tchalm
Active Member
- Joined
- September 22, 2012
- Messages
- 63
- Reaction score
- 3
- City, State
- Hillsboro, OR
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 98 Explorer XLT
Old thread but the same problem keeps happening. If the problem has not happened to you yet, just wait. It will.
After reading many threads, it kind of looks like there are a few different problems, so it makes sense to figure out which problem you've got before you start spending money and time.
I have a 98 Explorer, and the front passenger door slowly got to the point where it would not unlock at all. With the actuator button, the lock button would pop up a bit, but then drop back down no matter how many times I hit the button. The inner door handle would move part way, but accomplished nothing. Knowing that the inner door handle mechanism is all plastic, I'm not inclined to pull too hard. And the outer door handle is useless because the door is locked.
Someone suggested putting a screw driver thru the holes under the outside door handle to pry up on the under side of the lock button, but I couldn't find anything to pry on. I thought about trying a slim jim, but don't have one handy. I couldn't see an easy way to remove the inner panel with the door closed and locked. Removing the passenger seat is a lot of work.
Then somewhere I read about someone using vice grips for something. Aha!
I used my vice grips to grab the lock button and pull it up a bit. Then I let go, and got a better grip and I could pull it up a bit more. By the third try I had the lock button up about an inch. And the door handles worked to open the door nice and easy.
And yes, with a flashlight I can see a dangling piece of a small spring inside of the latch mechanism. I'll see if I can get the broken spring out and put some kind of replacement spring back in.
Cheers!
After reading many threads, it kind of looks like there are a few different problems, so it makes sense to figure out which problem you've got before you start spending money and time.
I have a 98 Explorer, and the front passenger door slowly got to the point where it would not unlock at all. With the actuator button, the lock button would pop up a bit, but then drop back down no matter how many times I hit the button. The inner door handle would move part way, but accomplished nothing. Knowing that the inner door handle mechanism is all plastic, I'm not inclined to pull too hard. And the outer door handle is useless because the door is locked.
Someone suggested putting a screw driver thru the holes under the outside door handle to pry up on the under side of the lock button, but I couldn't find anything to pry on. I thought about trying a slim jim, but don't have one handy. I couldn't see an easy way to remove the inner panel with the door closed and locked. Removing the passenger seat is a lot of work.
Then somewhere I read about someone using vice grips for something. Aha!
I used my vice grips to grab the lock button and pull it up a bit. Then I let go, and got a better grip and I could pull it up a bit more. By the third try I had the lock button up about an inch. And the door handles worked to open the door nice and easy.
And yes, with a flashlight I can see a dangling piece of a small spring inside of the latch mechanism. I'll see if I can get the broken spring out and put some kind of replacement spring back in.
Cheers!