Rear door permanently locked.

[silverbucket]

So my rear driver door won't open the lock is stuck in the unlocked position but it won't open. When I press the lock/unlock button I can hear the actuator working but the lock on the door won't move. I tried to lock and unlock it manually but it won't budge. Anyone have a clue what could be wrong with it? I can't take the for panel off since the door won't open. Very frustrating!

 

[msgtusmc]

Remove screws in handle well under little flap (2), remove handle surround trim piece, pull cable, push door open.

 

[silverbucket]

Thanks I'll try that first thing tomorrow. When I searched for someone with a similar problem the only solution I found was someone cut the door panel.

 

[Andrizzle]

Bump because this just happened to me, must have messed something up with one door when I put the handles back on. The door is "unlocked" but won't open.

Going to try what the first answer in this thread said.

 

[Shredicus]

I have a similar but less severe version of this problem. Same thing; driver side rear door except I can manually engage or disengage the lock by flipping the switch but the power locks/key fob will not lock or unlock it. Wonder why the driver rear door is so finnicky

 

[Andrizzle]

Okay I got access behind the panel (bleeding through multiple knuckles ATM).


I can shove my arm inside the door and touch the lever that the handle is connected to; however, no matter which way I move and push - the door will not open. Almost like the child switch is engaged permanently. But it still doesn't make sense because I can simulate opening the door from the outside by pushing the lever down.

This is hurting my arm so bad being in position to mess with it.

Does anyone have knowledge/diagram of how exactly the door opening/unlock process works inside the door?

 

[Andrizzle]

Disregard, got it open.


I had adjusted the handle lever incorrectly when I reinstalled my handle, and it was not putting enough leverage down when you pull to open the door. Adjusted it to push the lever lower and all is well.

 

[Shredicus]

You know I got the same impression when I was fiddling with the door; that this may be some sort of malfunction of the child safety locks being engaged permanently.

After some digging I found some relevant topics:

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f1acb68

http://www.fixya.com/cars/t3029986-remove_rear_door_panel_2002_lincoln_ls

here we go this shows the guts

http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/showthread.php?t=65946

 

[Ultrastar]

wow its as if this thread was made for me lol!,

my door was stuck and i almost gave up before finding this thread.
so I followed the steps outlined by msgtusmc taking all the above parts down, i started pulling on the door lock cable with some pliers, and forced the lock on a few times and im not sure what fixed it but now my door is working again!!! gotta love the recent mild weather, allows to work with the car a lil bit : )

after i got the door open i proceeded to take the whole door apart since my window was not working (used the link posted by shredius lol), i purchased the little plastic clip for 15$ a few months ago but it ended up being the regulator, the regulator cable was all tangled up, tried to mess with it for 30mins but no luck, ill need a new regulator,

but at least i got my door open now so im happy

 

[silverbucket]

Bump, back to this again! The door is closed wont open I pulled back on the panel pulled on the cable but its stuck. The cable will not budge, I stuck my hand as far as i could and i can push down on the rod that opens the door but it does nothing. I need to fix this asap since I have sale pending on the car.

 

[joegr]

Add me to the list of those with this issue. The rear, driver's side, door won't open on my 04. You can hear the lock motor running (doesn't sound right), but it doesn't move the lock. The manual lock lever inside is stuck in the locked position. The door won't open from the interior or exterior handle.

Fortunately, it's a rear door so it can wait till I'm ready to deal with it. Maybe this weekend I'll try pulling harder on the lock lever. I'm not sure that I have anything to lose if it does break. Beyond that, I guess I check out the local junkyards to see if I can get the door trim and a latch assembly, before I try anything drastic.

 

[RigsLS]

Wife's 03 same door won't lock or unlock electrical either but can be locked or unlocked manually from the inside.

One of these days.

 

[Andrizzle]

Ah yes, I remember this. Pulling the door panel back and smashing my arm in there was brutal. One of those moments of "I DON'T CARE WHAT BREAKS!"

 

[joegr]

Okay, I resolved my unlockable door problem this weekend. I was able to unlock it by pulling hard enough on the manual lock lever. The chrome part snapped off, but it didn't break. I was able to pop it back on (with some fresh glue to keep it there).

I replaced the latch assembly with a used one. I had hoped that I could also repair my old one, but when I opened it up, a broken metal part fell out (I could hear it rattling around in there before I opened it up).

Below is the door ajar switch.

 

[heyjewel]

Okay, I resolved my unlockable door problem this weekend. I was able to unlock it by pulling hard enough on the manual lock lever. The chrome part snapped off, but it didn't break. I was able to pop it back on (with some fresh glue to keep it there).

I replaced the latch assembly with a used one. I had hoped that I could also repair my old one, but when I opened it up, a broken metal part fell out (I could hear it rattling around in there before I opened it up).

*******BUMP********
Well I finally tackled this job. The drivers side rear door has been locked closed on my 2001 Grey LS since I bought it 2 years ago. Since it's become my daily driver and will soon, I hope, fetch some money for me on the used car market I figured it was time to fix the door.
Summary - what a PAIN.
I had the good fortune to find a 2000 LS at the boneyard with the same color interior as mine. So I grabbed the door panel. And pulled off the latch assembly. I got home and did try to get to the screws on the bottom of the door. Couldn't do it. So with new, used, door panel in reserve I began to pull the old one off. It was a bit of a chore but off it came. And I was surprised at how little damage it suffered. I could probably reuse it. Anyway then I tried to see if I could find the problem with the old latch mechanism. No luck. Using the new one I could see how things should work and everything visible was moving as it should. The only failure mechanism I could come up with was that the cable hardware had come off or broken inside the latch, because it would not pull the lock open AND I could not push the inside lock button all the way closed like it was jammed.
Anyway I decided annihilation of the old one was in order. Armed with a long stiff screwdriver, a tire iron and a flashlight I went to work bending and breaking and smashing the old one. The key to finishing the job was to remove the outside door handle. Two nuts - one easy as pie, the other way back there obscured and blocked by other stuff. I borrowed an 11mm open/box end long wrench, about 8 inches, and with a lot of work and a scratched up right hand I got the nut about halfway off. At this point the wrench became sort of useless as trying to get it onto the nut was as likely to turn it on as off. So I got one more tool - a longish round file which I used to push the nut in the right direction and finally off it came. The file was used for it's friction. Then I smashed and removed some ore and I saw a little black plastic part on the inside bottom of the latch and on a hunch I tried moving it and voila the door popped open. Whew.
Then came the simple part of drilling out the 3 rivets on the inside handle and replacing and testing the whole setup - which works.
Haven't put the panel back on though because I'm considering getting some cheap speakers to replace the horrible ones now in the car. As a selling point! Only selling point left to do is the front sway bar bushings. Ugh. And I might go back to the boneyard and get the driver's seat cause this one is in poor-fair shape at best. Sorry for being long-winded as usual.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all.

 

[heyjewel]

Okay, I resolved my unlockable door problem this weekend. I was able to unlock it by pulling hard enough on the manual lock lever. The chrome part snapped off, but it didn't break. I was able to pop it back on (with some fresh glue to keep it there).

I replaced the latch assembly with a used one. I had hoped that I could also repair my old one, but when I opened it up, a broken metal part fell out (I could hear it rattling around in there before I opened it up).


Below is the door ajar switch. View attachment 828487654

***********

Joegr: All's well with my new back door latch except now it lights the door ajar icon on dash. You show the switch above but I cant determine where it is. Is it hidden inside the latch? I dunno if I'll replace the whole assembly again just for the light but be nice to know if there's another way.
Thanks[/QUOTE]

 

[joegr]

***********

Joegr: All's well with my new back door latch except now it lights the door ajar icon on dash. You show the switch above but I cant determine where it is. Is it hidden inside the latch? I dunno if I'll replace the whole assembly again just for the light but be nice to know if there's another way.
Thanks

Yes, it's inside the latch assembly. It's the thing with a little bit of green. You can't see it without disassembling the latch.

 

[heyjewel]

Yes, it's inside the latch assembly. It's the thing with a little bit of green. You can't see it without disassembling the latch.

I suppose I could disassemble and fix? After checking wiring.