Another door latch trap problem.

An introduction by way of a long adversarial problem. 2003 Discovery US left-hand drive, driver's door.
Just over a year ago, I replaced my driver's door latch in order to get my key fob working. The latch was used but clean and tested fine on the bench. After installing the latch, it wouldn't release from the inside or outside. After pushing, pulling, pounding and cutting through the strike with a sawzall to no avail, It had to sit for the winter.
Late spring and miraculously it opened. The cause was a bit of broken plastic fallen into an impossible place during installation. I pulled that latch and replaced it with a Land Rover original from Rimmer Bros. After installing it trapped me in the vehicle due to the interior release not unlocking the door after being electrically locked. The exterior release worked fine.
After some fiddling and adjustment, as well as a release cable swap, I sent that one back for an exchange.
So if you've read this far I'm on my third latch, two genuine from Rimmer Bros. and I'm in the same situation.
They work fine on the bench mechanically, but not once they have been installed.
The lever for the interior release is moving full travel And it sounds as though it has unlocked the door, but it will not release and open. It will do the same if unlocked with the switch on the dash. I have read other posts here about this issue, and these things don't seem to be the problem with mine. There is no adjustment for the latch in the door. It bolts in with three bolts and can not be adjusted from it's fixed location. The strike can be adjusted a bit although not much, it can also be shimmed. I have tried these things and either I haven't gotten it right or that is not the problem.

Thank you for any insight anyone can advise.

MilesM said:

Good afternoon TGram,

I have a 2003 Disco and got really good at jumping out the passenger side, lol

I had a very similar challenge, after several latches I found my door was slightly out of alignment. The previous owner must have had some sort of mishap and it left the door and the three latch mounting bolts out of alignment.

You can see the hook and latch alignment by closing the front drivers door, opening up the back passenger door, this will give you a peek at where the front door hook lines up to the latch, mine was almost flush with the top. I compared the the passenger front door and saw the difference.

My first work around was to bend the hook down just enough to center the hook with the latch, problem went away.

For a permanent fix, I sourced two new hinges and had them replaced along with a new hook and now I have the joy of a properly working door/latch.

Just a thought, hope you find your solution

Click to expand...

Hello MilesM and thank you for being the first to reply.

I know this a very tired old question to many people on this and other forums, but I have been maintaining my small but varying stable of rovers for 20 some years now and have a fair bit of knowledge, spare parts and tools to get me through most things.

I have suspected the door strike and visited that issue a few times. I admit it never occurred to me to try to get a better view of it from the inside rear door. That is just what I am looking for, the tree in the forrest that I have become lost in, and you may have shed light on it for me.
I have checked the body lines time and time again, and the alignments viewed from that perspective look perfect and normal.

I will try your suggestion tomorrow. Thanks again.