Outside door handle not working.

[SteveSS]

Got the car back from the speed shop today and the driver's outside door handle is not letting the door open. Normally we never lock the doors but since it was at a shop we did. I bet someone pulled too hard on the outside handle but can't prove it.

Took the inside door panel off to look. The inside release works fine but it looks like the outside handle mechanism has it's own geometry going on. Whatever is suppose to release the spring to pop the catch lever open is not releasing the spring.

I don't don't want to wrestle that whole mechanism out of the door unless I have to. I don't even have a big enough screwdriver to turn those big screws on the door jamb. Any clever ideas on what to do?

Does anyone have an exploded view of this part? Any help would be appreciated.

Steve

 

[rogue]

there's a small rod that run from the handle down to the mechanism, that probably came loose. I don't have any pics handy

 

[dadeo1852]

Just to make sure, you did try to unlock the door with the key. Did you feel resistance when you turned the key? Door handle will not unlock on mine unless I use the key, even unlocking from inside.

 

[340challconvert]

This is what the door handle rod looks like. One end goes into the door handle and locks into a plastic retainer. The other end into the door latch into a plastic retainer.

 

[340challconvert]

Here's a pic of the door latch mechanism with the rods attached.

 

[340challconvert]

One more pic from different angle

 

[SteveSS]

Yes it's still connected. Thanks for the pictures BTW. It feels like it's slipping over whatever it supposed to catch. Does anyone know if this part interchanges with another less expensive hard to find car?

 

[rbbruno3]

That door latch mechanism shouldn’t be that expensive or hard to find . Check with Member name “ Moparparts “ or create a wanted ad here in that section. I may even have one . I would think the rod may not be lifting enough. To much play or the rod has straightened out not letting it pull far enough???