Information How to open a back door when it won't?

Nigel245

Nigel245

A2OC Donor
Odd title above I know but how can you open a back door that you are fairly sure is unlocked but neither the interior or exterior handle will open it? I can hear the central locking solenoid working but the door won't open. Is it feasible to assume the linkage between handle and door latch has come adrift somehow? Just the one back door. Can the interior door trim be removed without opening the door to see whats going or in this case not going on?
Many thanks
A very confused Nigel
 
Nigel245 said:
Odd title above I know but how can you open a back door that you are fairly sure is unlocked but neither the interior or exterior handle will open it? I can hear the central locking solenoid working but the door won't open. Is it feasible to assume the linkage between handle and door latch has come adrift somehow? Just the one back door. Can the interior door trim be removed without opening the door to see whats going or in this case not going on?
Many thanks
A very confused Nigel
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Have you tried pulling the handle twice? If the deadlock has been released but the door is still locked, the first pull unlocks the door and then when released and pulled a second time, the door opens.

regards

Andrew
 
Hello Nigel

We've had this issue in the workshop a couple of times where the door lock has failed in the locked position and no matter what we were unable to open the door.
The solution was some surgery to the lock striker - tedious but eventually managed to open the door.

blue skies
tony

PS Did you manage to solve the sticky throttle on your partners A2?
 
Try disconecting the battery and then reconecting after 10 mins as this worked for me a few times when my CCCU was starting to play up, seems to of reset everything and then my door opened.
if that does not work, youl need to remove the door trim and alloy cover under the trim to be able to get at the door lock itself and manually unlock it so the door will open
 
Hi Tony,

How did you manage to get to the lock striker as unless you can open the door theres no access? I think maybe when she had it resprayed recently given they removed the door trim that they perhaps unknowingly done something? Really not sure what to do.

Yes the sticky throttle on Lornas car was sorted thank you. The engine racing was actually the clutch slipping as it had gone and it was replaced a few weeks ago as a result. No slipping up until that point, just suddenly started.

Thanks
Nigel
 
I don't suppose that you have recently had any work done on that door.
The reason I ask is that after I had the car painted and the rear door was reassembled I couldn't open it.
In frustration I gave the outside door handle a gentle thump. Hey presto it opened up as normal

Then whenever it was locked and unlocked it stopped opening.
A gentle thud on the door handle made it work again.

There is a short cable that goes from the handle to the lock and this had been put back slightly out of position and was causing the problem. Refitting that cable resolved the issue once and for all.

It is a thousand to one shot that you have the same problem, but it won't harm to give the outside handle a firm thump (when it is unlocked) just in case?

Steve B
 
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You might just be right here Steve. Lorna had the car resprayed and they removed the door trims as you would expect and when it wouldnt open after being unlocked it kinda felt as if the handle wasn't really pulling on anything if that makes sense? I'll give it a try!:D

Nigel

Birchall said:
I don't suppose that you have recently had any work done on that door.
The reason I ask is that after I had the car painted and the rest door was reassembled I couldn't open it.
In frustration I gave the outside door handle a gentle thump. Hey presto it opened up as normal

Then whenever it was locked and unlocked it stopped opening.
A gentke thud on the door handle made it work again.

M there is a short cable that goes from the handle yo the lock and this had been put back slightly out of position and was causing the problem. Refitting that cable resolved the issue once and for all.

M it is a thousand to one shot that you have the same problem but it won't harm to give the outside handle a firm thump (when it is unlocked) just in case?

Steve B
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If it feels like there is no resistance at all the cable MIGHT have caused this problem, either remaining under tension (which is why the thump works) or it may have come off altogether (I hope not)

Steve B
 
Steve, I sent Lorna your post last night about thumping the door handle and she texted me to say it worked this morning and she could open the door!! Result! I will investigate it further this weekend and check the status of the cable.:D

This just goes to show how great this A2 club is when hints and tips from great fellow members actually help:)

Many thanks to you Steve!!:cool:

Regards
Nigel


Birchall said:
If it feels like there is no resistance at all the cable MIGHT have caused this problem, either remaining under tension (which is why the thump works) or it may have come off altogether (I hope not)

Steve B
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Just one thing Steve, what was the name of your bodyshop - and do they do paintless dent repairs

Cheers Spike
 
I think the Birchall Bump sounds good!:rolleyes: :D Great technique but only if you can handle it;):D

murdo said:
Absolutely! Particularly if it saved the need for potentially 'tedious surgery' as Tony described above.

What a result. We will need to call it the Birchall bump. Or the Steve slam?

Ok I will stop now. :eek:

,
Click to expand...
 
spike said:
Just one thing Steve, what was the name of your bodyshop - and do they do paintless dent repairs

Cheers Spike
Click to expand...
Hi Spike
it is a one man operation called "The paint doctor" in Staines (upon Thames).

He does not soecifically do the SMART repairs as such. He is a traditional bodyshop. But he has repaired many small dents on cars for me so far. But he is not a mobile service as such.

Steve B
 
Birchall said:
Hi Spike
it is a one man operation called "The paint doctor" in Staines (upon Thames).

He does not soecifically do the SMART repairs as such. He is a traditional bodyshop. But he has repaired many small dents on cars for me so far. But he is not a mobile service as such.

Steve B
Click to expand...


I know it's time to quit when I have to explain my own 'jokes' but just had visions of a stoved-in door panel after an over exuberant Birchall bump

Cheers Spike
 
Sorry Spike,

I was in "Work mode" and so took you literally. I should have spotted the subtle humour (the best kind).

Nice one.

Steve B
 
Mmmm...I've got what sounds like a very similar problem to this in that one of my back doors won't open either. The only difference is that I'm not sure that the door is unlocked. My suspicion is that the driver side back door does not have any power to it and can't unlock because when I turn on the headlights, the window switch doesn't light up.

I'm going to try the Birchall bump tomorrow but if that doesn't work I may be back to find out how to manually unlock a closed back door. Is that even possible?!
 
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