Help!! Driver side door wont open!

[Garrett20]

I just unlocked my car and got in and drove home and when I tried top get out the door wouldn't open.

The divers side door wont open from the inside or the outside.

I took it over to my local Land Rover dealer and they said that when I locked the door in superlock mode the latch turned all the way around and got stuck and now it wont open, they said they have to break the lock and install a new one! costing me $400+

Anyone have any tips for fixing it myself!! $400 is sooooo much!

[dougburgy]

First off,

You may need the parts but I wouldn't;
a) buy them from the dealer
b)have them install

You may be able to put up the whole assembly from a wrecker and remove door card and replace yourself. Obviously, getting in your RR from the passenger side won't work long term BUT somebody will chime in with more help. Don't let the dealer rip you off. At the very least, check with indy shop if possible for competitive price for r and r of this assembly.

There are several breakers (wreckers) of RR P38s out there. Check main site (rangerovers.net) under parts suppliers, etc.

[paul.adshead]

I just unlocked my car and got in and drove home and when I tried top get out the door wouldn't open.

The divers side door wont open from the inside or the outside.

I took it over to my local Land Rover dealer and they said that when I locked the door in superlock mode the latch turned all the way around and got stuck and now it wont open, they said they have to break the lock and install a new one! costing me $400+

Anyone have any tips for fixing it myself!! $400 is sooooo much!

Ignore the dealer. There is an initiation procedure when you become a LR employee - your eyes are ripped out and replaced with $$ signs. Hence from then forwards, all they see is $$ signs whenever anyone approaches...

Firstly, there may be NO fault what so ever. I've known many a car, where the latch has got a little sticky over time. Try getting someone on the outside of the door whilst you're inside on the seat. Pull the internal release handle, then both of you try and shuttle the door backwards and forwards to free the mechanism.

Try opening the rear door (- the one behind the drivers door) and spray copious amounts of WD40 or similar into the latch mechanism from the rear. Try locking/unlocking several times, then try the previous paragraph again.

If nothing, then you've probably looking at needing to take the drivers interior door-card off (- with the door still closed). Firstly, remove the front passengers interior door-card, so you know where/how the driver's door-card is held on.

Once the drivers door card is off, then best case scenario, is that it is a bad electronic connection in the loom/connector to the lock. On the wire going to the latch, about a foot from the latch, is a connector. Disconnect both halves and again, spray WD40 in there. Try locking/unlocking again. then try 'shuttling' the door back/forth again.

If still nothing, then you can either get friendly with the Electrical Troubleshooting Manual in RAVE and try to power up the latch motors manually. Or if all else fails, then I'd be reading this page:
http://rangerovers.net/repairdetails...doorlocks.html
showing how to smash the lock mechanism to get the door open.

Good luck.

[Garrett20]

I just unlocked my car and got in and drove home and when I tried top get out the door wouldn't open.

The divers side door wont open from the inside or the outside.

I took it over to my local Land Rover dealer and they said that when I locked the door in superlock mode the latch turned all the way around and got stuck and now it wont open, they said they have to break the lock and install a new one! costing me $400+

Anyone have any tips for fixing it myself!! $400 is sooooo much!

Ignore the dealer. There is an initiation procedure when you become a LR employee - your eyes are ripped out and replaced with $$ signs. Hence from then forwards, all they see is $$ signs whenever anyone approaches...

Firstly, there may be NO fault what so ever. I've known many a car, where the latch has got a little sticky over time. Try getting someone on the outside of the door whilst you're inside on the seat. Pull the internal release handle, then both of you try and shuttle the door backwards and forwards to free the mechanism.

Try opening the rear door (- the one behind the drivers door) and spray copious amounts of WD40 or similar into the latch mechanism from the rear. Try locking/unlocking several times, then try the previous paragraph again.

If nothing, then you've probably looking at needing to take the drivers interior door-card off (- with the door still closed). Firstly, remove the front passengers interior door-card, so you know where/how the driver's door-card is held on.

Once the drivers door card is off, then best case scenario, is that it is a bad electronic connection in the loom/connector to the lock. On the wire going to the latch, about a foot from the latch, is a connector. Disconnect both halves and again, spray WD40 in there. Try locking/unlocking again. then try 'shuttling' the door back/forth again.

If still nothing, then you can either get friendly with the Electrical Troubleshooting Manual in RAVE and try to power up the latch motors manually. Or if all else fails, then I'd be reading this page:
http://rangerovers.net/repairdetails...doorlocks.html
showing how to smash the lock mechanism to get the door open.

Good luck.

Thank you so much!
I'll try this.

[canucker]

I just replaced mine witha new one from rover connection - 210.00 and the job took about a half hour. My stealer wanted 525.00 for the same switch, gave me bs about fault codes but their was none. Put it in and had no problems.

[dougburgy]

Works out to shop rate for the dealer of about $600hr......hmmm, sounds about right!

[diff]

Canucker. I'm curious-when you changed yours out was the door locked or open. What made you decide to change it. I agree with those crazy prices. I got one from an indi here in t.o. but it was still 380 cdn taxes in. Garrett, if you do get one make sure you order based on your vin # The bosch rangies have a single plug wiring connection and the older ones have 2 plugs but the number of wires is the same but colors slightly different. Someone has posted that they have interchanged them between gems and bosch but they have more guts than I do. BTW if your doors have been locking, unlocking randomly as you have been driving along it is a pretty good sign that the actuator is going or has gone kaput. Canucker you deserve a medal for your repair time.

[wrldky]

First try what everyone else said but if you can't pull it up by hand it's not electrical.

Look at this first:

http://www.rangerovers.net/newrremedies.htm#doorlocks

I did have this happen on a rear door and I tried everything before the lock finally had to be smashed, cut, ripped out. I'd do this as a last resort.

I also saw where someone went thru the jamb on the rear door and was able to cut out the latch side.

Good luck!

[canucker]

Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:44 pm Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diff - I started having random locking issues I would unlock, the doors would unlock but the alarm would not turn off, I would lock unlock a few times then all was well. The problem became more common and sometimes it wouldn't unlock. So I knew I had to replace it. When I did it the lock opened but the alarm didnt deactivate. I opened the door set off the alarm, popped the hood undid the siren and batt. then swithced the lock out. No probs ever since, other than my RF reciever going, but that had nothing to do with the new lock, just bad luck.

[Jovinblak]

at $400 (£200) to open the locked door and replace the latch assembly which alone costs £125 ($250) here in England I think is more than reasonable (the cost above parts doesn't even equate to one Hour labour), this job will not be done in less than 2 Hours start to finish, probably longer, saw though both stems of the striker one at a time carefully, remove card and splash guard, remove and fit new latch assembly, refit splash guard and card, supply and fit new striker, over here striker £3 ($6) approx. If I thought I could get it done here for that price I wouldn't have spent the day doing it myself, though on the other hand booking it in, getting it done and the grief of getting it to the dealer, getting back home, then getting back to pick it up when it's finally done, probably quicker in the long run to DIY as well as cheaper. I believe most dealers here take the back door off to access the striker, judging by the comments when I was trying to locate dealers with strikers in stock, taking even more labour time.
cheers John

[*-jester-*]

Jovinblak's idea is the best I've seen, this link is to his post about it:- http://rangerovers.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=23623



.

[996TURBO]

at $400 (£200) to open the locked door and replace the latch assembly which alone costs £125 ($250) here in England I think is more than reasonable (the cost above parts doesn't even equate to one Hour labour), this job will not be done in less than 2 Hours start to finish, probably longer, saw though both stems of the striker one at a time carefully, remove card and splash guard, remove and fit new latch assembly, refit splash guard and card, supply and fit new striker, over here striker £3 ($6) approx. If I thought I could get it done here for that price I wouldn't have spent the day doing it myself, though on the other hand booking it in, getting it done and the grief of getting it to the dealer, getting back home, then getting back to pick it up when it's finally done, probably quicker in the long run to DIY as well as cheaper. I believe most dealers here take the back door off to access the striker, judging by the comments when I was trying to locate dealers with strikers in stock, taking even more labour time.
cheers John

What is a striker?

Any photo?

Thanks

Florent

[paul.adshead]

What is a striker?

The 'metal loop' bolted to the 'B/C' pillar, that the latch in the door lock mechanism, latches onto to secure the door shut.