Rear doors won't open from inside

[Pizazzflyer]

I know this problem has been discussed before, and I read all the threads I could find and nothing I read has helped. The rear doors on my wife's '96 XLT cannot be opened from the inside. Both handles had broken off from people pulling on them, so I replaced them. While I had the panels off I checked everything out and found no excessive wear or broken parts. I found that it is possible to pop the doors open if I push really hard on the actuating rod. I tried spraying everything with WD-40 to loosen any sticking parts, but it didn't help. Of course the child safety locks are off. I found a '97 4wd 5.0 that I want to buy for myself, but it has the same problem.

Please help if you can. It's driving me nuts!

Dave

 

[MONMIX]

Increase the bends in the linkage.
That takes up the slack in the linkage thus increasing the reaction time.

Welcome to the site.
Don't be a stranger.

 

[Pizazzflyer]

I appreciate the advice and the welcome. I was trying to decrease the bends, thinking that lengthening the rod would make it push farther. I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[Audio_1]

well this is a small world after all. this is the exact same problem that led me to this site. it is kinda a blessing in discuise. i still havent fixed mine yet, i just make them roll down their window and open it themselves.

 

[Mbrooks420]

This is a flaw that Ford knows about. Both the handles themselves have a defect, and the linkage often gets messed up. I looked at a ton of Explorers before I bought the Mounty, and almost a 1/3rd had at least one back door handle not working. Most that didn't have problems were at dealerships, and likely would have been fixed if they were broken. Both of them in my truck are going bad now.

 

[sapogmxr]

just like a police car

 

[Pizazzflyer]

I tried increasing the bends in the rods, but it didn't help. I was giving Ford one last chance when I bought this Explorer for my wife. She drives my daughter and her friends around a lot and doors that don't open is a huge safety issue.

It's a shame too, because a lady offered to sell me her '97 XLT for $4000. It has 4wd, a perfect original body and black paint and a new 302. I already had wheels picked out for it. (black 18" bullit replicas) The back doors won't open from the inside, though, so I'm going to pass.

Remember Ford's "Quality is job one" ad? That was Ford's reponse to being named the American carmaker that had done the least to improve the quality of their products. It was much better for their bottom line to improve the perception of the quality of their cars with those ads than to actually make any real improvements. I think that was about the time that my Explorer was built.

 

[MONMIX]

I may have sopken backwards
My point being is what you said is to make the linkage react quicker.
It seems you have gone that route with out sucess.

Best of luck on the next step

 

[Crankcase]

just like a police car

The funny part is...out of the 8 back door handles in my families Ex-Police fleet....only one handle has some issues...and it still opens the door.