Expert: Mark Haben - 7/15/2007

Question
My son's back doors just stopped opening from the outside, first it was the one on the drivers side about a month ago, and my husband opens the door from the inside and puts the child safety lock on and closed the door now we cannot open it at all, however the back passenger door stopped opening today, do you know what the problem might be?

Thanks

Answer
Retch-

A number of abuses can happen to cause the door handle linkage from disconnecting inside the door. It sounds as though this is what has happened- perhaps pulling the door handle and then letting it spring back  too hard or forcing it somehow? I can't say for sure but somehow the motion of the handle is not throwing the latch into the open position. A shop can remove the inner trim panel and access the latch to get the door open and then address the problem. This should come at the expense of a about 60-80 dollars a door. Good Luck, Mark