This was performed on a 98 Toyota Carolla: Assuming you are not locked out and have a front passenger door that won't open from inside or out with the key or by pulling the manual lock button up... I slipped a slim jim into the door from the inside, with the window up, about four inches ahead of the latch and used the hook end to poke and pull at the latch mechanism gently while pulling on the inside door handle occasionally. At some point, I tripped the lock linkage, and the inside door handle opened the door. It was a blind attempt to manipulate the lock as seeing or feeling linkage from the inside is almost impossible, but it worked out. Took about 10 minutes of effort.
I'm try to get my driver side door open hopefully with your experience I will have a better chance at it. There is no way possible to get that door panel off without the opening the door also getting in and out of my car through the passenger side door is not fun
@WILLY52368 Measure down on the inside of the opposite door from the bottom of the window to the latch on your slim jim so you have an estimate of how deep to loo search for the latch mechanism inside the door. If you see the lock button move you'll know that you're in the correct area. Pull the door handle at regular intervals to check if it will open the door. Good luck!
Sorry you went through all that. It was all very unnecessary though. This isn't for you as you got it open but for anyone else reading this. I am an automotive locksmith and have opened many doors like this without ever taken anything apart nor would I. Most opened in less then 2-3 minutes. First off you need to understand how these work. The problem was with the latch not the lock. It's confusing I know. The latch on an older car like this is probably easier than a new one. New cars mostly use cables rather than rods like this one. The key to this would have been wedging the outside door skin from the window to create space and using a good light down by the latch. 99% of these the linkage rod comes off the plastic keeper somehow. Some older ones used metal clips that rusted and broke but the majority of clips are plastic. I have been out to many that police, tow truck drivers, the helpful neighbor tried to unlock the car with keys in it and broke everything. You can't just stick a slim jim in these and go nuts. There is actually skill and knowledge involved. I could also always tell if someone was there before me. I won't give that clue away though. You need to find the unlock lever on the latch. That's the arm the rod was connected to. Sometimes it's on the edge of the door side and very hard to see and get to but you have to think logically where it could be if you can't see it. Looking for the plastic keeper will usually help or possibly the hole where it used to live. I obviously have door tools but a wire hanger with a hook could be used to pull up or push down and the door will open. I have been doing this since the 80's and only had one door I couldn't open. That's why I still remember it. Someone could have also knocked the linkage off trying to break in. Sometimes the keeper breaks from age. You name it I have seen it all. I have a had a few where the actuator (for auto lock/unlock) froze and wouldn't allow the latch to open. I actually had to knock the rod off to release the latch on those. I hope this helps someone else who is a good DIY person. If not just pay some guy like me who won't damage and tear up your inside door panel.
That's an amazing solution! BUT, really? There are "lots of guys like you" with this specialized knowledge and tools? I have my doubts that I'll find someone here on the tiny island of Kauai. If I were a millionaire I'd fly you out for a vacation... as long as you brought your tools! 🙂
@@scotts4125 Thanks for the reply. I appreciate your generous spirit in sharing your knowledge with others in your field. Before I retired as a high-end cabinet installer, remodeler, and finish carpenter I realized that many of my skills and "tricks of the trade" were learned from working alongside other journeyman-level craftsmen. It was a brotherhood. So, I have a call in to my local guy and I had already thought to show him your detailed description above as soon as I get an email for him. His website only speaks about being a lockout expert but maybe he can do more, or would feel comfortable following your guide. There is however a secondary issue that I need to plan for. I don't believe I have a locking issue; it's the latch that is frozen. Should he be able to free the latch I still have to remediate the reason that caused the latch to freeze shut. Otherwise the next time I close the door I'll likely have the same problem. So, my thought was that I would have to buy some parts to have at the ready and hope that the locksmith could also fix the problem once we get the door open and can easily take the interior panel off to access the mechanisms. I stopped in at an auto-body shop to ask if they had experience in getting frozen latches open and they told me that they could muscle the panel off from the inside like the video here but couldn't be sure that they could still get parts for a 22 year old car. It looked like it was going to be a two week deal and cost around $400! It's a 2000 Honda CRV with auto-locks.
@@scotts4125 Today was the day that the 30 years experienced locksmith with the borescope, wedges and slim jim worked on it for about 45 minutes before saying that this was one for the books and he couldn't help us. He showed me the camera screen and pointed out what to look at. It's a stumper alright. Both inside and outside handles move the rods as they should. All the rods are clipped in to where they are supposed to be. The test that pointed to the problem was to turn the key in the lock and watch the lock button on the inside respond to the key (these are electric locks btw). It went down all the way but came up only half way and wouldn't go any further. Since the electric actuator seemed to be working fine, that indicated that there was something physical interacting with the rod that raises the lock button enough to make the latch release the "claw" that wraps around the stud that protrudes from the door jamb. When I looked in the camera and pulled the door handle, what I could see was the rod that pushes the locking button to the up position would move upwards but then stop before reaching full extension. The big problem is that we can't see through the plastic casing to where we suspect there is some debris or a broken part inside the latch housing. There's got to be something in there on top of the rod so that when the rod tries to lift up to open the door it sandwiches the debris between itself and the latch's plastic casing. There didn't seem to be any way to see or remove the suspected culprit. Even if we could have gotten a small wire down in there to explore, it would simply push the intruder further in to the plastic casing. The bottom line is we seem to be completely stymied because even if we could get the door panel pulled back enough to reach our hand down in there, pulling up on the rod to unlock the door would still encounter whatever is stuck inside the casing and not be able to travel upwards. If you have any miracles in your kit, we are all ears. It seems like we are not going to get this door open from either the outside OR the inside. What a bummer. We bought the car to be a rental. 😞
@@davidgardener5519 I would try to knock the rod off the actuator and move the rod without the actuator attached. You could also try to remove the rod off the latch and move the part of the latch the rod is attached to. I realize sitting at a KB is lot easier then actually being there. Either one of those might take a couple of hours but that's really the only choice without destroying the door. Possibly remove the plastic around the inside lock and grabbing the rod with pliers and yank the crap out of it? The other thing might be to drill out the lock and grabbing the rod with everything you have. Those are really your only options besides destroying the door panel. That latch as he probably told you won't release until it's completely unlocked. Maybe spray the crap out of as I suggested before too. I am glad not to be doing this myself lol. Let me know how it turns out. Good luck!
This is a very helpful video. I have a 94 Corolla with an identical problem except it's the driver's door. I just came from my mechanic and he said that he can't find the new replacement latch assembly so he doesn't want to attempt fixing it however I think he doesn't want to go to the trouble of taking the door apart from the inside. I don't blame him. I have ordered an endoscope to see if it will help me diagnose the problem if I can put the camera down inside the door. Since my problem seems to be identical and we have basically the same car I'm going to start spraying a lot of penetrating liquid into the key lock. I had been adding silicone spray but I think a heavy-duty penetrating liquid may work better. Assuming it's the lock. I was able to open it a couple of times from the passenger door outside lock. Initially when I could not get out of the car I opened the window and pulled on the handle from the outside and the handle broke off the right I was able to glue it back on with JB Weld and a piece of steel reinforcement. Then I tried opening and shutting the car several dozen times and had no problem. I was kind of proud of myself. For about two weeks when this happened. If the penetrating liquid does not work and if I cannot find a mechanic I'm going to try your method. Thanks again for taking the time to record this trade I subscribed
Hi Robb, thanks for subscribing. The problem I dealt with occurred because the passenger door wasn't used for a long time. That gave the opportunity for the lock to corrode and become stuck. I am not sure if that would happen to a driver side door that is used frequently. (Penetrating oil can't harm the lock.) The quickest way to see if you can get lucky is to remove the door opener on the inside. Then grab the metal rod that is connected to the latch. If you can pull that and it opens the door, voila! If you cannot open the door that way, the problem may not be with the latch, but with the lock. (see 2:01 on the video.) Good luck! :)
Ok so I asked chatgpt what I can do. It advised to open and close the central locking with the switch fast continuously... can you believe it worked. I did it about 30 times and it eventually worked something loose and opened the lock. unbelievable, but well worth a try to anyone with a seized central locking mech.
Just want to say thanks mate this helped alot! Rear passenger door of my Nissan xtrail wouldn't open from inside or out and this video allowed me to fix it!
You were so patient and very instructive thank you so much for doing that I know that was a lot of work! Seems so crazy that they make it so difficult to get inside of a panel when they know that things are gonna break down in there they should make it a lot easier. It makes me wonder if it's just part of the Industry because some people, if they had the money, would maybe just rather trade in their vehicle rather than go through all of that (or pay for an expensive repair)! So maybe they do that on purpose!? Just like they used to make everything so durable and you barely had to replace anything back in the day, now everything's breakable and you they expect you to replace things instead of repair them. Not only is that taking advantage of the consumer but it is also bad for the environment! One example is front load washers like the Kenmore HE3T... You have to take apart the entire machine just replace the drum now where older washers you easily can take the parts apart and clean out the drum and then often times repairing or cleaning that part (or at least be able to get to those parts - they trap moisture and get a lot of mold issues) - when you can't easily clean the drum remove the drum a lot of people just choose to replace their stuff instead of going through the trouble of actually cleaning it and soaking it and doing all these things that you can do easily. Our landfills are filling up with all the appliances that are easily cleaned and repaired, and now that they're making them harder to repair an/or clean-- it's even worse because people who would normally clean or repair their item our now for sure too frustrated to even go through that process and throwing them out into a dump or landfill). Sorry for the tangent that just reminded me of one way they're making things so dang difficult just to repair! Anyways thank you very much for going through the trouble of making this video. I celebrated with you in your "moment of truth" when you got your door to open - it was awesome! Lol thanks again have a great day! :)
lawmakers LOVE that!!! each new unit sold, MORE money for them in taxes; they don't give 2 shtts about the rest,the important stuff like you said,the ease of repairs; CARS are proof, today they are ALMOST UNREPAIRABLE, go figure...
Thank you for a great explanation and video. I am having similar problems on a Nissan Pathfinder plus the electrical portion is not working on the lock or window, window is closed though fortunately. Good description.
My front passenger door on my 2000 Buick Park Avenue is locked and won't unlock or open up. Just like yours it won’t open from the inside or outside. The problem is the door lock actuator not the lock itself. However the process to get to the rods by removing the interior door panel will be the same. I’m dreading having to destroy my interior panel just to get to those rods so I will have to wait for the weather to get warmer to do this job. It’s February right now and I live in Chicago. Thanks for posting, very informative.
Why don't you start with the first door. If you are able to open it it should be fairly easy to take off the trim and inside panel. Then you will be able to see the lock and find out why it is not locking. :)
great video! It's nice to see the whole process. I have the same problem, also on a corolla but the back door. I'm going to sell it so I don't know how long I'm going to spend messing with it but I'm going to give it a shot right now. Thanks for the help!
Thanks so much for this video. I have the same problem on a Honda CRV. It won't be exactly the same but I'll bet it's close. I've been watching other videos for over an hour and yours comes closest to showing me what I'm going to need to do. I hope the lower Honda trim comes off like your Toyota and that hack saw blade solves the issue of that snap screw sandwiched between the dash board and the door panel. Good job!
@@Pen_Pusher We ended up paying a specialty locksmith $50 to work on it for an hour and then give up. We then went to our auto mechanic who said he could do it. He succeeded although it took many hours and some damage to the door panel for a cost of $375. A spring had broken and the debris was interfering with the mechanism's ability to fully raise/release the rod that unlocks the door. The mechanic fashioned a new spring from something he had laying around and all is good now.
Use a Dremel tool and cut the plastic handle and of course buy the replacement handle online 1st only cut the plastic once you do the the release will be accessible and you can open the door again
Have you tried pulling the rod or cable connected to the door handle? You have to pop off the black piece attached above the air vent in the corner then the panel will slide back and come off.
yo , so I had this same issue I followed this video and pulled apart everything with the door jammed shut, but what ultimately fixed it was wd 40 graphite sprayed in the keyslot
Exact same case with my 2006 Honda Civic. Except a few more things. Long story short, one time I was trying to unlock my driver door (unlike the passenger side in this vid) from the keyhole. It was resisting my key and then the keyhole either broke or got jammed, making it impossible to unlock or open the door from the inside or outside. On top of that, opening the passenger door (haven't tested the two rear doors yet) sets off the horn and it won't stop unless I turn the ignition off, get out the car and disconnect the battery cable.
Honda makes great cars and crappy locks. Basically the wafers wear out in them. It happens on the ignitions and drivers door. I'm not BSing we get a call on someone who's Honda key won't open the door almost every day. We run just automotive locksmith calls 100-150 per week. Honda has known about this for 20 years and they continue to use the same wafers. There are a million videos how to fix it. You can buy a $25 keying kit and rekey the lock yourself. These are a bitch to R&R. The have a fun clip that's a PITA. We send them to a mechanic. My guys never want to touch another one again. lol The alarm will only shut off with the FOB or drivers door lock. We see this daily too. The alarm will go off every time you start the car but shut off after 3 minutes. We warn these people before we unlock the door for them. I also tell them we don't disconnect alarms or the battery. Some Honda radios need to be reset so we don't go there. Usually they don't want to pay $250 for a working fob so they pay us to open it and they deal with the alarm while we chuckle to ourselves. lol I never tried it but I would assume if you removed the drivers door panel and removed the lock linkage connected to the lock and turned the latch to the unlock position it would disable the alarm. We do that a certain cars with electric trunk buttons. When you open them with a tool the alarm goes off and disables the electric trunk button. We pull the lock turn the latch with a screwdriver so the car thinks the lock was turned with a key. It shuts the alarm off and allows the trunk button to work. This is when they lock the keys in the trunk and the backseats don't fold down.
I’m shopping for another car to replace my 2000 Buick Park Avenue that I love because it is so quiet but the driver’s side door won’t open from inside or outside. My mechanic has fixed it, I don’t know how, it quit opening, he fixed it again, it quit opening. One of his customers was selling his 2014 Lexus es 350. I drove it, LOVED it but mileage was too high. So I’m shopping for a used Lexus. I noticed you said, “ Honda's have horrible door and Ignition locks. They use poor quality wafers in the locks that wear out and the key stops working.”. I considered looking at Acura’s. My question, do you think an Acura is as well made as a Lexus? Since Honda has the lock and door problems? Thank you for your advice!
Hi Kay, I think someone else made that comment. I am not aware of an inherent problem with their doors and locks. The car I worked on was a Toyota. Personally, I won't hesitate to buy a Toyota or a Honda. They are good quality cars. 🙂
Great job. My '96 Carolla has the exact same issue with the same door. Another guy on youtube got the lock to work by shooting PB blaster down both sides of the window glass. If that doesn't work your approach will be Plan B.
@@Pen_Pusher Thank you for replying. If I may trouble you.... None of the trucks with PB Blaster worked. Both handles still pull freely, seemingly as though the linkage is disconnected. The door lock pulls up halfway and then jams. I have another idea. Since the lock mechanism may need to be replaced I am thinking of drilling a hole in it from the outside. Right above the keyway. Do you happen to recall, is that opening in the body about as large as the door handle piece, or if I drill in above the where the key is inserted will I likely hit the body/frame?
I have a similar problem with the exact make and model as this car but both driver side and passenger front outside door handles are broken so I can't get into the car at all. Any advice? All interior door handles work fine. No problem with any of the locks.
Car door would not open from inside or outside. After many searches, I was able to fix this quickly and at no cost. Roll down your window. Pound on the door inside and outside at the same time near the handles. Door worked immediately.
Was the rusted bolt on back of the door handle the problem? Or did you have to replace the door lock actuator? I'm guessing you still had to replace the door lock actuator on the side of the door. You didn't need to remove the door handle.
Hi Tammy, the actuator and the handle was fine. It was the lock mechanism (inside the door, next to the handle) that was rusted and refused to budge. I cleaned off the rust and lubricated the lock. Voila, it worked again!
1992 geo tracker no eletrical parts all mechanical removing the seat I think going be what gets the door open got a few trackers so remove the lock from one of those to replace damaged lock
It should be similar. This is quite a big job. It might be better to have a shop look at it and use their equipment to get the door open. Once you have the door open you can remove the trim and get to the issue inside the door. Good luck!
Did absolutely all of this on my 03 Sequoia and it STILL won't open. About ready to get some spreaders from the local fire dept and rip the door off. Is there no way to access the actual latch whatsoever??
Yes, look at 2:02 on the video. Pulling on that metal rod is engaging the latch. My latch was prevented from moving because of my frozen lock. The other way to access the latch is to follow the metal rod (seen at 11:45) all the way to the latch, where it is attached. Remove the metal sheet in the middle of the door and get eyes on the latch from inside the door (see 13:10). If the latch or actuator is broken you should be able to see where the problem lies and then manually operate the mechanism to open the door. Good luck!
@@Pen_Pusher Seems the method to unlock the door was to unclip that one plastic fastener on the rod ...and the door unlocked. I did that and it was not as automatic as yours; had to bang it a couple times ...as I only got as far as pulling the panel topside off so I could see down from the top. Instead of taking off the seat and the bottom base panel (which I could not get out on a 2002) ... I used a long toothed wood saw to reach down that space behind the panel ...and pull that fastener off. Just like yours, it unlocked (with a couple taps). Thanks. this vid saved me a lot of headaches. Still have to get that lock and handle off, but the hard part is over.
@@Pen_Pusher On your vid, the handle part was rusty. I see no rust on the handle part, But the original clip (that you first unlocked the door with) goes to some kind of lever on the actuator and that seemed tight as I had to tap it to unlock the door. So it seems I will have to take out the actuator. Was that lever not rusty on yours. Not looking forward to taking out the actuator, but 2002 looks easier than 2003. Just tried spraying Wd40 around the lever...and it seems there is more action . Thx again.
I had the same issue. I went from th outside of the door. My door handle broke apart. I removed the pieces and pushed down on the rod connected to the latch. The whole process took 5 mins.
@@jackreacher9452 It is either the lock or the latch. If your lock is working okay, it must be the latch. Open it again and double check that you hooked it up right.
The first thing to try is to squirt WD40 and/or penetrating oil into the lock mechanism. Do that for a few days and see if it helps. In my case rust was the issue. The actuator was fine.
@@Pen_Pusher thank yiou - my handyman got in --m 30. of fiddling - rolled down window - with flashlight he saw the wire - pushed it down and out of the way - it may have happened because of lack of lubrication? I used 3M oil in keyhole afterwards and smooth operating now
There can be different reasons for the issue. In my case the lock was rusted up. Knowing what I know now, I would squirt rust dissolver into the door lock daily for a week or so, and hope it loosens it up. :)
Hi..sir..i have the same problem but on toyota vios 2009 model..same as front passenger door wont open inside or outside..how can i open this door? hope you can give me some idea or tutorial about this..by the way im from Philippines...thanks a lot..
Hi Mervin, there is no easy way. If you can afford it, take it to a shop. They have the right equipment to take care of it. Otherwise, you have to go the long way, like I did. :)
On a car here in the shop, i just popped a new battery on the remote and it opened, i then removed the latch, bent one tab that was worn, it worked freely, and then filled it all with grease before re-assembly; on another car last month i cut a nice 2.5 inch round hole inside, with the hole saw,aftyer muscling out the door panel; a shame the manufs do not do it, punchind access holes, at the factory,it would cost them pennies but as with ALL issues in cars now, the REGULATORS and the CLIMATOIDS with their wild immaginations , theyare to blame, they now do more harm than good; (68 yo mech/engineer here.....)
Sooo i need help my car door won't open on the drivers door the ourside works but not the inside soo i have to roll the window all the way down to open it. But i don't have the money to get it fixed by someone so I'm trying to do it myself
Okay, hopefully it is not too bad. The first thing to do is open your door and remove the panel on the inside of your door. You will be able to look inside the door and follow the mechanism from the handle to the latch. You should be able to see why it is not functioning.
Pray that JESUS help you, remove outside window strip get a strong piece of wire bend a 10mm piece 90 degrees and torch look down into door with window down take handle and move it see where it goes into lock put wire in down to door lock move wire up and down until you hook the right spot you will see handle move move until lock open be patient small movements until you hook the lock if lock lift open door take panel off and lube lock and wire knuckles good, and then problem solved. It worked for me thank GOD no locksmith just patience
Hi Martin, thanks for commenting. Unfortunately, your method would not work on this vehicle. At 2:03 you will notice that the lever that moves the locking mechanism does not even budge with the full force of a pair of pliers. There is zero chance that it moves with a piece of wire inserted from above. :)
The result is NOT from his figuring out what to do. He just stumbled on a workaround. Repeat just what to do to use the exterior door lever to open the door...
I am sure there are better ways of doing this, but this was the way I got it done. As Shakespeare once said, "An ill-favored thing, Sir, but mine own. "
I love your determination. Never give up. Never surrender.
Hi my
What a WONDERFUL video!! The driver's door on my son's 2000 Camry is in the same shape. You've given us hope for a fix!
Your son should have some fun as he fixes the door. Glad I could help! :)
My 2000 Camry is having the same issue. Did you find a fix?
GOod GOD bro!!! Damn!!! I have that problem right now... I am dreading doing that... Mother of god!!!
All I can say, Good Luck!
I'm reading this comment and cracking up. Because Mother of God, me too! 😂😂😂
@@MarielleStair sweet beebi jeeziz, me too...
This was performed on a 98 Toyota Carolla: Assuming you are not locked out and have a front passenger door that won't open from inside or out with the key or by pulling the manual lock button up...
I slipped a slim jim into the door from the inside, with the window up, about four inches ahead of the latch and used the hook end to poke and pull at the latch mechanism gently while pulling on the inside door handle occasionally. At some point, I tripped the lock linkage, and the inside door handle opened the door. It was a blind attempt to manipulate the lock as seeing or feeling linkage from the inside is almost impossible, but it worked out. Took about 10 minutes of effort.
Thanks for sharing!
I'm try to get my driver side door open hopefully with your experience I will have a better chance at it. There is no way possible to get that door panel off without the opening the door also getting in and out of my car through the passenger side door is not fun
@WILLY52368 Measure down on the inside of the opposite door from the bottom of the window to the latch on your slim jim so you have an estimate of how deep to loo search for the latch mechanism inside the door. If you see the lock button move you'll know that you're in the correct area. Pull the door handle at regular intervals to check if it will open the door. Good luck!
@@J.V.Swanson Ahh.....got it, I'll let you know know how it goes. Thanks again for responding, it really means a lot 🤙
Well done. You stuck with the project. Good for you.
Sorry you went through all that. It was all very unnecessary though. This isn't for you as you got it open but for anyone else reading this. I am an automotive locksmith and have opened many doors like this without ever taken anything apart nor would I. Most opened in less then 2-3 minutes. First off you need to understand how these work. The problem was with the latch not the lock. It's confusing I know. The latch on an older car like this is probably easier than a new one. New cars mostly use cables rather than rods like this one. The key to this would have been wedging the outside door skin from the window to create space and using a good light down by the latch. 99% of these the linkage rod comes off the plastic keeper somehow. Some older ones used metal clips that rusted and broke but the majority of clips are plastic. I have been out to many that police, tow truck drivers, the helpful neighbor tried to unlock the car with keys in it and broke everything. You can't just stick a slim jim in these and go nuts. There is actually skill and knowledge involved. I could also always tell if someone was there before me. I won't give that clue away though. You need to find the unlock lever on the latch. That's the arm the rod was connected to. Sometimes it's on the edge of the door side and very hard to see and get to but you have to think logically where it could be if you can't see it. Looking for the plastic keeper will usually help or possibly the hole where it used to live. I obviously have door tools but a wire hanger with a hook could be used to pull up or push down and the door will open. I have been doing this since the 80's and only had one door I couldn't open. That's why I still remember it. Someone could have also knocked the linkage off trying to break in. Sometimes the keeper breaks from age. You name it I have seen it all. I have a had a few where the actuator (for auto lock/unlock) froze and wouldn't allow the latch to open. I actually had to knock the rod off to release the latch on those. I hope this helps someone else who is a good DIY person. If not just pay some guy like me who won't damage and tear up your inside door panel.
That's an amazing solution! BUT, really? There are "lots of guys like you" with this specialized knowledge and tools? I have my doubts that I'll find someone here on the tiny island of Kauai. If I were a millionaire I'd fly you out for a vacation... as long as you brought your tools! 🙂
OMG! There's an auto locksmith right down the street from me!!! Hallelujah!
@@scotts4125 Thanks for the reply. I appreciate your generous spirit in sharing your knowledge with others in your field. Before I retired as a high-end cabinet installer, remodeler, and finish carpenter I realized that many of my skills and "tricks of the trade" were learned from working alongside other journeyman-level craftsmen. It was a brotherhood.
So, I have a call in to my local guy and I had already thought to show him your detailed description above as soon as I get an email for him. His website only speaks about being a lockout expert but maybe he can do more, or would feel comfortable following your guide.
There is however a secondary issue that I need to plan for. I don't believe I have a locking issue; it's the latch that is frozen. Should he be able to free the latch I still have to remediate the reason that caused the latch to freeze shut. Otherwise the next time I close the door I'll likely have the same problem.
So, my thought was that I would have to buy some parts to have at the ready and hope that the locksmith could also fix the problem once we get the door open and can easily take the interior panel off to access the mechanisms.
I stopped in at an auto-body shop to ask if they had experience in getting frozen latches open and they told me that they could muscle the panel off from the inside like the video here but couldn't be sure that they could still get parts for a 22 year old car. It looked like it was going to be a two week deal and cost around $400! It's a 2000 Honda CRV with auto-locks.
@@scotts4125 Today was the day that the 30 years experienced locksmith with the borescope, wedges and slim jim worked on it for about 45 minutes before saying that this was one for the books and he couldn't help us.
He showed me the camera screen and pointed out what to look at. It's a stumper alright. Both inside and outside handles move the rods as they should. All the rods are clipped in to where they are supposed to be. The test that pointed to the problem was to turn the key in the lock and watch the lock button on the inside respond to the key (these are electric locks btw). It went down all the way but came up only half way and wouldn't go any further. Since the electric actuator seemed to be working fine, that indicated that there was something physical interacting with the rod that raises the lock button enough to make the latch release the "claw" that wraps around the stud that protrudes from the door jamb.
When I looked in the camera and pulled the door handle, what I could see was the rod that pushes the locking button to the up position would move upwards but then stop before reaching full extension.
The big problem is that we can't see through the plastic casing to where we suspect there is some debris or a broken part inside the latch housing. There's got to be something in there on top of the rod so that when the rod tries to lift up to open the door it sandwiches the debris between itself and the latch's plastic casing. There didn't seem to be any way to see or remove the suspected culprit. Even if we could have gotten a small wire down in there to explore, it would simply push the intruder further in to the plastic casing.
The bottom line is we seem to be completely stymied because even if we could get the door panel pulled back enough to reach our hand down in there, pulling up on the rod to unlock the door would still encounter whatever is stuck inside the casing and not be able to travel upwards.
If you have any miracles in your kit, we are all ears. It seems like we are not going to get this door open from either the outside OR the inside. What a bummer. We bought the car to be a rental.
😞
@@davidgardener5519 I would try to knock the rod off the actuator and move the rod without the actuator attached. You could also try to remove the rod off the latch and move the part of the latch the rod is attached to. I realize sitting at a KB is lot easier then actually being there. Either one of those might take a couple of hours but that's really the only choice without destroying the door. Possibly remove the plastic around the inside lock and grabbing the rod with pliers and yank the crap out of it? The other thing might be to drill out the lock and grabbing the rod with everything you have. Those are really your only options besides destroying the door panel. That latch as he probably told you won't release until it's completely unlocked. Maybe spray the crap out of as I suggested before too. I am glad not to be doing this myself lol. Let me know how it turns out. Good luck!
I love your patience ,very detail clear video, that is exactly what I gonna do.
Thanks Peter. Good luck man! 👍
Wow, that's a real hard nut to crack. Good for you for staying with the project!
Sometimes perseverance is the best tool you have! :)
This is a very helpful video. I have a 94 Corolla with an identical problem except it's the driver's door. I just came from my mechanic and he said that he can't find the new replacement latch assembly so he doesn't want to attempt fixing it however I think he doesn't want to go to the trouble of taking the door apart from the inside. I don't blame him. I have ordered an endoscope to see if it will help me diagnose the problem if I can put the camera down inside the door. Since my problem seems to be identical and we have basically the same car I'm going to start spraying a lot of penetrating liquid into the key lock. I had been adding silicone spray but I think a heavy-duty penetrating liquid may work better. Assuming it's the lock. I was able to open it a couple of times from the passenger door outside lock. Initially when I could not get out of the car I opened the window and pulled on the handle from the outside and the handle broke off the right I was able to glue it back on with JB Weld and a piece of steel reinforcement. Then I tried opening and shutting the car several dozen times and had no problem. I was kind of proud of myself. For about two weeks when this happened. If the penetrating liquid does not work and if I cannot find a mechanic I'm going to try your method. Thanks again for taking the time to record this trade I subscribed
Hi Robb, thanks for subscribing. The problem I dealt with occurred because the passenger door wasn't used for a long time. That gave the opportunity for the lock to corrode and become stuck. I am not sure if that would happen to a driver side door that is used frequently. (Penetrating oil can't harm the lock.) The quickest way to see if you can get lucky is to remove the door opener on the inside. Then grab the metal rod that is connected to the latch. If you can pull that and it opens the door, voila! If you cannot open the door that way, the problem may not be with the latch, but with the lock. (see 2:01 on the video.) Good luck! :)
Ok so I asked chatgpt what I can do. It advised to open and close the central locking with the switch fast continuously... can you believe it worked. I did it about 30 times and it eventually worked something loose and opened the lock. unbelievable, but well worth a try to anyone with a seized central locking mech.
And they said what good would AI do for us? So glad it worked out well!
Just want to say thanks mate this helped alot! Rear passenger door of my Nissan xtrail wouldn't open from inside or out and this video allowed me to fix it!
You're welcome mate!
Wow, fully detailed step by step explanation, this is highly appreciated thank you 👏
You're welcome. Hopefully my struggles can help you!
You were so patient and very instructive thank you so much for doing that I know that was a lot of work! Seems so crazy that they make it so difficult to get inside of a panel when they know that things are gonna break down in there they should make it a lot easier. It makes me wonder if it's just part of the Industry because some people, if they had the money, would maybe just rather trade in their vehicle rather than go through all of that (or pay for an expensive repair)! So maybe they do that on purpose!? Just like they used to make everything so durable and you barely had to replace anything back in the day, now everything's breakable and you they expect you to replace things instead of repair them. Not only is that taking advantage of the consumer but it is also bad for the environment! One example is front load washers like the Kenmore HE3T... You have to take apart the entire machine just replace the drum now where older washers you easily can take the parts apart and clean out the drum and then often times repairing or cleaning that part (or at least be able to get to those parts - they trap moisture and get a lot of mold issues) - when you can't easily clean the drum remove the drum a lot of people just choose to replace their stuff instead of going through the trouble of actually cleaning it and soaking it and doing all these things that you can do easily. Our landfills are filling up with all the appliances that are easily cleaned and repaired, and now that they're making them harder to repair an/or clean-- it's even worse because people who would normally clean or repair their item our now for sure too frustrated to even go through that process and throwing them out into a dump or landfill). Sorry for the tangent that just reminded me of one way they're making things so dang difficult just to repair! Anyways thank you very much for going through the trouble of making this video. I celebrated with you in your "moment of truth" when you got your door to open - it was awesome! Lol thanks again have a great day! :)
Thanks for the encouragement! Don't worry about the rant - I share your frustration!
lawmakers LOVE that!!! each new unit sold, MORE money for them in taxes; they don't give 2 shtts about the rest,the important stuff like you said,the ease of repairs; CARS are proof, today they are ALMOST UNREPAIRABLE, go figure...
Thank you for a great explanation and video. I am having similar problems on a Nissan Pathfinder plus the electrical portion is not working on the lock or window, window is closed though fortunately. Good description.
Good luck on your repair. Don't give up! :)
My front passenger door on my 2000 Buick Park Avenue is locked and won't unlock or open up. Just like yours it won’t open from the inside or outside. The problem is the door lock actuator not the lock itself. However the process to get to the rods by removing the interior door panel will be the same. I’m dreading having to destroy my interior panel just to get to those rods so I will have to wait for the weather to get warmer to do this job. It’s February right now and I live in Chicago.
Thanks for posting, very informative.
Why don't you start with the first door. If you are able to open it it should be fairly easy to take off the trim and inside panel. Then you will be able to see the lock and find out why it is not locking. :)
great video! It's nice to see the whole process. I have the same problem, also on a corolla but the back door. I'm going to sell it so I don't know how long I'm going to spend messing with it but I'm going to give it a shot right now. Thanks for the help!
Haha, I also got it ready for sale. Good luck!
This was for a Matrix, but it should work the same: th-cam.com/video/BmieRDT5aUQ/w-d-xo.html
Thanks so much for this video. I have the same problem on a Honda CRV. It won't be exactly the same but I'll bet it's close. I've been watching other videos for over an hour and yours comes closest to showing me what I'm going to need to do. I hope the lower Honda trim comes off like your Toyota and that hack saw blade solves the issue of that snap screw sandwiched between the dash board and the door panel. Good job!
Good luck David! This is a job that calls for patience and perseverance!
@@Pen_Pusher We ended up paying a specialty locksmith $50 to work on it for an hour and then give up.
We then went to our auto mechanic who said he could do it. He succeeded although it took many hours and some damage to the door panel for a cost of $375.
A spring had broken and the debris was interfering with the mechanism's ability to fully raise/release the rod that unlocks the door.
The mechanic fashioned a new spring from something he had laying around and all is good now.
@@davidgardener5519 I am sorry to hear you had to go through all that, but nice to know you get get it resolved!
Use a Dremel tool and cut the plastic handle and of course buy the replacement handle online 1st only cut the plastic once you do the the release will be accessible and you can open the door again
I’m trying that Tomorrow 😩💕🇦🇺
Great effort. I liked this vedio because you showed us the real steps to overcom the hurdles.
Hi Asia, I struggled so you don't have to! :)
Step 1. Invite the boys over.
Step 2. Get out the sledge hammers.
Step 3. Go to junk yard to buy new door.
Your way sounds like much more fun! :)
😝😝😝
Work from outside the car and when you shine the light down the door move the handle until you see the moving part near the door lock
That was the problem - the moving part did not move. :)
Thank you so much for this video. Had the same problem with Mazda 3 and this helped, big time
You're welcome. It is a helpless feeling when the door just refuses to open, no matter what you do.
This did not work the way I hoped 😅😅 great video
I was definitely hoping it would be easier!
Hey bro I have this same problem with my my left front door this video is the best thanks again god bless 👍
Hi Kevin, there are probably better ways of doing this, but this worked for me. :)
@@Pen_Pusher ok cool thanks bro 🙂
Have you tried pulling the rod or cable connected to the door handle? You have to pop off the black piece attached above the air vent in the corner then the panel will slide back and come off.
Hi Tonja, yes at 2:01 - 2:07 I tried pulling that rod, hoping with all my heart that it would be successful!
We're you able sir to lubricate the old part And reuse it?, Or did you purchase a new part? Thank you.
I could remove the rust and lubricate it again. So, did not have to purchase a new part. :)
wow...just wow. I am glad you got it. Im in the same boat and I dread this
Perseverance is the word. Just keep going and you will get it done! :)
Great video. Hopes works for me
But you give me a better idea of how it looks. Thank you ❤
You're so welcome. Good luck!
yo , so I had this same issue I followed this video and pulled apart everything with the door jammed shut, but what ultimately fixed it was wd 40 graphite sprayed in the keyslot
Oh no! That should be your first option! :)
Thank you very much for this video. I have the exact same problem on a 96 Avalon.
Good luck Lynne. It can be done!
Exact same case with my 2006 Honda Civic. Except a few more things. Long story short, one time I was trying to unlock my driver door (unlike the passenger side in this vid) from the keyhole. It was resisting my key and then the keyhole either broke or got jammed, making it impossible to unlock or open the door from the inside or outside.
On top of that, opening the passenger door (haven't tested the two rear doors yet) sets off the horn and it won't stop unless I turn the ignition off, get out the car and disconnect the battery cable.
Wow, this sounds like a tough situation. It would be good to disconnect the passenger door from the horn, though.
Honda makes great cars and crappy locks. Basically the wafers wear out in them. It happens on the ignitions and drivers door. I'm not BSing we get a call on someone who's Honda key won't open the door almost every day. We run just automotive locksmith calls 100-150 per week. Honda has known about this for 20 years and they continue to use the same wafers. There are a million videos how to fix it. You can buy a $25 keying kit and rekey the lock yourself. These are a bitch to R&R. The have a fun clip that's a PITA. We send them to a mechanic. My guys never want to touch another one again. lol The alarm will only shut off with the FOB or drivers door lock. We see this daily too. The alarm will go off every time you start the car but shut off after 3 minutes. We warn these people before we unlock the door for them. I also tell them we don't disconnect alarms or the battery. Some Honda radios need to be reset so we don't go there. Usually they don't want to pay $250 for a working fob so they pay us to open it and they deal with the alarm while we chuckle to ourselves. lol
I never tried it but I would assume if you removed the drivers door panel and removed the lock linkage connected to the lock and turned the latch to the unlock position it would disable the alarm. We do that a certain cars with electric trunk buttons. When you open them with a tool the alarm goes off and disables the electric trunk button. We pull the lock turn the latch with a screwdriver so the car thinks the lock was turned with a key. It shuts the alarm off and allows the trunk button to work. This is when they lock the keys in the trunk and the backseats don't fold down.
@@scotts4125 Thanks for sharing Scott!
I’m shopping for another car to replace my 2000 Buick Park Avenue that I love because it is so quiet but the driver’s side door won’t open from inside or outside. My mechanic has fixed it, I don’t know how, it quit opening, he fixed it again, it quit opening. One of his customers was selling his 2014 Lexus es 350. I drove it, LOVED it but mileage was too high. So I’m shopping for a used Lexus. I noticed you said, “ Honda's have horrible door and Ignition locks. They use poor quality wafers in the locks that wear out and the key stops working.”. I considered looking at Acura’s. My question, do you think an Acura is as well made as a Lexus? Since Honda has the lock and door problems? Thank you for your advice!
Hi Kay, I think someone else made that comment. I am not aware of an inherent problem with their doors and locks. The car I worked on was a Toyota. Personally, I won't hesitate to buy a Toyota or a Honda. They are good quality cars. 🙂
Great job. My '96 Carolla has the exact same issue with the same door. Another guy on youtube got the lock to work by shooting PB blaster down both sides of the window glass. If that doesn't work your approach will be Plan B.
Steve, my approach should be your last resort! 🤣
@@Pen_Pusher Thank you for replying. If I may trouble you.... None of the trucks with PB Blaster worked. Both handles still pull freely, seemingly as though the linkage is disconnected. The door lock pulls up halfway and then jams.
I have another idea. Since the lock mechanism may need to be replaced I am thinking of drilling a hole in it from the outside. Right above the keyway. Do you happen to recall, is that opening in the body about as large as the door handle piece, or if I drill in above the where the key is inserted will I likely hit the body/frame?
@@stevebakker6884 Hi Steve, if you look at 12:17 on the video you will see what it looks like from the inside. There is open space all around it. 😊
I have a similar problem with the exact make and model as this car but both driver side and passenger front outside door handles are broken so I can't get into the car at all. Any advice? All interior door handles work fine. No problem with any of the locks.
Can you get in through the trunk? If you can open the trunk and fold down a rear seat you are in business!
Car door would not open from inside or outside. After many searches, I was able to fix this quickly and at no cost. Roll down your window. Pound on the door inside and outside at the same time near the handles. Door worked immediately.
I'm glad you got it sorted! :)
Excellent video!!!
Thanks for the encouragement!
Thank you very much... I have the same problem but on the driver's side on a 2001 Camry... Wish me luck
Good luck! You will need lots of determination, but at least you know it is possible. :)
Oh wow same mines unlocks and locks but does not open from inside or outside
Howzit my dude! great vid!
Haha, lots of struggle, dead ends etc. Eventually it all works out! :)
This is a good technique!
It is when you are desperate! Haha
Was the rusted bolt on back of the door handle the problem? Or did you have to replace the door lock actuator? I'm guessing you still had to replace the door lock actuator on the side of the door. You didn't need to remove the door handle.
Hi Tammy, the actuator and the handle was fine. It was the lock mechanism (inside the door, next to the handle) that was rusted and refused to budge. I cleaned off the rust and lubricated the lock. Voila, it worked again!
really enjoyed😁 watching it
It looks more fun to me now that I look back on it. :)
1992 geo tracker no eletrical parts all mechanical removing the seat I think going be what gets the door open got a few trackers so remove the lock from one of those to replace damaged lock
Thank you very much!!!! Your video was very helpful!!!
You are welcome! :)
Can you do this on a Honda CRV or know how to?
It should be similar. This is quite a big job. It might be better to have a shop look at it and use their equipment to get the door open. Once you have the door open you can remove the trim and get to the issue inside the door. Good luck!
That little spring.
Crazy, right?
Did you break the panel??
No, it all worked out! :)
Thank you, having similar issue with 08 Kia Spectra
Hope this worked out all right!
Did absolutely all of this on my 03 Sequoia and it STILL won't open. About ready to get some spreaders from the local fire dept and rip the door off. Is there no way to access the actual latch whatsoever??
Yes, look at 2:02 on the video. Pulling on that metal rod is engaging the latch. My latch was prevented from moving because of my frozen lock. The other way to access the latch is to follow the metal rod (seen at 11:45) all the way to the latch, where it is attached. Remove the metal sheet in the middle of the door and get eyes on the latch from inside the door (see 13:10). If the latch or actuator is broken you should be able to see where the problem lies and then manually operate the mechanism to open the door. Good luck!
Did the W2-40 work or did you have to get a new mechanism?
Yes, it worked well. Removed the rust and lubricated it again. :)
@@Pen_Pusher Seems the method to unlock the door was to unclip that one plastic fastener on the rod ...and the door unlocked. I did that and it was not as automatic as yours; had to bang it a couple times ...as I only got as far as pulling the panel topside off so I could see down from the top. Instead of taking off the seat and the bottom base panel (which I could not get out on a 2002) ... I used a long toothed wood saw to reach down that space behind the panel ...and pull that fastener off. Just like yours, it unlocked (with a couple taps). Thanks. this vid saved me a lot of headaches. Still have to get that lock and handle off, but the hard part is over.
@@greenseaturtlesacredfemini4417 Good job! The lock and handle should be easy - probably a couple of 10mm bolts, like mine. :)
@@Pen_Pusher On your vid, the handle part was rusty. I see no rust on the handle part, But the original clip (that you first unlocked the door with) goes to some kind of lever on the actuator and that seemed tight as I had to tap it to unlock the door. So it seems I will have to take out the actuator. Was that lever not rusty on yours. Not looking forward to taking out the actuator, but 2002 looks easier than 2003. Just tried spraying Wd40 around the lever...and it seems there is more action . Thx again.
Great video
Thanks Damien!
@@Pen_Pusher welcome
Great video mate. Yery useful. Cheers
I'm just glad if someone can benefit from my struggles! 🤪
My front passenger door want open so ppl climb through the back to get in front and do the same when getting out
It sounds like you need to sort it out then, no?
2002 Toyota Camry - had the same issue, took panel off and found the metal wires connecting the lock and inside door handle got stuck.
Sounds like someone was too forceful when they tried to open it. Good on you for fixing it! :)
good job man👌
Thanks!
I have a 2009 cadillac escalade door want open on passgner side is there any solution??
Solution: drive alone from now on or become a chauffeur.
The easy answer is to take it to the shop. If you have the time and the inclination you can do it the hard way - like I did. :)
I had the same issue. I went from th outside of the door. My door handle broke apart. I removed the pieces and pushed down on the rod connected to the latch. The whole process took 5 mins.
That sounds like the ideal situation! :)
It was. Today I shut the door. I had to drive the car. Now I can't get open again. Any ideas?
@@jackreacher9452 It is either the lock or the latch. If your lock is working okay, it must be the latch. Open it again and double check that you hooked it up right.
Nathan like your video
Thanks Nathan! Sometimes we have to do what we have to do. :)
My drivers door on Renault clio 3 has the same issue. It's becoming very frustrating.
The first thing to try is to squirt WD40 and/or penetrating oil into the lock mechanism. Do that for a few days and see if it helps. In my case rust was the issue. The actuator was fine.
Thank you so much bro
You're welcome! :)
Will this work for a honda my outside door handle broken and Inside how I suppose to open the door lol
Yes, it will work for any car that has a mechanical lock and lever. I am not sure about electronic locks. 🤔
Tell all of your passengers to use the window.
That would be so much easier! 😂
That's what they have been doing well saying "Dukes of Hazzard"
i have 1992 VW, all manual controls, same problem - wish me luck !!
Good luck J. Don't give up! :)
@@Pen_Pusher thank yiou - my handyman got in --m 30. of fiddling - rolled down window - with flashlight he saw the wire - pushed it down and out of the way - it may have happened because of lack of lubrication? I used 3M oil in keyhole afterwards and smooth operating now
@@user-jv9qz2bu1r I'm glad it got resolved. :)
I could see the button up when you went back outside and knew it would open then.
A moment of joy and relief...
Good film. TU
You're welcome!
I have the same damn thing. With my 1997 Corolla.
There can be different reasons for the issue. In my case the lock was rusted up. Knowing what I know now, I would squirt rust dissolver into the door lock daily for a week or so, and hope it loosens it up. :)
Hi..sir..i have the same problem but on toyota vios 2009 model..same as front passenger door wont open inside or outside..how can i open this door? hope you can give me some idea or tutorial about this..by the way im from Philippines...thanks a lot..
Hi Mervin, there is no easy way. If you can afford it, take it to a shop. They have the right equipment to take care of it. Otherwise, you have to go the long way, like I did. :)
@@Pen_Pusher ok thanks a lot sir..
I will try it
Good luck!
On a car here in the shop, i just popped a new battery on the remote and it opened, i then removed the latch, bent one tab that was worn, it worked freely, and then filled it all with grease before re-assembly;
on another car last month i cut a nice 2.5 inch round hole inside, with the hole saw,aftyer muscling out the door panel;
a shame the manufs do not do it, punchind access holes, at the factory,it would cost them pennies
but as with ALL issues in cars now, the REGULATORS and the CLIMATOIDS with their wild immaginations , theyare to blame, they now do more harm than good; (68 yo mech/engineer here.....)
Thanks for the post. An access hole would make things so much easier!
What if is the back door?
The back door should be easier, since it doesn't have a lock and key. :)
I mean. 15 minutes of work, and you randomly got lucky and it opened. Shrug.
Quick to talk shht always. I don’t see you making any videos and actually helping someone contributing positively to society arm chair quarterback.
😊 kg@@mimusic1853
Sooo i need help my car door won't open on the drivers door the ourside works but not the inside soo i have to roll the window all the way down to open it. But i don't have the money to get it fixed by someone so I'm trying to do it myself
Okay, hopefully it is not too bad. The first thing to do is open your door and remove the panel on the inside of your door. You will be able to look inside the door and follow the mechanism from the handle to the latch. You should be able to see why it is not functioning.
Lol😂god dam that was rough
Not your average repair job!
pro tip: take off the seat first
Yes, that is helpful, thanks!
Holy Shnykies!
I'm going to have to just take a cutting wheel to the inside of my door to get to the latch
I felt like that a few times...
Break the glass. 🤣
That would be easier! Haha
@@Pen_Pusher 😁
😂😂
the shortest way to open remove the battery cable and you can open the door manually than doing the hard way
Pray that JESUS help you, remove outside window strip get a strong piece of wire bend a 10mm piece 90 degrees and torch look down into door with window down take handle and move it see where it goes into lock put wire in down to door lock move wire up and down until you hook the right spot you will see handle move move until lock open be patient small movements until you hook the lock if lock lift open door take panel off and lube lock and wire knuckles good, and then problem solved. It worked for me thank GOD no locksmith just patience
Hi Martin, thanks for commenting. Unfortunately, your method would not work on this vehicle. At 2:03 you will notice that the lever that moves the locking mechanism does not even budge with the full force of a pair of pliers. There is zero chance that it moves with a piece of wire inserted from above. :)
My own car is Honda Accord 2004
Nice. Very reliable vehicle!
this dont work for my car
Sorry to hear that. :(
The result is NOT from his figuring out what to do. He just stumbled on a workaround. Repeat just what to do to use the exterior door lever to open the door...
I am sure there are better ways of doing this, but this was the way I got it done. As Shakespeare once said, "An ill-favored thing, Sir, but mine own. "
Zen ya mneak