Locked out of Driver Door

[thirdq]

Looks like something failed and the door will not open [driver door]. I have the keys, I can get in from the passenger side - however; as the door will not open from the inside or the outside, I cannot get the door trim off to see what is going on.

What a nightmare.

Any leads here guys ? thanks

[DAEDALUS]

It's happened before, most recently to tkd_q45. I seem to recall it being caused by failure of the pushrod mechanism. If you have AAA see if you can get a locksmith to open it for free. Hopefully it would be covered, but if not, not much choice anyway.

[thirdq]

2 locksmiths ended up not being able to open the door. Looks like the latch is broken in the locked position.

Available options are all scary:

1. Drill a hole in the door from the outside and cut open the door. Resurface and then repaint the door

2. Tear the inside trim with the hope that it may open some access to wiggle the latch - but this has little chance of working as latch is still going to be difficult as the door is not open

3. Dealer - I have not contacted dealer to see what options they may have.

I went to apparently the best locksmith in town - he seems the regular mechanical type, I am not sure how someone can jimmy it if it is an electrical part failure.

I read tkd_q45 post on G50 lockout, but there is not much as to the way he eneded up opening it - are there any other threads?

Thanks

[DAEDALUS]

My approach would be to go in from the inside, cutting through the doorskin, and then finding a cheap doorskin from a part-out. Not much room to work, though. Hopefully you don't have to reach back all the way near the frame to pull the latch.

[3Q Jay]

ouch!this is now the third Q[not a pun on your stage name either!!] that i'm aware of, and now i'm beggining to think its not IF, but WHEN.

after tkd_ i ordered some stuff to take a pre-emptive strike. when i read yours, i decided to go install it before it's too late.

here's what i found regarding the mechanisms, although i admit i do not know the root failure in yours.

the door lock actuator is the part most likely to fail imho. this part has a lot of plastic. unfortunately, this was not a part i ordered, so all i could do was check mine, clean it up good, judiciously re-grease, and reinstall. as best i can figure, the DLA has 2 ways to release [unlatch] the door and 3 ways to lock/unlock--key mechanical, inside mechanical lever, and internal door electrical actuator.

i was in a hurry, and for got to grab the camera to shoot the DLA. there are fair diagrams in the fsm BF-10, i'll try to figure out how to post .pdf excerpts in a thread, haven't figured that out yet...

the parts i did replace are the link rods to the inside handle release and lock. i also changed a few of the nylon bushings and retainers. the one part that seemed the most worn was the 'blue' bushing that actuates the door release when you pull the handle from the outside.



picture quality not the best, but you can see that the thru hole is off centre and slightly enlarged. i could speculate that if REALLY worn, the actuating rod would slip right thru, and you wouldn't be able to open the door from the outside. but, that doesn't *really* seem to be your problem.

do you have factory keyless? can you hear the actuator throw the lock open/closed? what about using the key from outside? and finally, the 'thumb' lever inside?just trying to confirm what the failure is: door unlocks, but won't release, or door does not unlock. knowing that might help to minimise the hole saw hackup of you door panel [better approach than cutting door skin].

[3Q Jay]

here's the linkage rods i replaced. when i got the old ones out, they looked fine. of course, i put the new ones in anyway..what the heck. but, i wouldn't bother, unless you know yours are bad. the picture however, may help add some visual life to the fsm page.



the upper rod is the 'lock' rod. it pivots during lock/unlock. the right end attaches to the thumb lever, and the left end attaches down low on the DLA, via one of the same green retainers.the lower rod in the bag is the release rod. right end goes to the handle, left end attaches up high on the DLA, and is the second DLA release path [exterior handle thru the blue bushing in previous post is the first].

i know you are still in emergency mode..hope there is a relatively painless way for you to get it resolved. when you have the root cause, PLEASE post up some pics, so we can all benefit from this and diffuse the time bomb.

[3Q Jay]

Robert--that link just says 'search expired'.

[DAEDALUS]

Ah, deleted. One of the drawbacks to Relynet. VB used to catalog searches. Came in very useful.

[thirdq]

All the mechanisms to open the door is busted [so it seems]. Whole Sunday shot - what a crapolla, I was all set to do the fuel pump replacment, instead ended up becoming a locksmith......LOL

GQ Jay, I am able to see this blue plastic [from your diagram] that sits on top of the lever where the door handle rod pushes in (when handle is lifted) - I tried pushing this lever down with a rod and this lever is not going down - looks like something is holding it from going down and as such the door is not opening.

I acautally took apart the passenger front door as a reference point and has been using it to understand the mechanism and how things work - on the passenger door, there is a lot of play on this lever [where this blue plastic came from in your picture] and I can push it down quite a bit.

However on the driver side door this lever [I am going thru the space b/w the window and the doot sheet metal] is almost stuck - does not budge at all, may be 1/10th of the one working in the passenger side. I think this is where my problem is. And am not sure how to make this lever loose and do its job.

Plan to call the dealer/stealer tomorrow. interestingly the car is all torn apart, the tech will be amused to see this car with almost no interior part left intact.....

[3Q Jay]

ok so sounds like lock/unlock not the issue, but release. using pass side for reference again, see what moves when you pull the interior release handle. there should be one of those green [or is it orange since pass side is a mirror]? retainers near top of DLA closer to the interior of car than the blue. once you see how that one moves, try manually moving the one on the driver's side [which will have the green retainer, i expect].

as for the rod and the blue insert not moving much, can you see the rod move fairly freely for the first millimeter, until it contacts the blue? sounds like the lever itself is hosed--just trying to make sure your rod to blue bushing is not binding.

[thirdq]

I busted the handle rod out already - meaning the handle rod is no longer inside the blue plastic and the latch levr hole anymore. So, now pulling the door handle is not doing anything - actually for this I am pushing onto the lever directly using a metal rod from the outside via the space b/w the window and the door. This lever is stuck.

Interestingly when I pull the door opener from the inside [thumb lever], the results are the same [however; it uses a different mechanism to open the door] - this does not include the blue plastic topped lever at all - however; inside or outside - both result in locked door.

I have applied as much pressure as I could via a metal rod onto this lever [on which the blue pastic is attached] and this guy does not move much at all. What will make this lever not move? Lost.......

In the reference door example, whether the key is in or not, whether the car is locked or not - I can move this lever. It seems this lever only actuates when opening the door from the outside. If so, then why am I not able to open the door from the inside as well. Arghhhhhh.

This may be veyr simple - however; it seems I am in for a surgery on the inside door trim - man what a nightmare......

Thanks for your help

[thirdq]

One of the dealer wants $900 to fix this - he thinks the window will be broken by the time they bust open the latch and the cost willl go higher if it does - I will dump this before spending another $900 on it with all the other issues going on with this car.

Arghhhh

[3Q Jay]

lunch break, so i only have a minute... the two release points on the DLA are somewhat related, but they also work somewhat independently [man now i wish i had taken pix when i had it out, but i do remember moving the 'inside' release lever with my fingers and the 'outside' (blue) lever not moving much if at all]. anyway, try lifting UP the busted blue portion of the release. maybe it is actually down [trying to release] and not up, which might explain why you can't push it further down. then, try locking/unlocking the door just for yux and grins, and then open from the inside handle.

[thirdq]

I broke the plastic cover on the door latch - now I am not sure what part to move to open the door latch.

Both of the inside rods (door open & door lock) are of course useless as the plastic pieces are all gone form the DLA (in fact the metal rods from the door are now just hanging loose).

So, the Door latch is now completely detached with the door lock - in fact it is now 2 seaprate pieces with nothing connecting them. Now I need to figure out what to jiggle/press to switch the door lock to unlock. Kind of stumbled.....

Thanks

[3Q Jay]

I broke the plastic cover on the door latch - now I am not sure what part to move to open the door latch.

you mean *the*DLA, as in the mechanism buried down at the rear of the door? wow.

Both of the inside rods (door open & door lock) are of course useless as the plastic pieces are all gone form the DLA (in fact the metal rods from the door are now just hanging loose).

well, unless you undid the green nylon retainer, i would think the release rod to the inside handle would still be in place, connecting to the metal part of the DLA, up high, near the plastic cover. in other words, i thought the cover was just a cover and not part of the mechanism linkage...but i don't really know as i havent taken one apart. is it possible that that rod was dangling from the beginning, before you broke the plastic off?

So, the Door latch is now completely detached with the door lock - in fact it is now 2 seaprate pieces with nothing connecting them. Now I need to figure out what to jiggle/press to switch the door lock to unlock. Kind of stumbled.....

Thanks

so, the thumb latch is not connected [the 2 piece rod with bellcrank in the middle], but you still have the key from outside and the electrical path to lock/unlock, right? problem will be to unlock, if the release mechanism 'thinks' that you are trying to open the door. kinda like when your kid [at least mine] is holding the door handle to open the door when you are trying to unlock it and nothing happens.

so, back to the previous..is there any way to 'neutral' the release action? whether lifting up the residual tab on the DLA where the blue bushing was, or pushing aft the tang on the top of the DLA where the door release rod did attach?

[thirdq]

I broke all of it - there is no lever anymore that I can see or push - the only thing intact now is the actual door lock on the door fame - this is the last of the pieces, all other levers are all gone

So where the two rods (door open and doo close) used to go in - those metal and assoicated plastic pieces are n o longer in place. The only thing left is the door lock - it is where the actual door lock is [locking mechanism].

My theory is that something from the latching mechanism used to flip the something inside the lock to pop it open, I need to push the same area to see if it will flip. Arghhhhh again

[tkd_q45]

ThirdQ - Sorry to hear about all the trouble!

My local mechanic fixed my door problem (similar to yours, door would not open from inside or outside - lock would unlock then automatically lock). Cost me around $250 - $300 parts and labor (don't have reciept in front of me/had some other stuff done) to get it fixed. He ended up putting in both a new lock actuator and rod/link. Didn't ask how he got the door open. Can't tell you how nice it is to enter via the driver's door after over a month of climbing over the passenger seat!!!

[thirdq]

I tell you what, I am getting there - it has been few days and I am already tired of jumping in from the passenger seat.

[infiniti tech]

The problem is the latch has a pivot point that operates the lock/unlock portion of the unit that is broken off. What you want to do is move the lock/unlock up or down and then use the outside door handle to open the door. It is tough and I have had to do it before for my customers. Some cars are harder because the factory put metal covers over the lock rods to make them harder to break into.

[thirdq]

Got it open last night - the difficult part was to find out the lever that was part of the lock which opens the door lock. It is one small son of a gun lever on the side of the black lock case that needs to be moved to open the locking mechanism.

Anyways, I have the door open now - now the task begins of repairing - as I have broken quiet a bit of it, I am not sure what all I need to get it back together.

Does the lever on which the blue nylon housing sits [where the external door handle hinge sits on] is that part of the latch and comes with it?

My actuator seems to be OK.

I think what I will do this time is to disconnect the actuator and just depend on the mehcanical means to open and close the driver side door.

I will try to take some pictures - but it is still dark inside the door frame and where the actual lever is is even darker and pretty small.

Thanks

[3Q Jay]

hey, good news!

the lever that the blue bushing goes into is part of the DLA.

to take out the DLA, there is the blue bushing and the 2 green retainers [sounds like already de-mated from your previous posts], a yellow retainer where the key cylinder link attaches to a plastic lever on the DLA [seemed fragile to me], 3 screws on the aft door frame, one 10mm bolt, and one electrical harness connector.

when you say your actuator seems fine, but you broke it all up, i'm not following: are you categorising the DLA into sections: a)the electrical actuator that is plactic cased, and b) the larger heavier piece that contains the locking mechanism?

[Q451990]

I hope I'm never reading this thread and understanding what you guys are talking about! This looks like a real bear of an issue!

Heath

[thirdq]

Heath, it is just a matter of time - it is purely a mechanical device (door latch) and one day it will give in.

I got the door latch part shipped from Scottsdale - atleast one benefit of living in sizzling Phoenix is that we get the item next day from them with no additional shipment charges [have to pay taxes.....though].

I have been opening the door [last few days] knowing exactly where to put my finger and move the clip [from inside the car] and have been able to atleast get out from the driver side, getting in is another story - have to jump in from the passenger side.

The door latch was $92 + tax + shipping from Joe, planning to put it in this evening, will report how it goes. Concerned about all the alignment that needs to come out just right for the all options [electronic latch, internal lever, outside lever] to work in tendem.

[thirdq]

Jay, yes I am certain that the DLA and the electronic actuator are 2 separate components. I only busted the DLA and not the actuator, as such my hope is that actuator is fine, we will know more tonight.

And you are absolutely right, the DLA has all the levers, my job is now to insert all the rods in the appropriate levers [including one for the external door handle, external key lock, internal door release and internal lock - about 4 rods]

I will try to take pictures.

hey, good news!

the lever that the blue bushing goes into is part of the DLA.

to take out the DLA, there is the blue bushing and the 2 green retainers [sounds like already de-mated from your previous posts], a yellow retainer where the key cylinder link attaches to a plastic lever on the DLA [seemed fragile to me], 3 screws on the aft door frame, one 10mm bolt, and one electrical harness connector.

when you say your actuator seems fine, but you broke it all up, i'm not following: are you categorising the DLA into sections: a)the electrical actuator that is plactic cased, and b) the larger heavier piece that contains the locking mechanism?

[3Q Jay]

Concerned about all the alignment that needs to come out just right for the all options [electronic latch, internal lever, outside lever] to work in tendem.

just take the whole thing out [2 pieces, but take it out as one integrated] like i described above. do whatever swapout of old for new on your bench and then put the whole thing back in integrated. the way i did it: blue bushing rod in first, followed by the yellow retainer to key barrel linkage. do that with the assmbly just loose in the door. then put in the 3 aft screws and lastly connected the two green retainers for the thumb latch and inside release handle linkage. it all went back together very smoothly and everything lined up. the outer release rod [blue bushing] contacts at the 3rd highest setting of the 4 on mine to achieve the 1mm gap--yours may be different.

[DAEDALUS]

Kind of off topic, but since you guys have your door skins removed...Anyone ever figure out how to remove the skin without breaking the plastic hook retainer up near the mirror?

[Q451990]

I think you just have to carefully lift the skin off after popping all of the clips loose... Common problem though... one was broken on Q2 (i bought a replacement "triangle") and I think both are shot on "Q1"

Heath