Rear passenger side door won't open!

[OntarioLS]

Hey guys, my rear passenger side door will not open. It doesn't unlock with the key fob or with the unlock button in the car. When I pull the handle outside it doesn't feel like it's grabbing anything, when I pull the handle inside it's the same thing. I can't open the door to get the door card off so I'm sort of stuck. I tried removing the rear seats but that doesn't help. I pulled the door card from the top out as far as I could to get my arm down in there and some vise grips on the cable attached to the lock and gave it a yank. It feels like it's attached to whatever is on the other end but nothing opens.. I'm kind of at a dead end here so if anybody has gone through this same problem and has any info on how to open the door/get the door card off with the door closed without breaking it I'd be very greatful.

Thanks a lot everybody, any info is very appreciated!

 

[1LoudLS]

dont know if it will give you enough room to get the door panel off, but you could pull the bolts for the hinges...


personally if it was me, as expensive as body work can get, after trying everything you did I would probably pay to have this fixed

 

[jrdnhsnbrg]

You can't get the door panel off with the door closed as there are 3 screws that are concealed with it closed.

 

[OntarioLS]

So if the doors locked shut and I can't open it how do I fix it since I can't get the door card off?

 

[jrdnhsnbrg]

So if the doors locked shut and I can't open it how do I fix it since I can't get the door card off?

I was wrong, thought this was for a Continental. Not sure why it showed up in my tapatalk feed. I guess unbend a clothes hanger and try to "break in" as if you locked your keys in your car

 

[joegr]

I was wrong, thought this was for a Continental. Not sure why it showed up in my tapatalk feed. I guess unbend a clothes hanger and try to "break in" as if you locked your keys in your car

He's already "I could to get my arm down in there and some vise grips on the cable attached to the lock and gave it a yank." If pulling the lever with vise grips didn't do it, I don't see how pulling it with a clothes hanger would...

 

[G-RELL]

IIRC the panel is two piece (plasti) welded together... you could attempt to carefully separate the two (may involve some cutting), enough to get a better look at it all.

 

[Andrizzle]

This has happened to me twice before. Both times because I did not properly check the placement of latch mechanism after recently having the door handle off.

You can pry the door panel off from the top left as much as possible. You are going to be bending it in a way you feel like you are about to snap it. This is the only way to get in there. I pryed it back witht he force of 7000 suns and got my work light wedged in there far enough so I could actually work on the cable. You have to pull the cable and push the door open at the same time - it will be very difficult and probably take around an hour before you figure it all out.

 

[Telco]

witht he force of 7000 suns

???

And sorry, have no constructive suggestions other than to try and find a new interior door panel for the car. If you can find another door panel, there would be nothing to stop you from tearing the existing panel out, which would give you full access to the door mechanism. It does sound like the latch mechanism for the lock has come off, not the handles, seeing as both the inside and outside door handles are having no effect.

 

[1LoudLS]

who needs door handles? kick the window out and just Bo Duke it in and out of the car!

 

[1LoudLS]

I have only kicked something with the fury of a thousand suns, I cand begine to fathom what 7000 suns would be like! hahaha

 

[OntarioLS]

Alright thanks everyone! Been a big help, I'll probably try again this week and give it another go. Hopefully I get er!

 

[RigsLS]

Rear Door Handles, Locks and Latches — Exploded View
http://deneau.info/ls/s6x~us~en~file=s6x1e012.htm~gen~ref.htm

Rear Door Trim Panel
http://deneau.info/ls/s6x~us~en~file=s6x15008.htm~gen~ref.htm



Also read this idea somewhere:

Pull the car OUTSIDE and let it run with the heat on 90° for 30 minutes. Once the entire car is up to operating temperatures, then (and only then) try the electornics and the mechanics of the door from the inside to the outside.


worth a shot. If not then it's linkage that popped off.

 

[Telco]

I just had my door panel off. I can't find my camera, so no pics. It uses a cable connected to a plastic piece to operate the lock mechanism, and it might be possible to grab the cable with a pair of needle nose pliers through the interior door handle opening by holding the handle open. It has the same sort of cable ending that a 10 speed bicycle brake uses, so you'll know what you are looking for, and when you look at the handle it attaches at the top of the handle. If the plastic piece broke while the door is locked, I can see why the door will now not open with either handle. Good luck.