Door lock jammed

[chuckwagon101]

I have a 99 Sport 4 wheel drive.

The driver's side actuator works but will not push the lock button all the way up. It will lock it just fine. Something broke in the handle, its loose, and it feels like something is blocking the button from coming up. The service tech said it was the actuator, but I don't think so.

I don't want to pay for an actuator if it doesn't need one. I can open the door from the inside, it pops the lock button right up. The actuator pushes hard against the mechanism inside, but you can tell that the lock button is "in a bind" as it tries to come up.

I went back to another tech and they are going to open the door panel and see whats keeping the button from unlocking. I can't take it in until this Friday.

Any ideas on what to expect and how much it might cost?

Thanks, Chuckwagon

 

[drx]

Hi, I'm having the exact same problem as you, driver's side door, mine is a 97 eddie bauer, I looked at a wrecked explorer and it looks to me that it's the spring for the door handle that's causing all the problem. I got that little spring from that wrecked explorer, and all i need to do is open up the panel and somehow gain access to the spring to replace it.

i think that should fix this little problem that we're having.

 

[chuckwagon101]

Thanks for the reply!

I wish I was savvy enough to open the door panel, but will leave it to the experts I suppose. I tear stuff up when working on door panels!

Chuckwagon

 

[Mounty 09]

Make sure that you have a Nut here. I was having the same problem and then found out that it was missing the nut. So I put a rivet there.

 

[budwich]

Lots of posts on this... likely problem is a broken spring and / or broken plastic retainer with low probability that it is the actuator. Either way, you have to take the door panel off.

 

[Morz]

I had the same problem. I took my truck down to the Ford dealership to have it fixed. I usually do all the work on my truck myself but anything in the door is not worth all the trouble to me. It was the spring in the door latch. It cost about $230.00 to get it fixed. It was worth it to me cause now I have a new door latch that actually opens!! Dealership told me that this is a common problem for the Explorer.

 

[drx]

To Mounty 09:

I have that on there still ... it is a high chance of the spring that could be broken.

To Morz:

haha, I like to take the challenge, however it is gonna be a bit of a problematic, I still like to do it myself, it would give me the satisfaction ... however I won't do it till i know exactly what i'm ripping and what I'm taking off without actually creating a damage to the door panel.


Side note:
anyone know exactly how to fix this problem, and wouldn't mind post pictures to explain it too?

I and i'm sure along with others will appreciate it alot if anybody can do that for us.

 

[Alex9]

Same issue

There are pictures out on this website somewhere. I used them about a year or two ago when I have the same problem. The spring on my driver side was broken. I was able to fish the broken spring out with needle nose pliers without taking anything apart and fix the spring by bending the existing spring so it had a new bend at the end. Still working fine today. Best

To Mounty 09:

I have that on there still ... it is a high chance of the spring that could be broken.

To Morz:

haha, I like to take the challenge, however it is gonna be a bit of a problematic, I still like to do it myself, it would give me the satisfaction ... however I won't do it till i know exactly what i'm ripping and what I'm taking off without actually creating a damage to the door panel.


Side note:
anyone know exactly how to fix this problem, and wouldn't mind post pictures to explain it too?

I and i'm sure along with others will appreciate it alot if anybody can do that for us.

 

[drx]

hmm cool, better start looking for it! Alex9 you had to take the door panel off to be able to do that right? how difficult would you rate taking it off? and what about the plastic cover that protects it from any leaks? did you had any difficulty with that too?

 

[drx]

ok i found the thread, here it is:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165081

hope this helps, I will give this a try later this weekend or next week, I have the spring mind as well fix it.