felt.

and also thanks to ttbit for the great pic to visualize how to place the spring.

 

[CaptainComet]

Once again, this thread and another saved the day.

I fixed my driver side door a year ago ... now the passenger side lock was acting up on my 98 Sport. It was only working "halfway" ... firing each time, but not moving enough.

Expecting to fix this door the same quick way, I dove into it, installed a spring and tested it out..... still only working "halfway". Started looking around inside the door ... the actuator was flopping around, not really anchored down!

There is a rivet that holds the actuator to the inner door skin and that had broken.You can see this on your door, on the metal part, just above the lower rear rubber bumper. Easy to check without disassembling the door.

The broken rivet was still attached in the bracket in the actuator. It was hard to see how the actuator was hooked up, so I tried several ways to dislodge the rivet while the actuator was still installed in the door, but it was just a hassle.

I unbolted the rear window track (remove the one screw and pull it straight down) and got it out of the way. Everything was easier to see then. Unhook the wiring from the actuator, and pop the clip out holding another wire away from it, and you can swing the actuator up. Once raised enough, you can unhook it from the latch by pushing the arm toward the back of the door. It is merely hooked into a hole in the latch arm.

Once out, you can put the actuator in a bench vise, supported by the back edges of the bracket. A couple of firm pops with a hammer and punch will knock the rivet into the bracket and loosen it. You can then fish it out with a pliers. You have to knock it in because of the odd tabs on the back of the rivet.

I replaced the rivet with a short hex head bolt and locking nut. Tape the locking nut to the inside of the bracket to hold it in place. (trust me ... getting a tool in there is bad) Put a washer between the door and the bolt and tighten it up.

Then, hook the wiring back up. Reinstall the window track (you can feel where it will slide up next to the window ... push it back up into that area) and install the screw that holds the track back into the original marks in the door paint to assure that it goes back in the right place. While I was in there, I shot some silicone spray on the window tracks for good measure.

Everything should work 100% at this point. When testing the window, go slow and be sure that it isn't binding. Readjust the track if needed.

This worked well ... the only bad thing is that the simple spring repair turned into an all-out thrash, because the truck was needed this afternoon ... I made it, but halfway through the new complication, there was some bad language flyin' ....

 

[JulioFranco]

This led to a fix! See the yellow gizmo? Instead of fiddling with a spring or a wire, I just used a small block of foam rubber. I wedged/glued it in-between the bottom of the yellow gizmo and the window track, resting on the sheet metal rail that you see in the picture near the bottom which is attached to the outside portion of the door (under the lock). This keeps the rod in question raised, which allows the lock to open and close freely! It has some "give" to it, just as a spring would. 30 minutes of work - saved $200!

Thanks, Koda!

 

[ttbit]

You gotta love this thread. It has helped so many people for so many years. Mine still works too, btw.

 

[FijiBill]

Thanks to this thread I just fixed my door lock problem. I attached one hoop of a $2 throttle return spring to the middle of a wire twist tie, twisted it so the spring wouldn’t fall off, and then reached around to loop the twist tie around the lock tumbler and mounting bracket. Then I twisted the twist tie tight to remove the slack in the loop. After that it was easy to attach the other end of the spring to the end of the door handle rod (the hoop on the spring fits the rod great and the broken yellow clip provides the upward stop).

 

[GoVikes]

Great thread!

Fixed the unlock issue on my explorer! I didn't have a spring and it was late, so used 2 zip-ties instead - seems to work fine and the window still works, so looks like it might hold up... Excellent solution and the picture really helped me!

 

[bad*dawg]

Door latch / spring

Ford Explorer XLT 2001. Started to have the same problem with the lock. It was easy to remove the door panel. Sure enough, the spring was jammed in the lock mechanism. My wife located it when I was messing with the inside feeling around in bottom of the door for the spring. I tried to use the same spring (reshaped it with needle nose) but it was so small and my hands so big it was tough to hook and stretch it to the door lock area. So I went to the local auto parts store and bought a throttle spring for a few bucks. The spring was less taught and bigger, easier to hook and stretch. I trimmed it a bit and it worked like a charm! Thanks everyone!

Aren't wives GREAT!
Lots of good info in this string!

 

[jmclean02]

Performed this fix today! Works great. Haven't been able to unlock/lock my drivers side door with a key since i bought my EX 2 years ago! $2 bucks worth of springs and an hour of my time and problem solved! Thanks a bunch!

 

[Firstimeford]

Just fixed the door lock problem with the help of a throttle return spring and this forum. That's one more fix that I couldn't have done without you guys!
Thanks again!

 

[Pavespawn]

I replaced my door handle tonight after painting it with automotivetouchup.com paint. I was all proud of myself after getting it back together and then the door wouldn't unlock! Got to investigating and found the broken spring in the door mechanism. I didn't have another spring so I bent another hook in the old spring and attached it around the bottom of the rod up to the door lock clip. Works great! Thanks for this tip. It saved me cash and troubleshooting time.

 

[skydude]

A happy customer from Norway here - thanks alot! Easy fix and mucho dineros saved . Between an a/c fix, power antenna replacement and this, I have free gas for the rest of the year!

 

[snowman394]

Is it possible the actuator goes bad? I've spent an hour putting the spring on every spot it can go on my drivers front door on my sport trac. Nothing... When the keyless entry button is pressed I get nothing even if I assist the actuator... Everything is plugged in. The actuator does pivot but isn't loose, is that problem?

 

[bdmaash]

Is it possible the actuator goes bad? I've spent an hour putting the spring on every spot it can go on my drivers front door on my sport trac. Nothing... When the keyless entry button is pressed I get nothing even if I assist the actuator... Everything is plugged in. The actuator does pivot but isn't loose, is that problem?

yes, check wiring to the actuator also (to make sure it gets power), sometimes the wires break.


The fix is for specific mechanical issues which are described in the first post, so if you don't have those issues don't be putting on random springs to fix other issues.

 

[CmdrZoe]

Thanks so much for the great info you guys gave on this. The pictures really helped..ttbit, yours really clarified the whole spring attachment issue. Like most of you I monkeyed around with it and figured out I needed to keep upward pressure and it works fine. My problem is the access holes in the door itself. I've yet to see a picture with the same limited access (to the point I started to wonder what I had). Like some of you, perhaps removing the window track is necessary. Even then, access is small, and back where the door handle is, and its a reach and totally blind. Anyone else run into this. I doubt being a 2 door Sport matters..but ??
Thanks again everyone! I'll give it a go tomorrow with the spring and mirrors and let ya know..
Cheers

 

[ttbit]

Glad the pics helped!