Door Problem

[palmaceae]

Hello all,
New here, I just purchased a 2001 Sport Trac and really love the truck. One problem I am having is the driver side rear door sticks. It is very hard to open from the outside, you have to pull up on the handle very fast and hard for the door to unlatch. You can not open the door at all if you are inside. What should I look for first to fix this issue? I did spray some silicon in the door latch assembly but it did not help.
Thank you,

 

[Derekjs]

I had the same problem on my truck. I took the door panel off and found that the inside handle broke a plastic tooth off that actuates the metal rod. I replaced with a new one from the dealer, $18 and all is good. If you try and open from the inside and hear nothing then it is broke, but if you hear that it is trying to open, then take off the panel and loosen the plastic clip that holds the round metal rod that is actuated from the outside handle. Lift the rod up to take up as much slack as posibble, then re-clamp it in the plastic clip. I used a screwdriver to simulate the door closing and opend it from the outside and it work perfectly. The reason I used a screwdriver was incase it did not work, at least the door would still be open.

 

[palmaceae]

I had the same problem on my truck. I took the door panel off and found that the inside handle broke a plastic tooth off that actuates the metal rod. I replaced with a new one from the dealer, $18 and all is good. If you try and open from the inside and hear nothing then it is broke, but if you hear that it is trying to open, then take off the panel and loosen the plastic clip that holds the round metal rod that is actuated from the outside handle. Lift the rod up to take up as much slack as posibble, then re-clamp it in the plastic clip. I used a screwdriver to simulate the door closing and opend it from the outside and it work perfectly. The reason I used a screwdriver was incase it did not work, at least the door would still be open.

Thank you, is it difficult to take the door panel off?

 

[Derekjs]

One screw at the bottom of the panel, use a screwdriver to remove the piece of plastic at the door handle. There are two more screws behind this piece of plastic. Then slowly pry the panel off from the bottom. Do not pull too hard or far as you will have to lift the panel to "unhook" it from the top. Don't forget to pry the swith control insert off first and unplug the harness.
Good Luck

 

[ncranchero]

Good post Derekjs. Use care removing the panel or you will break the "retainer hook" off. Here's a photo of the back side of the panel so you'll know where to pull and where that hook is. It's "hooked" over the inside of the window opening too. I broke a retainer hook first time I ever removed one.

 

[palmaceae]

Thank you both for your help! I think the previous owner already broke that hook off because it is loose there.

 

[palmaceae]

I took the panel off and was able to fix the outside handle but moving the rod up through plastic clip (thanks derekjs), but the inside handle is missing a tooth, so I will have to get a new one. Thanks all!

 

[ncranchero]

Inside handles are cheaply made. I had to replace one of my back handles too.

 

[Derekjs]

Glad to see you got it beat.