Rear door latches/ outers work, inners don't

[David in NC]

I've searched but didn't find my answer. Please tell me what to search.

The inner latches on my '97 XLT don't open the doors, but the outer latches do. It's like the baby lock are on. I've replaced the plastic handle mechanisms with Ford parts (the ebay parts I tried first were crap). When I pull the handles, I can hear the rod at the latches move, but the doors don't open. Please tell me where to search this forum or what I need to fix this problem. Is this the spring thingy? I thought that was the front doors. Thanks.

 

[McSlug]

The back doors have the spring thingy as well. Try fixing this first.

My broken spring stopped me from being able to unlock my back door. I could not open my front passenger door due to a bent rod.
Open the doors and pull skins see what is happening when you pull the inside handle.
There are pics on here that show you what to look for. Do a search

 

[David in NC]

Any hint on the words to search? Thanks.

 

[scucci]

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165081&highlight=door+latch&page=3

 

[David in NC]

I'm confused. The spring thing seems to be for problems with the exterior door handles. My problem is with the interior. Passengers can't get out, but I can open the doors from the outside. It's like the baby locks are set. The interior plastic handles seem to be working. I've replaced them and when I pull them, I can hear the rod moving at the latch, but the door doesn't open. I'm going to pull the door panels, but I'm trying to get ahead of the problem using your advice and experience. Thanks, David.

 

[AE86PandaDude]

i had that problem when i first swapped out the interior handle with another one and at first it wouldn't open the door from the inside.... so i took a look in the cavern and noticed the rod that the interior handle moves was bent, so i reached in there and straighten it out and after that it works fine.

 

[CommandD]

The two rear doors on my 1997 Limited both open fine from the outside.. However, the inside handles don't work at all and are now stuck open at an angle. Has anybody had to do this type of repair and what did it entail?

http://imgur.com/tRisY.jpg

http://imgur.com/eatmn.jpg

 

[95ExpLim]

I have exactly the same thing in my '95 Limited. Both doors too.

So far I've taken the pass side rear door panel off and the little spring mentioned here in another thread is ok, all the connecting rods are in place and connected. The only thing I can see is maybe the metal rod that connects the plastic interior door handle to the latch may be bent -but without a good one to compare that's just a guess. If I disconnect this rod though the outside latch and locks (manual/electric) work fine.

I'm going to a jy tomorrow and buy interior and exterior hardware for both rear doors...if I can find some that work.

I'll post what I find out.

Update: Replace both inside door handles, they have a "tooth" broken. Fixed mine.

 

[CommandD]

Sorry for the late reply. I just saw you added an update.

When you say I need to replace the inside door handled, do you mean just the black handle itself, or do you mean the whole inside handle component?

I would greatly appreciate any insight. Thanks in advance.

 

[95ExpLim]

Replace just the plastic inside door handles, it's one assembly of a couple of plastic parts. They have two screws that hold them to the sheet metal door.

This one:

 

[97MM]

Hi,

I had the same problem what you need do is replace the door handle. The black part if you haven't done it yet. Just make sure you get the correct side cause there different. Hope this helps I did the same thing the handles tend to break inside that's why they look the way they do from the inside.

 

[WhistlerEx96]

Did you cut an access hole yourself? Is it neccessary and if so, how did you do it? Dremmel, grinder, etc?

 

[bobflood]

If all you need to do is replace the black inside door handle, you should not have to cut any holes. After you take the door panel off and pull loose the plastic sheeting, remove the screws that hold the inside handle to the door and see if you can grab the rod that goes between the inside handle and the latch mechanism and unlatch the door that way. If you can, then the inside handle is the problem (good answer). If you can't, then the latch itself is broken and will have to be replaced (bad problem). This is bad problem because:
- The latch itself is a PITA to access.
- There are four different rods that connect to the latch (outside handle, inside handle, lock button, power lock actuator). The inside handle rod and power lock actuator rod have to be connected to the latch outside the door; then the whole assembly has to be finagled into place inside the door.
- This means that the power lock actuator has to be removed from the door also; it has a rivet that has to be drilled out and then replaced.
- The other two rods can be connected to the latch after it is in the door, but access is very difficult.
- The various plastic connectors associated with the rods as seen in the above pics get brittle and break in the old latch and have to be replaced.

While it may be tempting to ignore the issue and just open the back door from the outside, there is a risk. One failure mode is for the latch to jam locked shut. Door will no longer unlock or open with either handle. It cost me $200 to have the Ford dealer get the driver's rear door open and replace the latch mechanism with a JY part I already had. The plastic rod connector for the inside handle (also does the "child-proof" function) was broken on the JY latch, so I just had them leave the inside handle rod out. So, still can't open driver's rear door from inside, but can from outside and JY latch is cleaned out and oiled so less likely to jam locked. Good luck.

 

[kevinspann]

Are the doors unlocked when you try this?

 

[koda2000]

sounds obvious, but do your rear doors have child safety locks? these (when set) prevent the rear doors from opening from the inside.

 

[StangsandMavs]

Hey guys, I had this same problem in these past few months. I've had the car (95) for 8 years and never knew there was a child safety lock mechanism.

Obviously, I had never used them, but the locks were acting as if the child safety lock mechanisms were engaged.

I ended up breaking one of the interior door handles in trying to get it open and figured something was up...

I checked the owner's manual and saw that there were the safety locks... I checked them and saw that they were both in the disengaged setting... however, I could barely budge them into the engaged setting.

I tore one door apart and toyed around with it... checking out the mechanisms (which isn't easy consider the sight line is severly blocked).... I decided to start shooting the heck out of everything with WD 40. The child safety tabs soon loosened up and could be moved back and forth relatively freely, but no luck on opening the door from the inside.

I toyed around with the mechansism a bit more before deciding to give it another go-round with the WD40...

It worked.

I think think that the child safety mechanism just gathers dirt and inhibits the interior door latch from working, especially if they aren't used very much as was my case.

On the other door, I didn't bother tearing it apart... I shot WD 40 up the panel slot where the child safety tab sticks out and from the backside of the door where the latch is visible.

A few wiggles and some more spray, and the interior door handle worked as it is supposed to.

So, my advice is not to force the interior door handle... but keep spraying and moving the child safety tab and exterior handle to help work it loose... if you do break the interior door handle, they're a cheap and easy fix, so nothing to get too upset about.

 

[drbenz]

Just in case anyone finds that they need the inside handle because of the gear teeth on it being broken realize that they are rather cheap even from Ford(as in maybe $18).