Please help - Door lock problem

[osweezea]

I have also posted in the Modified Tech Section, but here's my problem!!

Please Help - Door lock problem
Last weekend I decided to leave me 88 Comanche up north instead of trailering it home. I am planning on going back up north early this coming week, so I thought it would be okay to leave and unneccesary to trailer it home and then back up. Anyway, my problem is that I purchased the trucknearly two months ago, and never locked the doors because it was always within earshot or in my backyard. My problem is that the keys given to me from the previous owner turn in the doors, but do not actually unlock the locks. So, needless to say, after I attempted to unlock the drivers door and discovered that the key does not work, I left the passenger door open. So, I can at least get in the truck, but does anyone have any ideas of how to get the locked door open and unlocked. An added twist to my problem is that when I tried to unlock the door from the inside, the lock would move to the unlocked position, however, the door remained locked.

So, to sum up my problem, I have a locked drivers side door that shows that the door is unlocked, and a useless key. I do however have access to the door from the unlocked passenger door, but am unable to unlock it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated - getting in and out through the passenger side would be a huge inconvenience, seeing as how getting in and out of the drivers door is already difficult seeing as how I am 6'4" and the truck does have an interior roll cage.

If it matters to getting the unlocked, I do not need to lock the doors ever again, but I thought it may prevent hoodlums from getting in and stealing things like tow straps and fire extinguuishers and what not.

Thanks for the help and words of encouragement in advance! Hopefully one of you great Jeep GURU's can come through for me in this idiotic pinch.

 

[Jess]

If you can go through the passenger side and get the pannel off the driver door that would be the way to go. You could take the seat out if you have to.

 

[Matthew Currie]

You will pretty much have to get the panel off and find whatever mechanism in the latch unlocks it. You may have to fish around in the latch to find the right bit. My ex's 88 did the same thing, and it turned out to be a broken piece of plastic in the latch mechanism itself. I was able to unlock it, and then stupidly thought it was fixed, put it all back together, and the first time it was locked again, it did the same thing (yeah, I'm a nice guy, but more importantly it was one of my kids driving it, which is why I took the time...). So if you do get it to open, make very sure that it's working properly before you put the panel back on. If it is a broken latch, there's no workaround short of replacing it as far as I know.

 

[selarep]

wow looky here. your original post in the right place. see what happens whan ya post in the right area? people reply faster.

 

[rikard]

You might be able to activate the lock by removing the door handle plate (three screws). On my 87 the rods for the lock and door latch can be worked with the plate removed. The rods are held in place by plastic retainers and if the lock rod one comes lose it could prevent the rod actating the lock.
Good Luck
rikard

 

[MoFo]

I had a problem on my 90 XJ where it would not unlock with the key. When I got inside and pushed the rocker acturator to unlock it, I noticed the rocker did not move all the way to the unlock position. It moved most of the way, but not far enough. Try to unlock your doors from the inside. If you feel a difference between the passanger side that is working, and the one that is not (drivers side will not lay flat in the unlock position), try repeatedly to move the rocker from the unlocked position to the unlock position, with a quick snap of your finger. I did mine several times and could feel it stopping at a slightly different position each time. After about 50 times, it snapped all the way to unlock. I then opened the door and removed the pannel. I set about a half a can of spray moly lube loose in the door and all has been well since.

It took a pretty good amount of force to get it to the unlock position. Don't try this from the outside, you will surely break the key.

 

[osweezea]

thanks to all who have replied. Hopefully we can get back up north again this week and get things squared away