Note from DJ on door latches
To the best of my knowledge there two different style of door latches that Jeep use; the 96 and older post design and the 97 and newer staple design.

Fore anybody with the 96 and older design I found sever posting recommending trying to unlock the latch by trying to move a lever that is shown in my first photo.

I’m also in including a second photo of the 97 and newer manual (Not Power) latch design. But I found no postings regarding tips on how to get them to unlock.

So by only advice to anybody with the newer design is a lot of penetrating agent of your choice.

Then try the shock treatment; have a helper back up to the door and use there backside to bump the door at the latch site while you are trying to unlock it or you use a soft faced mallet to bang on the inside of the door at the latch site while trying unlock it.

Hope this information helps someone.

 

My door is STILL jammed. I'm going to go at it again this evening (perseverance is supposed to pay off.) My latches look like these (below) and I THINK that if I press UP on the middle bar on the far right image, it will unlatch it based on where that center screw is at, being a leverage point.

We shall see...This is one reason the Jeep was so cheap to me, so I'm okay with it being a little bit of a PITA.

Does anyone have any input for these specific latches?

 

i made a couple cuts on inside sheet metal to see and get at the latch to release/change. its buried in the corner. no damage but ez access.bent metal back, ok gotta do what u gotta do.

 

Any pictures of what you did and how you got the latch to unlock?

 

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mine was power lock and i had to get to the rod from the push button outside. i could feel it but not see it.i was able to pry it with a long screwdriver.once open i took out the latch and put in a junk yard one , working good.
the cuts were from the metal opening to near where it would show. i bent them out to get access then bent them back. air chizel job!

not much help, but good luck. oh i learned that you bend the long rods a little to adjust to work properly.. trial/error

my 98 is manual, has pass rear stuck. i dont use it but now that weather is better ill try what you are doing..

 

My driver door on my 91 got locked to where it wouldn't open on the interior or exterior. With the door panel already off I was able to to roll down the window and put a key in the lock while moving the release arm at the same time to open it.

 

My '99 drivers side lock stopped working after I replaced the power window actuator. I could hear the solenoid clicking when pressing the key fob, but door would not lock. I wasted $100 buying a new lock actuator before realizing I had bent the door lock actuator rod. The rod has multiple bends in it and I figured I would never be able to rebend it correctly so just removed the rod entirely and now the door lock works fine, I just can't use the switch in the door now since it's not connected to anything.

 

So I'm having the same problem only thing is how in the hell do you get this door panel off with the door shut

 

Hi. For the record, I too had a problem opening a rear-left door unlocked, from the outside as well as from the inside. I noticed the unlock button on the door inside the car wasn’t on the full “unlock” position and wasn’t able to put it in the correct position. I managed opening the door pressing repeatedly the “unlock” button from the control and at the same time pressing the unlock button inside the door.

After that I removed the door panel and then the lock. I unmounted it completely (mechanical parts – I didn’t mess with the electric part), cleaned the parts removing the old dry grease with kerosene, put on them new grease and remounted the whole. Works fine now. Btw, the door makes a different sound now (better) when smashing it to close.

‘98 XJ, 4 doors, with remote control.

 

Just to add to an already old thread - but it came up in my search so someone else might be looking here also.

The problem I was experiencing was the rear door would not open - and before that - it was hard to push the handle button to operate the door.
What I found was the door was stuck in the locked position and would not unlock.
BUT - THIS WAS NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE LOCK MECHANISM!!!
The problem was the latch release mechanism did not fully spring back and only partially returned to where it was supposed to be.
This prevented the lock from being able to open close.

I ordered a new latch - and put that on - and in the removal / reinstallation - the problem was found to be with the RUSTY RODS / LINKAGES on the latch that you have reuse.

I circled in RED on the photo - that metal rod is supposed to SLIDE in the black plastic clip.
My ROD there is rather RUSTY - so it would slide, but not spring back - and then the lock would be able to open / close - and then if the door is locked - can't be opened.

I am hoping to source some new RODS / LINKAGES - but I'm not having luck figuring out the correct part number.
The parts manual looks slightly different from reality - but I'm thinking it's 55076368 (R) ..369 (L)
Next option is to just go to town with the wire brush / sandpaper / etc on the existing.

Hope this helps someone down the road!!!

 

Going through the same thing on a 99xj sport I picked up recently. The piece isn't springing back into position so once you open the door once and shut it you can't open it again unless you go inside the car and pull the release rod.

I'm gonna pulled the rods and pull the latch mech this week some time and try to rehab it and if not pickup up off someone who parts jeeps

 

I just worked on mine yesterday.

Ended up ordering new latches for both sides. Dorman from Amazon was ~60 each.
Dorman 931-679 – Passenger (red)
Dorman 931-678 – Driver – (green)
Amazon tried to tell me these would NOT fit – but they did.

If I had to do it over again – I would have ordered the parts from ebay that I saw that included the one linkage rod with it and were only ~40 each.
My bad. But Amazon did get them to me next day – which is crazy.
Ebay number is 165327322620 gets you on the right path.

You have reach into the door and disconnect the rod that connects the exterior button, then the 3 screws on the edge of the door. On mine, these were crazy tight so I had to use pliers on the screwdriver to break them free. Then it comes out super easy.
If you do end up getting new ones – I had to adjust the .. well there is an adjustment screw in a slot and I had to shift in mine so it worked right. Hopefully, you can just fix yours to get it working again.

Good Luck!

 

You guys are lucky. The driver door on my '76 Volare wouldn't stay closed. Shut it too hard, it bounces open. Shut it too soft, bounces open. Hit a bump going around a right turn, bounces open and almost takes out a litter of kittens crossing the street.

Turned out to be a spring broke that was supposed to hold the latch shut against bumps. Made my own new spring since no parts available. Been good ever since.

 

Has anyone ever taken the latch assembly apart to clean and grease the internal workings?