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94 XJ having problems unlocking and opening door

90xjbraffer

NAXJA Forum User
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ok so it is a 4 door 94 and the door was falling off ((top hinge was almost completly off)),so any way my friends mom was driving it and she "didnt feel safe with the door" so she locked the door when it wasnt shut 100% so she got to where she was going and she needed to crawl out the passenger side :doh:. so i tryed taking off the door pannel and moving the lock by hand i have tryed using the key and the regular switch thing.it is manuel locks windows everything.so i cant figure out how to do this so i turn to the lords of NAXJA,please help me :dunce:
 
I had this exact issue on my 96 when I got it - I assume you already tried pushing on the linkages inside the door, not the tiny little lever on the actual latch mechanism?

If I'm correct - you can unlock your door by reaching back to the actual latch mechanism inside the door, right by the jamb, and feeling for a small metal tab approximately 1/4" tall sticking out of the mechanism. Push up on it. If you get the right one, the door will pop open, locked or not. It's easier to visualize what you're doing if you go to a junkyard and pull the latch mechanism out of a door and look at it - a *lot* of the latch mechanisms in the early 90s XJs got corroded to the point that the lock slider in the mechanism jams, from what I found online. Team Cherokee sells the mechanism you want for $45 and I believe discountjeepparts has them for $35 (theirs are off right-hand-drive Cherokees, so order the "opposite" from the one you want, in your case, order a passenger side one)

I'll see if I can find my old latch mechanism and post some pictures for you.
 
ok so i tryed it and i was abel to get to the tab and i was abel to move it,but i was not abel to get it to relase the latch,i even had sum one els try to open it from the outside well i was moving around the tab and it didnt work.i just noticed that you were going to post sum pics if you still have them that would be awsume,maybe im pulling on the wrong one or sumthing.

thank you
 


Updated for 2018. Never thought I'd be updating this, 9 years later. This is the driver side.

(you're looking at the mechanism from what would be the center of the door, looking straight back toward the door jamb)

The below is included for the curious but will need some imagination as the legends match the old picture, not the new one, and the old one died with my old imageshack account at least 5 years ago.

At point (A) is the actuator bar - what happens when the lock/unlock bars are pushed is that bar is pulled to the side so that it can't actually press the tab up at the top of the picture. Usually that bar gets covered in so much gunk and rust that it can't move back to where it will push the tab - but if you manage to get the inside paneling off the door (which you already did), reach in, and flail around until you find that tab at the top, just push it up (it's easy, you should be able to get it with one finger) and the door should magically pop open. Next move is to remove the old latch mech and either degrease and regrease it, or replace it. I replaced mine as the replacements are fairly cheap and I wanted peace of mind.

Hope this helps!
 
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Some more info, if it turns out that mechanism is jammed up and you want new ones:
Passenger Door Latch - part number 5500 0766 (94-96 XJ)
Rear Right Door Latch - part number 5502 6382 (94XJ) 5507 5878 (95-96XJ)
Driver's Door Latch - part number 5500 0767 (94-96 XJ)
Rear Left Door Latch - part number 5502 6383 (94XJ) 5507 5879 (95-96XJ)

discountjeepparts.com stocks the three I did find - while Jeep says the latches only fit models in the specific year ranges I gave, apparently that was just that specific revision of the lock mechanism and any of them are generally interchangeable over the model years 84 through 01. Dealership wanted $120 for a 55000766 for comparison; also remember that discountjeeppart's stock came from overseas RHD XJs so "driver" and "passenger" are switched.

All this definitely applies to 4door models, and *probably* applies to 2door models (with the exception of the rear door latches, of course...)
 
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Ugh... I just got through taking a sawzall and angle grinder to my door to cut the striker post off and free my drivers door.:hang:

I tried EVERYTHING including the above AND taking a chisel and hammer, soaking with WD40/PB Blaster to the mechanism to no avail...

Just painted my MJ two weeks ago.:tears:

Off to the Junkyard for a new door and I will be ordering a new latch for it as well...
 
Picture I promised (sorry, I suck at image resizing without screwing up my text... will upload a new one and repost when I get around to it)

(you're looking at the mechanism from what would be the center of the door, looking straight back toward the door jamb)

At point (A) is the actuator bar - what happens when the lock/unlock bars are pushed is that bar is pulled to the side so that it can't actually press the tab up at the top of the picture. Usually that bar gets covered in so much gunk and rust that it can't move back to where it will push the tab - but if you manage to get the inside paneling off the door (which you already did), reach in, and flail around until you find that tab at the top, just push it up (it's easy, you should be able to get it with one finger) and the door should magically pop open. Next move is to remove the old latch mech and either degrease and regrease it, or replace it. I replaced mine as the replacements are fairly cheap and I wanted peace of mind.

Hope this helps!

EDIT: further note - this is the passenger side unit. The outside of the door is on the left.

Kastein !!! DUDE ! YOU ROCK !!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the door unlatching trick !!! OH !MY HELL !!! I'm a big SOB & being stuffed in the back seat for 45 mins. in 100* temps. really got to me...
SO :worship: and should our paths cross... the first TWO are on me :cheers:


Curt
 
Glad it helped out! :cheers:

Was funny seeing this thread come back up, I'm pretty sure it's one of the first few threads I answered when I joined.

Also, a bit of an update... this latch mech did change on 97+ XJs, the part numbers I gave only work for 96-. The trick works on 97+ XJs but the tab doesn't quite look the same, I'll have to post a pic when I get a chance to mess with the 98 a bit... sadly most likely won't happen for a month or so.

EDIT: just checked, yeah this was my 23rd post... been a while!
 
Haha that was literally thousands of posts ago for you. yeah i have a '96 so i will be ordering the driver side door mech (passenger side from discountjeepparts) from what you posted before. my friend stopped by while i was taking my door panel off and started saying that I end up working on my xj too much. I look at it as every problem i get is some more i learn about xj's:D
 
DAMN !!! he does post allot... especially for a year and a half...

I've been around here for... well before here was HERE !! and I've only got 10%
of the posts... :wow:

Curt
 
Nope... take a look at them, it isn't too hard to remove them. You unclip the plastic retainer by rotating it around the part of the rod that goes through the latch arm, then pull the end of the rod up and out. It can be annoying to put them back in, especially since you are working blind, and they should go back in a certain order or you will paint yourself into a corner. I got it on the first try, just needed some patience and a bit of thinking before diving in.
 
Kastein !!! DUDE ! YOU ROCK !!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the door unlatching trick !!! OH !MY HELL !!! I'm a big SOB & being stuffed in the back seat for 45 mins. in 100* temps. really got to me...
SO :worship: and should our paths cross... the first TWO are on me :cheers:


Curt
No kidding! My drivers front door has been stuck closed for a week! I have been messing with it for the last hour and finally came in to search NAXJA! Lo and behold, Kastien's trick worked!!!!!! Thanks!
 
I had this exact issue on my 96 when I got it - I assume you already tried pushing on the linkages inside the door, not the tiny little lever on the actual latch mechanism?

If I'm correct - you can unlock your door by reaching back to the actual latch mechanism inside the door, right by the jamb, and feeling for a small metal tab approximately 1/4" tall sticking out of the mechanism. Push up on it. If you get the right one, the door will pop open, locked or not. It's easier to visualize what you're doing if you go to a junkyard and pull the latch mechanism out of a door and look at it - a *lot* of the latch mechanisms in the early 90s XJs got corroded to the point that the lock slider in the mechanism jams, from what I found online. Team Cherokee sells the mechanism you want for $45 and I believe discountjeepparts has them for $35 (theirs are off right-hand-drive Cherokees, so order the "opposite" from the one you want, in your case, order a passenger side one)

I'll see if I can find my old latch mechanism and post some pictures for you.

Man this saved my ass. 0 Degrees outside, dark, and my door won't lock closed. So I grab a screw driver and try to work the locking mechanism to see if it's jammed. Well then it pops to the locked position and won't move. Great so now my door is stuck open and the lock won't unlock. Pulled the panel and messed around with the linkage with no luck.

Then I saw your post, found the button, and the door works 100%. Thank you sir.
 
I had this exact issue on my 96 when I got it - I assume you already tried pushing on the linkages inside the door, not the tiny little lever on the actual latch mechanism?

If I'm correct - you can unlock your door by reaching back to the actual latch mechanism inside the door, right by the jamb, and feeling for a small metal tab approximately 1/4" tall sticking out of the mechanism. Push up on it. If you get the right one, the door will pop open, locked or not. It's easier to visualize what you're doing if you go to a junkyard and pull the latch mechanism out of a door and look at it - a *lot* of the latch mechanisms in the early 90s XJs got corroded to the point that the lock slider in the mechanism jams, from what I found online. Team Cherokee sells the mechanism you want for $45 and I believe discountjeepparts has them for $35 (theirs are off right-hand-drive Cherokees, so order the "opposite" from the one you want, in your case, order a passenger side one)

I'll see if I can find my old latch mechanism and post some pictures for you.

Thank you so much! I locked my drivers side door and it would not open?? Been crawling out my passenger side door for a week now. Quite embarrassing. I have an 1990 2 door XJ and it took less than 3 minutes to get it unlocked. I someone said he has the first two beers for you. I have the next 4 :yelclap:
 
Haha shit, I'm just glad people are still finding this info useful. I'd forgotten I even posted that, 9 years ago... Almost had to use it myself a few weeks ago when my 88 MJs door was having a bad day.
 
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