Both doors do not open from outside.

[tombboy]

I have recently got my 2.5 back on the road after it has sat idle for about eight weeks.

After about an hour of driving I found that I cannot open both driver and passenger doors from the outside. The locks engage and disengage both manually and via the remote key, but the handles will not allow me entry. The handles will lift fully and the windows drop fine on both sides and I can exit the car no problem. To gain entry I have to insert the key and hold to the right to drop the windows fully and open using the internal latch.

Would I be right in assuming that because both doors have packed up, this may be an electrical relay issue as opposed to a mechanical (which is how it feels) or microswitch one?

Would love some advice!

Jamie.

Edited January 21, 2009 by tombboy

[JeTexas]

I believe the door latches are mechanical in nature (except for the microswitch which makes the window drop), so the chances that they both broke are slim to none. I think the issue is that the doors are not unlocking. The interior door handles actuate the lock mechanism and unlock the door if it is locked.

That's all I can figure.

[juniinc]

Yup , hard to believe they both are broken all at once.

What happens when U push the central locking?

[tombboy]

You can hear the locks engage and disengage.

Now I've discovered that the passenger door opens intermittently. Depends on it's mood I think!! Can a car get PMS? :P

[por986]

Does your alarm work? turn the key to unlock, then engage/disengage the alarm.

[tombboy]

Does your alarm work? turn the key to unlock, then engage/disengage the alarm.

Yup... from an electrical viewpoint, everything works as it should. It's just when you lift the door handle, nothing happens. Baffled to say the least!!

[Glyn]

Your locks are locking and unlocking if it works from the inside.

This is likely to be the mechanical link from the door handle to the lock assembly and all you need to do to confirm this is remove the door cards - so you can have a peek inside.

The door handle inside has a metal rod which engages with the locking mechanism - this rod has what looks like a thread on it - this is not for something to screw up but is the way it engages with the lock.

The lock has a plastic sleeve - this sleeve is like a tube but it is cut down the middle to form a "C" shape in which the metal rod simply pushes, there is a plastic sliding sleeve over the C shaped part that simply slides towards the door handle to lock the shaft.

Over time this sliding sleeve can move and it allows the metal shaft to seperate from the locking mechanism - it can also be achieved by pulling the door handle very quickly.

Removing the door card and peering to the area between the door lock and the door handle you will see these two parts - clearly yours have seperated, once you have reconnected this once you will be able to do it next time without looking - just feeling for the parts is all that is needed.

The fact the inside handles opperate the doors proves the locks are OK, your problem is without doubt this linkage

[juniinc]

Yup that is how exactly tolum fixed his.

maybe this can help,,,

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?s...c=22690&hl=

Edited January 22, 2009 by juniinc

[tombboy]

Thank you guys... I'll try that today and let you know how I got on. :)