Door latch help

[usmcruiser]

I havent had a chance to look into the mechanics of the door yet as it broke on my way to work and I am stuck in my little cubicle right now, but I was hoping for some insite from you all.

For the past week or so I have noticed that the rear driver side door button (on the out side) has been sticking in after you push it and open the door. I wouldnt realize it untill I would close the door and it would just slam but not latch. I could just push the button again and it would release and it would close fine. Well today when I was picking up my dog after being neutered I took my kids out ot the back and noticed that the button stuck in. But this time I couldnt get it to release. I tried pulling the inside handel and nothing happend, I fiddled with the lock and that did nothing. I then noticed that the spoke that holds the door closed was able to spin freely. So I tried to pop the inner pannell off as far as I could in order to see if I could pop something back in there. But without having any tools I could only get it so far off with the arm rest there. I reached in there as best I could but I could not reach the mecanism. So I ended up using a tatchet strap from one door to the other to hold it closed untill I can get in there tomorrow.

I was curious if anybody has any insite as to what could be causing the latch to free spin like that? Do you think I am totally hosed and need a whole new latch assembly? God I hope not....

Thanks,

 

[scottryana]

It sounds like the "catch" that holds the metal rod to the opening mechanism has bent or is catching on something holding the ratcheting mechanism open so that "spoke" freewheels. Your best bet is just to take the interior panel off and have a look. If you can don't take the rear door handle off because it is a pain in the ass to get it back on.

Ryan.

 

[PabloCruise]

Well today when I was picking up my dog after being neutered

Crap, I forgot to call you back when you were calling me about dog stuff... Did you find a cool vet? What kind of dog did you get?

 

[DWitcher]

Pull the door panel and spray PB blaster/ WD40 or you favorite onto the latch mechanism and then rotate the bottom of the spoke/star wheel towards the outside of the door untill you hear the clicking of the latch getting louder as you spin it. Give it about six good clicks then close the door and ckeck for latch function.

 

[usmcruiser]

Crap, I forgot to call you back when you were calling me about dog stuff... Did you find a cool vet? What kind of dog did you get?

We got a South African Boerboel Mastiff named Diesel. He turns 2 next month. Yeah we found an okay vet for the neutering down in Brighton. Diesel was pretty sad/drunk when I picked him up. I felt really bad.

 

[toddslater]

Well, your spocket thing should freewheel if your button is stuck in. You could do as suggested above and blast away with WD40 or similar from the outside into the push button and try to free up the button. Taking the rear door handle off is also fairly simple once you remove your door panel. Roll the window all the way down, unscrew the three philips head screws holding your sprocket mechanisim and push it inward and let it drop down inside the door. At this point it is real easy to remove the two nuts holding your door handle on. At this point you can clean and lube it up right.

Also, you can clean, lube, and inspect your spocket mechanism as well. Hopefully, you haven't bent up or broken anything in that. Based on your post it just sounds as if you need to free, clean and lube up the push button in the handle. Good luck. Also, when you remove the three philips head screws holding the sprocket mechanism in place...after the panel is off spray the inside with WD/rust buster and use a hand impact driver to bust them loose initially.

 

[snailwagon]

Common problem, just peel away the panel, shoot some wd-40 in the general direction, and good to go. With vents in the bottoms of the doors for dirt to enter and lubricated bushings/contact surfaces, things get gummed up. That piece in there that is moved from the door handle doesn't break.