Have an issue with the passenger-side rear door on a '97.. the door will not open from the inside or from the outside.. when I first got the vehicle, the outside button stopped working shortly after purchase, but the inside handle would allow me to open the door. Then one morning the door wouldn't close, the latch was stuck closed, so I used a screwdriver to move the strike-lever and the door shut..
Now I cannot open the door from either the inside OR the outside.. I am not sure if it is the lock mechanism or the release mechanism, and it is obviously going to be a problem to find out since I can't open it.. Any idea on how I can open this door? I do have the door panel off already, and I can pull the release rod but nothing happens.

 

My right rear door does this. Drives me NUTS. My kids can't get in the car.

Come to think of it...what am I complaining about.

 

The latch mechanism sounds like it works (as evidenced by the fact that you could close the door after manipulating it with a screwdriver).

It's been a few years and I don't remember all of the details, but you can open the door from inside the door panel. I used a long screwdriver if I remember right, to release the latch.

If you cannot open the door from inside or out, probably the rods have fallen loose. Just get a screwdriver and a good flashlight and trace the mechanism... If I pull this handle, it pushes this rod, which should push...

If you need to, take the panel off the other door to troubleshoot. Make sure to seal up the door panels well when you are done, otherwise each cold snowy morning will help you remember that you skipped that step.

 

My driver door is stuck the same way it open and shut just fine UNTIL one day i locked my door now it will not open?!?!?!FML!!! i pulled the door panel off while door is shut which is not fun i tried PB PLASTER & WD-40 moving the arms and still nothing i cant see anything to push or pull to open my door...IDK WHAT TO DO PLZ HELP!!!!

 

Since you have the panel off you should be able to grab hold of one of the rods and pull to open the door. The rod you're looking for is the one that runs from the latch to the inside door handle, there are 2 rods and if you pull hard on the bottom one the door should open

 

Yeah mine does this all the time. Like I've fixed like a litterally 5 times since I got her. (50 ish days ago)

(I'm assuming you have the door pannel off and can figure out how to get it off and on)

1. Pull off the door pannel makes it so much easier to work on. Pop the latch arms out of there retaining clips. You need to unclip them, then pull one up and out and the other down and out.
2. Pull off the white plastic thing (don't worry it'll stick back on), just don't rip it.
3. Gab a flash light, and look in side the whole you should be able to see two pieces of metal going to the door lock mech.
4. Figure out if its just stuck or one of the arms has popped off.
5. Reach up in side and fix.
6. Before closing evenything up, open and close it a bunch and see if you fixed the problem
7. Put the white sound deadener (sp?) back on.
8. Pull the arm back onto the door pannel. You can't mess this up, one arms tip goes up and the other arms tip goes down
9. Clip the door pannel back on.
10. Enjoy your newly working door.

Hope this helps some. Haha

-Zack

Sent from my Droid using Cherokee Forum

 

i have a 1991 jeep cherokee the door is stuck closed. i took the panel off the inside and looked at the two bars going from lock to door mech. but they are not off or anything. any ideas?

 

I had this problem with my 96 when I got it. 1 of the many reasons I got it so cheap. All the reasons were easy to fix.

To fix the front passenger door, I had to remove the front seat on that side, pull the panel and lube the door with some breakfree or wd40. It had sat for so long it just didn't want to work anymore and the PO was too lazy to do it. I'm happy.

The lock on the driver side is kinda sticky as well. I can unlock it but you don't hear the release all the time so I have to lock it then try unlocking it again. One of these days I'll pull the panel and clean it all up. Until then I'm just dealing with it.

 

spray it with some PB blaster and let it sit..really soak it on there. and reach inside and move the mechanisms around and see if you can get it to work.

 

Mine does this as well on the same door... I can usually open it by pressing the button on the outside and pulling like I'm trying to rip the handle off....

 

Man mine is doing this too. I've removed the pannel and soaked it with PB. I've been pulling these rods like crazy. Also I had a flashlight in the door but everything is connected. The only thing I can thing of is that the latch mechanism is broken and stuck on lacked. I'm really trying to exercise every option before I have to cut the door around the Latch. Is there a spot I could jam a pick into to manually release it? I really don't want to cut the door up but need access to this door. I have s 6 month old boy and I have got to put his diaper bag on that side of the bench.

 

I know I'm bringing this thread back from the dead, but did any of you ever get this resolved?

I have a 1997 and the driver's side passenger door is jammed good. I've PB Blasted and White Lithium greased the mechanism inside and out, door panel is off, everything inside the door seems to function as it should. I've also pulled the door handle from the outside until the outer panel temporarily separated from the window. I've also pushed on the inside of the door with my foot so hard the metal began to bend.

It's just jammed bad and I cannot figure out how to get the door open.

 

I had a similar problem with both rear doors. I used penetrating oil liberally and finally got things working. The problem with mine was that the push button itself was frozen in place, and gumming up everything else.

I didn't find that out until I had broken the mechanism on one side, and had to replace it. After that, I figured out the problem and was able to get the other side working okay.

Get busy with some PB Blaster and some patience.

 

Alright, so I've used an entire bottle of PB Blaster and spent 3 evenings of finagling the mechanism every which way.

I went ahead and disassembled the other rear door to compare and the difference in the mechanism's movements seem to be the lock-bar. On the functioning side, it has about 1" of movement and includes a solid 'thud' when pulled forward to the unlock position. On the non-functioning side, it has about 1/4" of movement and no such interaction with the internals.

Upon closer inspection, I can see the lock and unlock mechanism moving behind the mechanism's front plate, but only partially moving. It won't fully unlock.

I tried prying it up to further disengage the lock, but it won't budge. not with my fingers, not with a screwdriver, and not with a textured steel file. I just can't get the leverage needed to force it.

How can I get this door functioning again? Any thought?

 

So I was able to get my door open but it would do the same thing when I locked it. So once I got the door open I had jeep replaced the lock.

Getting your door open is tricky, take your door panel off and stick your hand in the door and feel around at the door latch. There should be a metal rectangle tab or latch, take a flat head and pry it up and the door should unlock and open.


Hope this make sense and helps