with doors locked cant open door with inside handle

[sandhead27]

1998 explorer sport; when the doors are locked I cant just open the drivers door just by pulling the door handle like I can on other explorers and even my pass door will open that way... I have to hit the un-lock button. Also and this may be related - I cant pull up on the door lock to unlock it, I have to hit the button no matter how hard I pull... Why and how do i fix it?? From trying to open it the rod inside the door bends and I have to pull panel to bent it back so door will open again.

- Also, how can I reprogram my explorer to unlock the doors when I put it in "park"??

 

[SoNic67]

Interior handle has a plastic gear. On mine, plastic teeth broke on rear handles, when the doors were locked.
I replaced them 3 times. After that I canceled the auto-lock of the doors, to avoid that.

PS: There is not 'unlock in park' option - read the owner manual.

 

[sandhead27]

Interior handle has a plastic gear. On mine, plastic teeth broke on rear handles, when the doors were locked.
I replaced them 3 times. After that I canceled the auto-lock of the doors, to avoid that.

PS: There is not 'unlock in park' option - read the owner manual.

I just bought it and the owners manual didnt come with it... How did you cxl your trucks auto locking??

 

[swshawaii]

1998 Ford Explorer Owner's Manual
http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/catalog/owner_guides/98expog1e.pdf

1998 Scheduled Maintenance Guide
http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/catalog/owner_guides/98expmg2e.pdf

 

[sandhead27]

You are the one!!! A BIG THANK YOU!!

 

[PAExplorerXLT]

On mine pulling the inside handle opens the locked door.

 

[sandhead27]

On mine pulling the inside handle opens the locked door.

As they all should...

 

[SoNic67]

Not the rear doors. Those have to be manually unlocked. Or they broke...

 

[koda2000]

sounds like the latch, or maybe bad rod adjustment, on the driver's door. there is a tiny spring inside the latch that tends to break. this can cause problems when the spring gets in the way of the mechanism.

 

[swshawaii]

Flush and lubricate the door latch thoroughly with penetrant. If no improvement the door panel must be removed for inspection.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=207373

 

[koda2000]

if it's the broken spring, I was able to see and remove the broken spring from the outside of the door/latch using an LED flashlight and a pair of forceps. my latch still works fine w/out the spring.

BTW, the spring is hardly larger than what you would find in a click pen. I don't know what it's purpose is.