Driver door stuck after adjusting door striker

[Chuckwagon976]

96 D1. After struggling with both the inside and outside handles to open my driver’s door, I replaced the door latch with what I though was a good used and replaced the small spring for good measure. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked better than before—just not as crisp as my other doors.

I adjusted the striker down a bit because the door was scraping it. It worked fine the first time I closed the door, but the second time, the door lock actuator started locking and unlocking on its own. Now, I can’t get the door open no matter what I try.

The door panel is off, and I’ve tried every combination of manual locking, unlocking, and pulling on the rods, but nothing is working.

 

[p m]

Oh boy...
The linkage that goes upward from the latch to the door button (or to the fulcrum servicing the linkage to the solenoid) may catch on an unused protrusion (one of the two in the red ellipse - don't remember which one):

 

[WaltNYC]

There is an adjustment to be made. It involves screwing in/out one of the vertical rods. They are generally a little/lot corroded so let some penetrating fluid soak on the threads before trying to turn the rod with your fingers.

 

[Blueboy]

There is an adjustment to be made. It involves screwing in/out one of the vertical rods. They are generally a little/lot corroded so let some penetrating fluid soak on the threads before trying to turn the rod with your fingers.

Yep. Had to do this a few times on the Rangie. A small adjustment makes a huge difference!

To the OP - after turning/adjusting the rod make sure is firmly set back in the metal clip or it will pop off.

 

[Chuckwagon976]

It turns out I over cranked both of the adjustment rods so neither would allow engagement of the release lever portion of the latch.

 

[Blueboy]

It turns out I over cranked both of the adjustment rods so neither would allow engagement of the release lever portion of the latch.

It was surprising to me how small an adjustment made a big difference on the latch operation. Trust you got it working.

 

[Chuckwagon976]

Yes, and so true about the small adjustments. The latch was quite sticky, but after letting some lubricant settle in, it's much smoother now, allowing me to adjust it back even further than I thought it needed.

Now on to the sticky rear door latch.....

 

[Blueboy]

Yes, and so true about the small adjustments. The latch was quite sticky, but after letting some lubricant settle in, it's much smoother now, allowing me to adjust it back even further than I thought it needed.

Now on to the sticky rear door latch.....

When my rear door latch was not working correctly removed the Green LR oval on the door with a small screw driver blade and then sprayed WD 40 on the linkage. Freed up the likage and worked fine. Now do the same on occasion to keep it lubed.

 

[Chuckwagon976]

I sprayed the WD 40 in and we will see how it does. It won't open from the inside or outside. If I give it a couple of days it will start opening again for a little while then stop, and back and forth we go. Kind of feels like the same issue I am still having with the driver door latch, where the arm that engages the release lever is not recessing or dropping back into place enough to be able to fully engage the release lever when either handle is pulled.

 

[German Gruner]

If no previous length adjustment was done, only by pulling up lock button, your door should open. If small spring of lock is broken, these length adjusments only last until something of environment changes. For instance, inclination, temperature, etc will make lock fail again.