Door latch not functioning--HELP!

I'm having some trouble with the latch of my rear driver's side door, which I'm hoping someone here may be able to assist with. That door opens fine from the outside, but does not open at all from the inside. Both the manual and power door locks work fine. I've put the child safety door latch switch in both positions (and everywhere inbetween), without success. Further, the inside door pull handle has not been folding all the way shut, which I suspect is related (although I'm not 100% sure--more on that to follow...)



I have removed the interior door panel, and taken the inside door pull handle off. Here is what it looks like in the locked-open-further-than-it-should-be position:

[Broken External Image]:

Note that the tab which pull on the bar inside the door which opens the release is in the "closed" position, even though the handle isn't all the way closed.



When I pull the handle open a bit further, it reaches a point where I can pull the tab back. When I do that, and then release the handle, it will close into the "normal" closed position:

[Broken External Image]:

Now, when I pull the handle open slowly, the tab moves to the right like I believe it's supposed to do in order to open the door: (Note that I'm holding the latch upside down in this photo just to be able to hold it part-way open while taking the photo. The tab has moved about 45 degrees to the right in this photo, which means it has moved about 45 degrees to the left when oriented as in the other two photos.)

[Broken External Image]:

BUT--if I continue pulling the handle open, it reaches a point where the tab releases and snaps back--and if you then release the handle, it only closes to the position shown in the first photo above. The only way to then get it back to the "normal" position is to open it further again and hold the tab back while releasing the handle.



Is this normal? Or is the handle broken and in need of replacement?



I had been thinking that this was the problem, and that pulling on the rod inside the door would cause the door latch to release. But I still can't get the door to release using that method either. That's why I'm now thinking that the handle may be functioning completely properly, and that the problem lies somewhere in the latch itself, or in the child safety switch below that.



I appreciate any thoughts any of you have on this. Thanks!



Bill

I had this exact same deal when I first bought my 2002 ST used in 2007. Both rear doors had the problem. Couldn't figure it out myself, so I ended up taking it to my local independent mechanic. He took the doors apart and said some kind of control rod or something had busted in each door. He replaced them and the doors have been fine since.



Sorry I don't have more specifics. I could try looking for my service receipt if you want.

Chris, if you have it, I'd appreciate the info. Thanks!



When you say you had "the exact same deal", do you mean that the handles were also staying in the partially-open position like mine? Or just that the inside door handles were non-functional like mine?

New update:



I've now figured out part of the issue--why the latch wouldn't open when I pulled the rod inside the door. And it's definitely one of those "how could I be so stupid" moments. The problem was that I was pulling the rod--and it needed to be pushed. :angry::wacko:



However, that only allows me to open the door using the rod--I still can't get it to open using the handle. When I attach the rod to the handle, and pull the handle, it's not pushing the rod far enough to open the door before the tab snaps all the way back to the position which prevents the handle from closing completely.



Based on that, it seems that the most likely causes for that would be:

--The handle is broken, and the tab should move further back and not ever snap forward as it is. Or...

--The rod is bent or damaged somehow, and the movement of the handle is therefore not being fully transferred to the latch.



Which leaves me with my original main question--is it normal for the tab on the door handle to snap back that way when the handle is opened "too far", or is that right there the issue?

Get a replacement handle from a ford parts department.. If I remember correctly mine cost approx $15. It sounds like the exact problem I had when someone pulled the handle too hard (weak construction too) I've heard that the replacements are "upgraded" whatever that means, but it hasn't broken again in over 2 years now.

Thanks JD. I've now ordered one, will be at the dealer first thing tomorrow morning. $20.50. Hope it works!

Let us know Bill V if that fixes it. I just bought an 02' and mine has that same problem. The handle is sticking out further than it should in the closed position and it want open from the inside.

The driver's side handles are, p/n 3L2Z7821819AAA, are 19.73 each. The passenger side handles, p/n 3L2Z7821818AAA, are 16.40 each. They have been superseded at least three times since 1991(they were the same in the first generation Explorer).

The handles are a common fault, would be shocked if the replacement handle does not solve the issue..

Yeah, I had the exact same deal... both back doors would not open from the inside, and the interior handles stuck out at an angle. On my doors, it was the rods. Let me go out side and dig through my glovebox for the service receipt to see what's listed... BRB...

Well, dern... I dug through my glovebox and could not find that service receipt... must have thrown it out. Might be in my file box at home. Let me know if you still have the issue, and I can look for the receipt at home.

Success!



When I picked up the new handle, the guy at the desk saw the old one I was carrying, and asked, "Is that one of those old ones with the plastic gears?" So clearly he was familiar with them failing.



Brought it home, got everything back installed, and I once again have a fully functional door!



Thanks everyone for your assistance!!!

Bill, I have the same issue with my drivers side rear door... Was it a difficult replacement?

Nope. Follow the instructions for the project for door panel removal (for a speaker upgrade) to remove the door. Two screws then detach the door handle. Slide the door handle forward (toward the front of the vehicle) to remove it, then slide out the pull rod. (You'll need to peel back the vapor barrier to get a hand inside the door.) Reverse all the steps to install the new handle, then go back to the door panel removal project for instructions on reinstalling the door panel after you're done. (Two tips--the door lock pull comes out easier if you screw the cap off of it first, and once you get the door panel off, it goes back on easier if you remove the cover around the handle from the door panel before you attempt to reinstall the panel. Then snap the cover back on when done.)



I should have taken more pics so I could have done a project on it... :angry: