SOS! Just messed up my door!!!

[seeforyourself]

Hey everyone!

So I just messed up my passenger door this morning.

So I went to the garage in Manhattan to pick up my car and I noticed my passenger door would not unlock /lock. I figured it was the hook in the actuator since NYC has rough roads and the bumps probably knocked it off. I asked the valets attendants for tools and they let me try to fix it in their garage.

I took the panel off and noticed it was the Rivid, not the actuator. So I knew that there was nothing I can do unless I replace it. I quickly put it back together since I had to leave the garage (it was prepaid parking so i save money and if I stay over the amount of time I will get charged more).

I rushed my self so much that I left the lock nob in the door panel (not through hole) and drove all the way to my house and locked my door.

I tried to open my passenger door and realized how much of a mistake I made. My actuator won't unlock and door and I can't use the manual knob to unlock the door! Aka my door is STUCK shut no matter what I do!!! Should I bring it to a ford dealership? Am I able to take the panel off with the door shut???

Do I call a lock smith?


Help!!!

[His Royal Ghostliness]

Typically you can take the arm rest stuff off the door with it still closed, that will free up the door panel enough that you can pull it away from the door shell and fish the lock rod into its proper place. That's probably what the dealer will do too, might as well save yourself their labor charge.

[gadget73]

What car are you working on? If its a box front door, you can remove a trim panel even easier than the whole arm rest. The Vic and Grand Marq have the lock knob poking up through the window switch panel. Just remove that and see if you can get to the rod. Failing that, pull the arm rest.

If its a Lincoln, remove the chrome "bucket" around the interior door handle and you should be able to fish around for the lock rod

If its some other vehicle, please let us know what it is. Having your car in your sig helps a lot when you're dealing with cars made over 30 years with several changes through the run.