Car door won’t unlock manually or with key fob. Door won’t open.
 

Is there a way to get my drivers side passenger door to open without tearing apart the door card from the inside? I can’t unlock it and I can’t open the door from the inside or outside. I can’t get at the door clips around the door which means the door card won’t come off unless I go ballistic on it. I’m wondering if a locksmith with a slim Jim can get at the lock. I’ve seen it in the movies but not IRL. Is there another way? Thx.

Battery good in the fob and the car?

Does the inside handle feel loose - or stuck?

I wonder if the mechanism has come loose inside.

What make/ model?

Battery is good. The other doors work just fine.

The lock sounds like it’s trying to unlock but doesn’t.

2003 Toyota Sequoia.

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Thanks Fint!

The left rear door.

I have worked on an 2008-ish Ford Escape without success, including tearing off the inner door panel. (Rear driver's side)

What I finally found, without executing, is you need to identify where you can destroy the door latch to flip whatever lever is necessary to set the latch to open.

My plan is to get a used latch and tear it down to see what needs to be moved to release the "jaw" then replace the door latch.

You might want to buy a snake camera from Harbor Freight. You might want to get an angle grinder to open a hole in the inner door to march on in and destroy the latch with whatever tools willl work.

I don't think this is routine or easy and frankly, it sucks that these latches can fail in this mode.

I hope I'm wrong.

I’m taking apart the right rear door so I can see the innards.

Good thinking. Keep me posted beause I can use the info.

Weird thought...maybe a squirt of WD40 could loosen a stuck lock?

There’s no place to squirt oil tho. No key hole on the rear doors.

There are pull rods running to the latch on the side of the door. Held by plastic clips usually.
If those fall off, the handle just flaps and does nothing.

But having both of those (inside/outside) fail at the same time would be unusual.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1680006540.jpg

Agreed. I think the actuator itself is broken.

The passenger seat might be able to be removed to get to the inner door panel. But IDK.
A slim jim with seal wedge might provide access to the manual level.

Sounds like a gymnastic project..
Wish you the best of luck. Take it easy with those plastic clips.

A locksmith could likely have that door open in ten seconds.

Called the local locksmith and they said they work on the locks and not the latches.

Might be able to take off the inner door pull and snake a USB camera down to the latch

I just replaced the driver's door lock actuator on my 08 Silverado PU last week. The GM lock actuators are a known failure point. Look on youtube - there is likely a video showing replacement for your vehicle. I bought the part of Amazon for less then $20. Of course - you'll have to get the door card off first.

I am not familiar with that lock but check if there is a return spring in the latch that is broken. I had a car years ago that this happened too, it would not unlock until the internals under the handle were back in to correct position.

This^

I had similar happen on one of my kid's Land Rover Disco IIs. Rear driver's door. The link between the lock and mechanism was gone. Actuator didn't work either but there was literally a missing link. I had to remove door card from inside with door closed. It was a PITA but doable. Once I got it removed then I was able to work the latch system to get it open.

Too bad the used replacement actuator failed and I have to replace that again.

Sure. The locksmith's role is to get the door open only. Cantdriv 55 can then finish the investigation. I called a locksmith a couple of months ago. Heard him drive up. By the time I got to the vehicle the locksmith had already opened the door. Almost certainly using a slimjim. I think I paid around $60. The battery in this F150 was DEAD DEAD DEAD, and I needed to be inside the truck to open the hood and charge the battery. THe keyslot on the driver's door is bunged up. Not my truck.

It’s raining like a muther here so I’m waiting for a dry day for the locksmith to come out. I’d rather not tear up the door card which is what I’ll have to do. I inspected the innards of the opposite door and there’s just no clean way to get to the actuator or links.

wise choice...there are times when it's best to call in a pro.

Try this: make sure the handles are in their rest position and then press on the door to make sure it's 100% closed.
As you apply pressure listen for a click.

Then as you apply pressure on the door try activating the door release(s).

Also try locking and unlocking the door a few times.

One of my least favorite jobs. I have been down this road a few times in my life . I got all of them open without a torch or cuttoff wheel .
I just did a boxster, and was able to look down through the window opening with my scope and could see what lever I needed to move . I remember a 76 Corvette, and the rear Hatch of my Cayenne being just about the worst to get open .
I have gotten lucky on a few just by manipulating the lock mechanism while I work the door handle . Sometimes, they just jam up . Keep hitting the lock unlock button, or moving the lever
slide/or knob while actuating the door handle, also pulling out and pushing in on the door
Lots of patience here .
Best of luck

I read once that you can take off the outer handle and get to it (to trip the release) from there...but you would need inside the door card enough to do that.

I was thinking Slim Jim as well to manipulate the latch.

Sounds like the little motor in the actuator has crapped out. If it is anything like a Lexus door panel, it would have a few push pins and about two or three screws to remove and the panel should lift off enough for you to see the mechanism and cables inside.

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Yes, that's what the Sequoia panel has. Can't get to the push pins on the bottom of the door though.

https://youtu.be/XeLR4GJ6nZw

I hope you can view this video. The push pins have a little button in the center, push that in and it releases the pin and the whole push pin will pull out, exactly how it is in a Lexus.

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That’s the video I watched to remove the door card from the opposite door. The push pins are on the outside edge of the door and there are three strong clips below the door card.

Step 1: Cut a 6x9 inch hole in the door skin
Step 2: Fix mechanism, then install a kick ass 6x9 inch speaker in door
Step 3:
Step 4: Profit!

This may help. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...46480242d7.jpg

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The push pins would be rendered of no consequence with a wood chisel.

Lisle makes a tighter v shaped tool that I use a lot.

https://www.amazon.com/Lisle-35260-Plastic-Fastener-Remover/dp/B0002SRCMO?th=1

Thanks guys

A couple of years ago, one of my neighbors had the same issue on his Toyota Tundra. The door latch was stuck and would not release the door. There are a lot of videos on YouTube with instructions on removing the door panel, but one also showed one person inside of the vehicle with his feet on the inside of the door panel pushing as another person standing outside the vehicle pulled the door handle to open it.

We tried this and the door opened! He still had to replace the door latch, but he did not have to destroy the mounting post.

I'll look for the video and post a link if I find it.

Good luck!

I’ll look for it too. Thanks!

Do a hockey hip check against the latch area. That may be enough to bounce a lever stuck in the middle.