1999 Avalon Door Problem

[sLADe781]

Hey guys,

My mom just bought a 1999 Toyota Avalon and the back driverside door will not open. At first the door wouldn't open from outside so she opened it from the inside and the seller's daughter turned the child lock proof on the side door thinking that that was the issue. After the lock was turned and door closed, the door won't open at all now - not from the outside nor from the inside!!!

Does anyone know what the problem can be? How we can we take off the door panel on the inside when we can't even open the door to access the screws???

Please help...any help anyone can give will be much appreciated...thanks in advance.

[Brian R.]

Get a slim jim and unlock the door without removing the door liner. I'm sure you can find a method on UTube.

[sLADe781]

I can unlock the door. That's not a problem. The problem is the door handle won't open. It feels like it's been detached from the hinges so it's very loose.

If I can take off the door panel I'm sure I can figure out what's wrong...but how can you take off the door panel without opening the door first?

[Brian R.]

Similarly, perhaps you can rotate the child-proof lock from the window well with a slim jim or long magnetic probe.

Without having access to the door, I don't know how to detach the door liner without damage. Perhaps call a Toyota dealer and ask. Prying up on the top of the liner will disengage it from the door frame, but that is a potentially damaging operation.