96 Explorer Sport: Driver side door lock jam- on and off

[koda2000]

@J_C - I've also read/seen posts on adding a spring to the linkage to fix the "floppy door handle" issue, which happens when one, or both, of the exterior door handle springs break. I've even used this fix to repair a weak driver's door exterior door handle where one of the two springs had broken. Some related threads also say this "add a spring" fix also fixes a door that wont unlock issue, but the 3 exterior door handle broken springs I've encountered, I've never had a vehicle where the door would not unlock/open (other than the '97 Sport with the broken, jamming internal latch spring).

 

[GLOCKer]

That was my first thought as well, though when I removed my spring it did not start working, had to put a new spring in. On the other hand when my driver's side rear door latch spring broke, it started working again after just spraying a lot of grease in and working it around.

I tried to find the forum posts where I posted some pics of what the latch looks like and where the spring is but the forum search feature returned hits that would not load the posts, returned a not found error for a topic from 2009 and this link: https://www.explorerforum.com/forums/posts/2253478

Here are the pics again. This is the driver's door latch.

The last pic is the spring with the looped end broken off. When you look in the latch you won't see the coiled portion, it's up towards the top and only the straight portion is visible (if not broken) as approximated in the first pic by the green line.

I could not find a suitable spring at a hardware store so I bought an entire new latch, took the spring out of it, and put it in the old latch still in the door, with much patience and using thin, long, needle nose pliers... or maybe I used hemostats, I forget which. I made the pics so it is easier for others to see where you have to hook the spring into the latch if replacing only the spring.


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This spring was broken in my latch too. I think I paid $45 for a new latch and bolting in the latch was the easiest part of fixing my driver door. It works awesome now.

 

[field]

My 1999 Explorer's rear door lock jammed so hard that a body shop repairman could not get it open. He removed the outside bottom front window weather strip, but could not even get a 'jimmy' to pull the lock loose.

He suggested removing the inside door covering. I got the part that contains the window switch out but the rest of the inside door covering will not budge. It's supposed to have clips along the edges.

Does anyone know how to release the clips when the door can not be opened?

 

[Mbrooks420]

They are pretty standard door clips. You need to get something behind the the panel to get one popped loose. It can feel like you are going to break everything, but usually it all works out. It helps if the door panel isn’t freezing cold.

You need to get the clips all popped out then work the panel up out of the window. Not an easy task when the is stuck closed.

https://www.amazon.com/MICTUNING-Re...jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

Something like this would be helpful.

 

[field]

Can you remove the panel with the door jammed shut? How? Where do you grip the panel and with what? The panel's edges seem to be partly under the parts around the door.

 

[J_C]

^ I'd imagine you'll want a puller tool with a curved end like one of those in the set Mbrooks420 linked, or you might be able to fabricate it yourself if you have a thin putty knife you can bend into shape. I'd try one of those in the bottom corner and slide it up to the first clip on the side, then try the next up on the side. Once you get part of the side off you should have enough flex to slide a flat prybar in from the side to pop the ones at the bottom, then the flat prybar can come up from the bottom to pop the other side?