unable to unlock driver side door

[Wizzel]

The passenger side works fine. The drivers side will lock with the key and with the remote. However, it will not unlock with either. I would think since it can lock with the remote then it is not the actuator. I'm assuming that it is a mechanical problem with the lock. I took the door apart and took a look with a flashlight but I don't see anything obviously wrong. The only way to currently unlock the door is to open it from the inside. It is difficult to do so and you get some weird feedback from the handle when you do, which again leads me to believe it's something mechanically wrong. The Haynes manual doesn't seem to cover this so I'm at a loss right now. Do I just unscrew the 3 screws on the outside of the door and take the whole locking mechanism out through the door? Is this something I can do or do I need to take this into Ford? Thanks for any info on this.

 

[not_houdini]

My 98 XLT failed in a similar way. With the door open, look inside the latch mechanism that hits the striker and if you see a thin spring that does not appear to be attached to anything, that is the problem. To fix it you must replace the door latch assembly. Others here have done it themselves, I paid a garage mechanic to do it. Do a search for door lock in this forum and you should find insutructions on how to DIY.