Q: Driver door won't open from inside or outside.

asked by on November 13, 2016

The front driver door won't open from the outside or the inside. It's not the lock i think it might be the latch that hold the the door shut is stuck.

My car has 220000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Door will not open Inspection $94.99 - $114.99 Get a Quote
Door does not lock or open Inspection $94.99 - $114.99 Get a Quote

Hello. If the door will not open, then the issue may be the latch, but it may also be the linkage that connects the handles to the latch. You will need to access the inside of the door panel to have access to the locking mechanism and door latch, as well as verify the condition of that linkage. With the door shut, you will have limited space to pull off the door panel, but you should have enough room to do so.

Do to that, you must remove the bolts and pop out the retaining clips around the perimeter (which will be the hard part). Be careful not to break the clips; typically you have space to use a special tool, but you will only have a small amount of space to work with. Once you get the inside door panel off, you will have access to the latch and be able to open the door for the inspection. Manipulate the handles and check the linkage and latch release mechanism. With some simple observation, you should be able to find the issue rather quickly.

If you need assistance, I recommend having a certified mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, come to your location to determine why the door is stuck and repair it for you.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

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