Re-linking door lock mechanism

[NC Tom]

Is it even worth it? Spent eight hours yesterday trying to fix my passenger door where the stupid ext. push button stopped working. All I have done is make it worse!

 

The dang button fell out, can't reattach the the freaking lock innards, can't see anything in the door, can't get my dang hands into that tiny-arse cavity to do anything, cut the opening larger, that only resulted in scratching my hands all up, still can't reach or see what I'm doing!

 

What the heck?! Am I missing something, or is this crap just not user-serviceable?

[DirtyComanche]

I can assure you that you're missing something. However I'm not sure if you're talking about the rocker lock button on the interior, or the push button on the exterior handle. If the handles break you buy new ones, because they're junk. The interior rocker button is easy, pull the interior panel off the door and reach up from the bottom.

[NC Tom]

I can assure you that you're missing something. However I'm not sure if you're talking about the rocker lock button on the interior, or the push button on the exterior handle. If the handles break you buy new ones, because they're junk. The interior rocker button is easy, pull the interior panel off the door and reach up from the bottom.

 

It's the push button on the exterior handle. It pushed in and would not spring out. I had to cut away some of the sheet metal to even get my hands in there to feel around, because you cannot see in there due to the window track. I have the button and the spring that goes on it, but there is no way for me to reattach that thing. The other issue is the linkage to the interior door handle. The silver one that opens the door. The lock toggle was not too bad to rehook, but the other one I cannot figure how to get it back on.

 

Is there a tut on replacing the exterior handle? I sure can't find one.

[SVPete]

Although I didn't mess with my door handles, I certainly observed recently while working on my doors, that pulling out the window glass (both the up/down window and vent window), window regulator, and inside/outside scraper seals will give you a LOT more visibility and additional room to work around the exterior door handle. If I ever decide to replace the door locks or handle, that is the route I will take.

 

Maybe not what you wanted to hear, but it really wasn't that hard to pull all that out.

[KSnowden]

Remove the door latch 3 torx bolts to ease access the for the exterior handle. There should be a access plug on inside door skin that you can put an extension through for the exterior handle bolts. At the interior handle tye a string around the rods pull it through the door skin and trim panel, use the sting to pull into the clips and a screw drivery to latch them.