door trouble

[TerryK1]

I can't get the drivers side door open on my wifes 95' APV. It unlocks ok and when you pull the handles you can hear the mechanism working in the door but nothing happens. I also can't get the inner panel off when the door is closed. Any ideas?

Thanks.

[kb42]

Is it locked? You would feel resistance if it is unlocked, but almost none if locked. If the door handle mech is stuck to the open position you cannot unlock it. The lock lever will not slide.
Flip the manual lock several times finally to the open position. The next step is are you trying both inside and outside handles? Sounds like one is stuck in the open position which is jamming the lock mechanisim. You can remove the trim with the door closed although it is harder.
You may be forced to remove the drivers seat to do so however.

In the meantime sounds like your stuck in "Dukes of Hazzard" mode, which means jumping in and out of the window or jumping across the seat until you can get it open.
You can then look inside with a flashlight to see what is bent broken or fallen loose. Usually the clips that hold one of the trip rods break or fall off.

[TerryK1]

Originally Posted by kb42

Is it locked? You would feel resistance if it is unlocked, but almost none if locked. If the door handle mech is stuck to the open position you cannot unlock it. The lock lever will not slide.
Flip the manual lock several times finally to the open position. The next step is are you trying both inside and outside handles? Sounds like one is stuck in the open position which is jamming the lock mechanisim. You can remove the trim with the door closed although it is harder.
You may be forced to remove the drivers seat to do so however.

In the meantime sounds like your stuck in "Dukes of Hazzard" mode, which means jumping in and out of the window or jumping across the seat until you can get it open.
You can then look inside with a flashlight to see what is bent broken or fallen loose. Usually the clips that hold one of the trip rods break or fall off.

Tried all of that and everything functioned fine. I did manage to get the panel off far enough to be able to see down the window slot with a flashlight. The problem turned out to be a plunger (vertical) that was stuck down. I just srayed it with carb cleaners, then lightly lubed it and viola, works fine!

Thanks for the reply.

[kb42]

Aha. The lock unlock plunger, unless this is the power door, then it is the door actuator from the power slider, plunger. The one in my door broke, and I got one from Ebay to replace it, as they had a factory defect in those.
The new one also came with a bag of replacement door clips (white plastic) which I did not replace, and now the result was the trim let go, and jams the door once in a while. However I had fixed the back latch switch, which lost the contacts, and now that has failed, so I just recently got one from the dealer which cost $20.00 to replace the bad one, so that I will get back my power slider. The other part that fails, is the sliding pins on the contact block at the bottom of the door. I have been able however to fix it by stealing
flexible wire from old damaged or junk speakers, and soldering them onto the ends of the back of the pins and to the corresponding wires, and then spray them with WD40 or some type of thin lube spray etc. You also once in a while need to take light sandpaper to the ends and also the contact plate in the door pillar.