1990 Buick Le Sabre door lock problem

Hi - new here, but thanks already for all the advice from this post from 3/4 years ago

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/t497489.html

Thanks to that, I got the inside panel off without much problem. Amazing, the Web . . . I've got a 1990 Buick LeSabre with same problem.

Like OP in old post mentioned, driver's door stuck locked. It was doing that intermittently, but not much, then one day quit entirely.

So, I've got the inside panel off, I'm working and watching the rod from lock button (manual, though of course I've tried power as well), and it's moving back and forth normally. Even with the inner panel off, I can't see to the mechanism actually releasing the lock from the stud (don't know the right word!) in order to open the door.

Tonight, sprayed a bunch of WD-40 as close to the area as I could, but even with the door panel off, still the door frame itself prevents me from seeing deeper in to the edge of the door.

Both the outside key and inside manual switch do the same thing: the rod moves, but can't release the lock. Oh, also the cable from inside door handle seems to work fine, but of course can't open a locked door.

Any insight / suggestions greatly appreciated. As someone mentioned before, climbing in from passenger side gets old pretty fast.

Thanks a lot.

Well this is kinda hard to describe but Ill work with you if you still have questions. I have found that the linkage between the door lock/unlock mechanism the the solenoid, if you will, to be very sloppy for no good reason. What I would like you to try, and this is how I repaired mine, is to take the door panel off and find the rod that goes from the lock buttons on the door down to the the latch assembly. Use your remote to toggle the door locked and unlocked. You should see the rod trying to move. With your hand put a little pressure on the rod to help it along when you press the remote unlock button. If the door unlocks then you will need a light spring to hook to the rod and the other end of the spring will hook somewhere in the door to just keep enough pressure on it to keep the slop out of the linkage. I found the perfect spring at ace hardware. I know this is a little hard to follow but let me know if you have any questions

Hi Brady,

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I also noticed that the linkage is kind of sloppy. I took the door panel off, and found the rod from the door lock buttons to the latch. It does move back and forth with both the manual button, the outside button, and the power button.

As you said, (if I understood correctly), I pushed the rod with my hand a little more toward the unlock side, as far as I could, but could not get it to unlock. The spring idea is a great one, if I can get it unlocked.

Do you know exactly what is inside the door (I can't see in there, though I have the inside panel off) that the rod is supposed to pull, and why though the rod is connected and moving, it can't pull it?

Thanks again for your help.

Well this is kinda hard to describe but Ill work with you if you still have questions. I have found that the linkage between the door lock/unlock mechanism the the solenoid, if you will, to be very sloppy for no good reason. What I would like you to try, and this is how I repaired mine, is to take the door panel off and find the rod that goes from the lock buttons on the door down to the the latch assembly. Use your remote to toggle the door locked and unlocked. You should see the rod trying to move. With your hand put a little pressure on the rod to help it along when you press the remote unlock button. If the door unlocks then you will need a light spring to hook to the rod and the other end of the spring will hook somewhere in the door to just keep enough pressure on it to keep the slop out of the linkage. I found the perfect spring at ace hardware. I know this is a little hard to follow but let me know if you have any questions

I'm sorry Lengo I may have miss understood your question. If im reading correctly you have no way to unlock the door? Are you able to get it opened at all? Your right it is very hard to see inside the door at the latch.

Hi Brady,

Right, I can't get it open now using handle outside, manual button, or power button. All three cause the rod to move as it should, but even when I help it along as you mentioned, the lock doesn't release.

It did this intermittently for a while, but not a big problem. Then it finally stopped.

Yeah, seeing in there so hard makes it hard.

Have you tried soaking the lock mechanism inside & out along with all associated linkage, with PB-Blaster? I know you said you tried spraying WD-40 on some parts, but did you insert the spray nozzle (tube) into the outside of the lock where the key goes?

Hey Brady and Z28,

I got it open! I did get in as far as I could to the lock/latch mechanism on the inside, which was stuck locked to the post (although the lock rod and door opening rod were moving normally). As you suggested, I hosed the whole area down with lube, as much as I could reach with a small flashlight and the red tube attached to the WD-40 can (by the way, I wish those wouldn't fall off so easily . . . I've lost a number over the years).

Then, the next day, I reached in there and felt around for the right place, happened on the stuck mechanism, and opened the door! A good feeling.

Now I can open and close the door, no problem, as that part was always OK. I haven't locked it, though, because I'm sure it will get stuck locked again. I took out the three hex head screws on the outside of the door, and got the lock mechanism (mechanical part - is this the actuator?) disconnected that way.

However, I'm not sure how to get this part, which all the lock and latch rods connect to, out of the door, without bending any of the rods.

Can any of you in this post, or the previous one from a few years ago

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/t497489.html

help me to do this? Or is there a diagram of this part of the door, exploded? So far, I haven't been able to find one. Of course, the Chilton repair manual is much too light and general for this.

Thanks again for your help - now I can at least use the door, as long as I don't lock it!

What is the name of that part - from the inside lock and latch rods to the door? The one you can actually see from side of door when open. I want to know what I am asking / looking for a new one.

Any advice on getting it out, without bending rods?

Thanks a lot!