Door stuck shut?!?!?! --> Latch Replacement

[gijoecam]

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!?!?! I went out at lunch yesterday, came back to work, and everything worked just fine. When I went to leave work yesterday afternoon, the door refused to unlock!!??! No amount of hitting the unlock button on the key fob, door switch, turning the key, or pulling on the inside handle would get it to release, so it raised the question:

How the hail does one get the door panel off without being able to open the doggone door?!?! I tried it... it's freakin' impossible!!!

I had to resort to doing a couple of Dukes of Hazzard entries and exits since crawling over the center console is a royal pain in the butt.... I felt like such a redneck... every time I got in or out, I thought to myself 'Yeee Haw!'

Long story short, after a half hour of tugging and pulling, I was able to grab the unlock button with a pair of pliers and yank up on it while pulling the outside handle, and low and behold it opened like there was nothing wrong!?!? Now I'm really confused... So, I pull the inside panel and start fiddling with it, starting with a generous application of WD-40 to no avail(which, of course, just made everything slimy). Long story short, one of the little springy jobs inside the door went sproing, and apparently that's the spring that moves the lock link when you unlock the door or pull on the handle. The dealership has a new latch in stock, so I'll hopefully have it all back together tonight and I'll try and post some pics early next week. Now that I know what to do, replacing the latch is about a 30 minute job once you have the parts.

Also, I've been meaning to replace the outside handle anyways. There's no better time than now since it's only two more rivits.

My fiancee asked, "So are you driving the Explorer to work tomorrow?" to which I replied, "No, I don't feel like duct taping the door shut." Women!!

 

[UKExploder]

my '94 did that.......the RCL piston broke & jammed the lock mechanism....had to take it off to make door handle work, inside handle was stripped as well trying to get out, mine locked me in the truck.......lol .....took the damned piston mechanism out, will still lock & unlock with key, much cheaper too

 

[slpdave]

Here we go again, this is a common issue. If you door is open, take the interior door panel off. use a mirror or feel for a square plastic block with a piece of all-threadish stuff running through it. Raise gently on this block (it doesn't move far) and try to open the door. If it works put a light duty spring on the all-threadish stuff sticking out the bottom of the block and attach the other end somewhere above the lock to supply light pressure all the time. If it is the spring inside the latch, this will fix it. My spring was gone from the latch, some just break a little and can be bent and reused.

Try this - http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1634923#post1634923

David

 

[slpdave]

it could be the piston or the spring, lifting lightly on the block and looking for the spring will help you trouble shoot which it is.

David

 

[gijoecam]

Here we go again, this is a common issue. If you door is open, take the interior door panel off. use a mirror or feel for a square plastic block with a piece of all-threadish stuff running through it. Raise gently on this block (it doesn't move far) and try to open the door. If it works put a light duty spring on the all-threadish stuff sticking out the bottom of the block and attach the other end somewhere above the lock to supply light pressure all the time. If it is the spring inside the latch, this will fix it. My spring was gone from the latch, some just break a little and can be bent and reused.

Try this - http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1634923#post1634923

David

That's the link to the HANDLE spring problem... this was completely different, as it was a spring in the latch itself. The fact that it opened at all is pure dumb luck.

There's no threadish-looking thing sticking out of my latch to attach a spring to. The thing your picture is pointing to is the link that runs up to the door handle... that is fine. Below that link in that picture, there is the link that runs down to the solenoid that locks or unlocks the door, and behind that is the u-shaped link that connects to the door tumbler. Those two links are the ones that need to move to lock or unlock the door, and the link they move was binding up (like it's supposed to when it's locked). Apparently the little spring I found is supposed to draw the link out of the way when you unlock the door. Without it, the door can't unlock, and you get trapped like I did.

I really need to get the pics...

 

[slpdave]

the part in the picture is the part I was referring to. I put the spring over the threads protruding out the bottom of the block and attached it to a hole in the door above that block. My lock was not unlocking, it was stuck until you lifted up lightly on the yellow block. since I put the spring on the block it has worked flawlessly (like buttuh).

David

 

[gijoecam]

That wouldn't have worked with mine... I ran out at lunch and picked up a replacement... the spring that broke was internal, and had nothing to do with that particular piece of the linkage. No amount of pulling or giggling the other linkages would allow the one that the broken spring attached to to swing out of the way.

-Joe

 

[hunterdan]

I had this happen last summer. I got stuck in my truck and had to crawl over the center console. I ended up replacing the exterior handle and the mechanism. Funny thing is, I heard the spring fall after leaving a restaraunt, except I didn't know what it was from until I tried to get out. No matter how hard I pulled on the lock knob and door handle it would not open. I ended up pulling the front seats out from the passengers side and prying the panel off just enough to pop the latch with a long screwdriver. Replacement is a P.I.T.A., but if your hands are small enough, its not too bad. It took about 2 hours or so if I remember right. It may be worthwhile to get the ford exploded view of the lock assembly to see how it all goes back together again, it helped me out quite a bit. For the handle, I didn't use rivets, although I had every intention of doing so, I could not find rivets large enough. So, I purchased some stainless machine screws and some red loc-tite. This was much easier and I think maybe a bit stronger than the rivets. Goodluck with the replacement.

Dan

 

[jkacena2]

Drivers Door will not open with remote must open from inside

I was unable to pen the driversdoor of my 200 explorer sport 2 door suv
From these posts Iwas able to learn that by replacing the light duty spring at the local Ace hardware spring #104 on their board I was able to fix the problem easily as other have suggested in this forum.

I have pictures for this whole procedure but If someone can tell me how to post them I will. Once I knew how to do it it wasnt hard at all.

1 take door panel off white plastic clip around door use butter knife or paint scraper to slide between panel and door frame then apply pressure to area to pop out

2. Two screws above door handle below arm rest remove door rest will pop out with door panel

3. peel back grey sound barrier plastic it the adhesive strip around edge peels without destroying it with a little TLC.

4. Two access holes near door latch one to view the other to prop aflashlight and maneuver you hands with. Their is an alltread rod with a yellow plastic nut that hold another rod to latch/unlatch the door. this yellow plastic piece if yo assert a tad bit of pward pressure and simultaneously try with your remote to unlock/lock your door. If this works then we add the light duty spring with upward pressure and you good to go.

5. I took my spring that was about 1 1/2 inches plus another 1 inch straight to hook piece on both sides so the overall spring was about 3.5 inches. I looped one end and placed below the yellow plastic piece on the all thread rod. I found a l shaped metal piece on themetal door panel just a bit above the plastic piece on the door. I took a wedge file and created a small V groove so the spring would attach and stay put . Works great.

6. Take the white plastic pieces out of the metal door pring out with some plyers fro one side and using leverage on the metal door seemed to provide the best result to remove and not destroy the plastic pieces.

7. Relace the plastic pieces into the door panel - they slide in. Take the door wiggle the arm rest to clickinto place and place the door panal up over a small lip near the top of the window. Do this maneuver at watch that a permanent plastic clip on the door panel goes into the slot on the metal door frame. This slot is to lock the top corner of the panel in place since their are no white plastic clips in this area. This area is up in the corner by the side mirror. re install the two screws for the arm rest and your done

About one hour of work with this method. Again I have pictures of this procedure but I donot know how to attach them from my pics in win XP.

This site greatly helped me do this project from other posts. This justs refines the process.
One other Note Ford told me they replace the lock mechanism for about 500.00. The spring cost me 1.89 Plus about 4 hours on and off to do it and post this the first time. I think it should take anyone else an hour or so to do it with this post . let me know if this helps thanks