stupid passenger door won't open!
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 4,118
Likes: 6
From: Oshkosh, WI.
Year: 1991
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
The locking/unlock part of the door, Have little plastic connectors at the ends of the rods. They break over time. They are cheap at the auto shops. it pays to replace them. I replaced mine when I replaced the crappy factory speakers. But then My XJ is 20 years old. JMO!
CF Veteran
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,150
Likes: 12
From: Ontario, Canada
Year: 1989 Laredo
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 L 6 Renix
Pull your panel off, disconnect the inner plastic rod retainer, remove the one philips drive screw holding the lever bracket, you can now remove the lever bracket and the outer handle push button, hold on to the screw, rod, and spring. replace the o ring on the button if pooched, it keeps out grit. Often the rod inside the button comes out of the pocket, clean pocket and rod, a little blue locktite and splined end of rod in pocket and sqeeze in vice to isert rod 3/8". A black plastic sleeve upon the rod can get stuck on rod corrosion, remove the sleeve and sand the rod lightly to clean, lube, sleeve should slide freely. the sleeve goes in hole on the lever bracket from exterior side. button in, spring on rod, rod thru lever bracket, sleeve in bracket hole, bracket leading end has tab that fits behind a rectangular pocket, philips head screw back in to retain lever bracket, attach rod and plastic rod retainer clip. Lube well with white lithium grease spray.
CF Veteran
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,132
Likes: 357
From: Andover, VT
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0 L
So, I just took a screen shot of that post above haha. Been having similar issues on my '99, the outside button gives no resistance, but I can open from the inside if I give it a good tug. It will pop open, then the handle will often stick open and the door does not shut unless you put the handle back into place
Edit: just realized almost a year old lol, still good info
Edit: just realized almost a year old lol, still good info
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
From: Andros Town, Fresh Creek, Bahamas
Model: Cherokee
My driver door just stuck. I have the door panel off but can not get it open for anything. I can move the rods freely but it seems like something broke iside the latch itself. Anything i can do before cutting the door off?
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
I've got the same problem with mine. Did u ever figure anything out?
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
From: Andros Town, Fresh Creek, Bahamas
Model: Cherokee
I was able to have a friend help. We drilled the rivets out of the arm rest plate to get it out of the way and then able to reach into the top of the door latch and pulled a lever downwards that was not attached to any bar. It released the door and I promptly pulled it off and threw it away. Found a replacement at the salvage yard for $5
CF Veteran
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,132
Likes: 357
From: Andover, VT
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0 L
The passenger door in my 99 did this, but it would open from the inside. The handle would "pop" you pulled it and get stuck in the out position. If you didn't flick it back in the door would just bounce off when you tried to shut it. I pulled the panel off and gave the whole latch mech a good dose of pb blaster, and it's worked mint since
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
I was able to have a friend help. We drilled the rivets out of the arm rest plate to get it out of the way and then able to reach into the top of the door latch and pulled a lever downwards that was not attached to any bar. It released the door and I promptly pulled it off and threw it away. Found a replacement at the salvage yard for $5
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: Maryland
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 liter V6
Passenger door on my 00 won't open from inside or out. Removed door panel and the connecting rods and pulled and pushed everything that moved and the door just refused to pop open.
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Brigantine, NJ
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Hi guys, just want to share my "experience", this may or may not do any good in your situation...
Mine is '96 4 door w/power locks.
So when I've got the jeep both rear doors were dead-locked, can't open neither from inside neither from outside.
Finally one day I've decided to try to deal with this.
In my situation there was also a complication, as both rear doors "child safety" tubs were engaged ("ON" position), so the inside handles were "disabled". If I press the outside handle button, it goes all the way in, but the door would not open.
So I had no choice, but take the doors' panel off, thankfully it was actually possible while the doors were closed, but it's pita
You may not need to do so, if you can open the door from inside.
So, in my case, I took the panel off so I had access to that "hole" behind the locker mechanism. I rolled down the window, so I could reach outside and press the button, while with flashlight illuminating the inside of the hole and watching what the hell is going on there. It's kind of hard to see much, but you should see a "piece" (link) moving down. From there (also after spraying all the pieces inside with WD-40, as they were very rusty), while pushing the button I managed to reach/grab that "moving down link" and helped it out by pulling it down a bit more and got it open.
After I've got the door open, then I could set the child safety to "OFF" (also was rusted and hard to move), and now I could open the door from the inside. However, as I close the door, again, I still could not open the door from the ouside.
So what I've noticed, by "observing the action", that it seems that "Pushing The Button action" works, but does not "go down enough" to unluck the locker. Then I looked at the side of the door and found that little hole with "adjustment screw" inside. I am not sure what the correct name for it, but if I understand correctly, this is adjustment of "door handle button action" (?).
So, I've looked into that little hole (see attached photo 1), I see there a small Hex screw, and it has some adjustment play. I had to WD-40 that screw too first. Then I unscrewed it a bit so it's movable and pushed it up (actually , all the way up to the max) and tightened it. So in my case this was just enought to get that "missing" extra action-motion from the Button to the locker, and now everything works fine.
You can try this, see if this may make a difference. I'd imagine, there could be different reasons there...the whole mechanism is pretty freaky there
see attached photos, I did my best trying to make shots of that screw, it's hard to find the right camera angle so the screw is visable.
Mine is '96 4 door w/power locks.
So when I've got the jeep both rear doors were dead-locked, can't open neither from inside neither from outside.
Finally one day I've decided to try to deal with this.
In my situation there was also a complication, as both rear doors "child safety" tubs were engaged ("ON" position), so the inside handles were "disabled". If I press the outside handle button, it goes all the way in, but the door would not open.
So I had no choice, but take the doors' panel off, thankfully it was actually possible while the doors were closed, but it's pita
You may not need to do so, if you can open the door from inside.
So, in my case, I took the panel off so I had access to that "hole" behind the locker mechanism. I rolled down the window, so I could reach outside and press the button, while with flashlight illuminating the inside of the hole and watching what the hell is going on there. It's kind of hard to see much, but you should see a "piece" (link) moving down. From there (also after spraying all the pieces inside with WD-40, as they were very rusty), while pushing the button I managed to reach/grab that "moving down link" and helped it out by pulling it down a bit more and got it open.
After I've got the door open, then I could set the child safety to "OFF" (also was rusted and hard to move), and now I could open the door from the inside. However, as I close the door, again, I still could not open the door from the ouside.
So what I've noticed, by "observing the action", that it seems that "Pushing The Button action" works, but does not "go down enough" to unluck the locker. Then I looked at the side of the door and found that little hole with "adjustment screw" inside. I am not sure what the correct name for it, but if I understand correctly, this is adjustment of "door handle button action" (?).
So, I've looked into that little hole (see attached photo 1), I see there a small Hex screw, and it has some adjustment play. I had to WD-40 that screw too first. Then I unscrewed it a bit so it's movable and pushed it up (actually , all the way up to the max) and tightened it. So in my case this was just enought to get that "missing" extra action-motion from the Button to the locker, and now everything works fine.
You can try this, see if this may make a difference. I'd imagine, there could be different reasons there...the whole mechanism is pretty freaky there
see attached photos, I did my best trying to make shots of that screw, it's hard to find the right camera angle so the screw is visable.
Seasoned Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 355
Likes: 1
From: In a constant state of confusion
Year: 1989
Model: Wagoneer
Engine: 4.o
Having same issue on my 89. Drivers door is stuck, all mechanisms are functioning. Have reached inside door and pushed and pulled on everything I can and nothing happens. Any fixes out there?
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