HELP!! drivers side door won't open - The Ford Focus Forum

**EAPSVT** · 01-27-2007, 04:06 PM

Has anyone else had this happen? i think the door lock/handle is messed up. when i unlock the car and pull on the door handle, the door won't open! so i went in thru the pass side. and from the inside pulling on the door handle won't open the door either?!

i have noticed that recently, before all of this happened, i did notice that the driver's side was lacking a certain "crispness" to it whenever you pulled on it, unlike the pass side. any input or help would be appreciated...thx!!

Moved to team tech

**Azwethinkweiz** · 01-27-2007, 04:20 PM

This isn't an uncommon problem with focus's, mine started doing this about 6 months after rolling it off the lot

. Try repeatedly pulling on the handle from the outside, the latch mechanism sticks because the lubricant Ford used from the factory is garbage. It'll be a PITA but it should open if thats all it is. If that doesnt work, try lifting up on the handle a little bit and firmly pulling outward like you're opening it normally, don't lean into it obviously but a firm tug is usually enough. If you cant get it open like this the only thing i can think of is taking the interior door panel off if you can with the seat being there and reach in and pull on the linking rod to trip the latch (Right now the rod is just straightening out when you pull the handle because the latch is jammed). Once you get it open slap some of this on the latch, we used it in my old shop. http://www.shop.com/op/~Permatex_Ult...30?sourceid=57

**ridindirtyzx3** · 01-31-2007, 05:57 PM

yeah i have a similar problem with my passenger-side door. i pull the handel and it doesnt open right away. i sometimes pull the handel a few times to get it to finally open

**Madd_Maxx** · 01-31-2007, 06:45 PM

I had the same problem with the passenger side door on my 02 zx3. The door wouldn't open from the outside at all but if you opened it from the inside it would open just fine. Only problem was after a while of opening the door from the inside the latch would throw a fit every now and then and the door wouldn't stay latched.....a real problem.

Just go through the procedure to remove the inner door panel and then you'll see the actuator rod that goes from the door handle to the latch. Just spray the acuator rod at the door handle end and the latch end with a shot of pb blaster (wd-40 will also work) to clean and loosen it up. I did that very thing last week and the door works like a new one. The hardest part of the whole door panel removal is the mirror cover and the cover on the actual door handle. You have to remove the cover on the door handle to see the two 1/4" bolts that hold it on. Still a very easy job for the basic do-it-yourself kind of guy....mine took less than an hour (maybe just a bit longer) to take apart and put back together. At any rate it's still cheaper than taking it to a dealer so they can do the same exact thing and charge you 75-80 bux to fix it the same way.

Madd_Maxx

**Azwethinkweiz** · 01-31-2007, 08:51 PM

The panel is nearly impossible to remove in his situation becuase the door wont open either way. You cannot access the screws at the bottom of the panel with the door closed. DW-40 isnt a good lubricant, it's main intent is to displace water to detur corrosion. PB blaster fights corrosion but will not maintain longer term lubrication. Use the stuff I recommended in my first post, this is exactly what it is intended for.

**Focci01** · 01-31-2007, 09:02 PM

THat happend to me once. but i opened it form inside then it stop doing it.. I dont know maybe the cable busted?

**ivantrox** · 02-05-2007, 07:52 AM

I just had that problem last week with my driver's door, but it's not the first time....I have noticed that I get that problem only when it rains....hehehe I don't know if that's a coincidense......but now, it works perfectly

*One day...BOTH doors wouldn't open......so guess what????..... I had to get to my car through the trunk in order to open it from the inside!!!!

**nategruebel** · 11-02-2009, 12:53 AM

yea um.. my doors won't open because the cheap little tiny piece of plastic that connects the handle to the rod thing broke off. both my doors are like this. when it rains i have to climb through the back to get in my car because i can't leave my windows down. that piece looks like ford made it to freakin break. i've tried all kinds of stuff to fix it and i will not take it a shop because the jerks want like $140 per door to fix it. thats alot for something that in my opinion for something shouldn't have broke anyway.

**nategruebel** · 11-02-2009, 12:55 AM

try pushing in on the door and then pulling on the handle. that's whay i had to do until my doors completely broke.

01-27-2007, 04:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
EAPSVT Rookie Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Gardena, CA Posts: 21	HELP!! drivers side door won't open Has anyone else had this happen? i think the door lock/handle is messed up. when i unlock the car and pull on the door handle, the door won't open! so i went in thru the pass side. and from the inside pulling on the door handle won't open the door either?! i have noticed that recently, before all of this happened, i did notice that the driver's side was lacking a certain "crispness" to it whenever you pulled on it, unlike the pass side. any input or help would be appreciated...thx!! Moved to team tech __________________ -2003 Screaming YELLOW SVT- Last edited by Azwethinkweiz; 01-31-2007 at 08:52 PM.

01-27-2007, 04:20 PM	#2 (permalink)
Azwethinkweiz Moderator Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Plattsburgh, NY Posts: 3,635	Re: HELP!! drivers side door won't open This isn't an uncommon problem with focus's, mine started doing this about 6 months after rolling it off the lot . Try repeatedly pulling on the handle from the outside, the latch mechanism sticks because the lubricant Ford used from the factory is garbage. It'll be a PITA but it should open if thats all it is. If that doesnt work, try lifting up on the handle a little bit and firmly pulling outward like you're opening it normally, don't lean into it obviously but a firm tug is usually enough. If you cant get it open like this the only thing i can think of is taking the interior door panel off if you can with the seat being there and reach in and pull on the linking rod to trip the latch (Right now the rod is just straightening out when you pull the handle because the latch is jammed). Once you get it open slap some of this on the latch, we used it in my old shop. http://www.shop.com/op/~Permatex_Ult...30?sourceid=57 __________________ 2003 Black Zx3 ------ 2008 Harley-Davidson 105th 1200C -------1972 Harley-Davidson Ironhead Bobber [FJ] [ Sponsors ] [ Search ] [ Exterior How-To's ] [ Interior How-To's ] [ ax0n's FocusHacks ] [ Guidelines ] [FJ] . Last edited by Azwethinkweiz; 01-27-2007 at 04:26 PM.

01-31-2007, 05:57 PM	#3 (permalink)
ridindirtyzx3 Senior TEAM Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Lebanon/Millersville, PA Posts: 1,159	Re: HELP!! drivers side door won't open yeah i have a similar problem with my passenger-side door. i pull the handel and it doesnt open right away. i sometimes pull the handel a few times to get it to finally open

01-31-2007, 06:45 PM	#4 (permalink)
Madd_Maxx Rookie Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 46	Re: HELP!! drivers side door won't open I had the same problem with the passenger side door on my 02 zx3. The door wouldn't open from the outside at all but if you opened it from the inside it would open just fine. Only problem was after a while of opening the door from the inside the latch would throw a fit every now and then and the door wouldn't stay latched.....a real problem. Just go through the procedure to remove the inner door panel and then you'll see the actuator rod that goes from the door handle to the latch. Just spray the acuator rod at the door handle end and the latch end with a shot of pb blaster (wd-40 will also work) to clean and loosen it up. I did that very thing last week and the door works like a new one. The hardest part of the whole door panel removal is the mirror cover and the cover on the actual door handle. You have to remove the cover on the door handle to see the two 1/4" bolts that hold it on. Still a very easy job for the basic do-it-yourself kind of guy....mine took less than an hour (maybe just a bit longer) to take apart and put back together. At any rate it's still cheaper than taking it to a dealer so they can do the same exact thing and charge you 75-80 bux to fix it the same way. Madd_Maxx

01-31-2007, 08:51 PM	#5 (permalink)
Azwethinkweiz Moderator Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Plattsburgh, NY Posts: 3,635	Re: HELP!! drivers side door won't open The panel is nearly impossible to remove in his situation becuase the door wont open either way. You cannot access the screws at the bottom of the panel with the door closed. DW-40 isnt a good lubricant, it's main intent is to displace water to detur corrosion. PB blaster fights corrosion but will not maintain longer term lubrication. Use the stuff I recommended in my first post, this is exactly what it is intended for. __________________ 2003 Black Zx3 ------ 2008 Harley-Davidson 105th 1200C -------1972 Harley-Davidson Ironhead Bobber [FJ] [ Sponsors ] [ Search ] [ Exterior How-To's ] [ Interior How-To's ] [ ax0n's FocusHacks ] [ Guidelines ] [FJ] .

01-31-2007, 09:02 PM	#6 (permalink)
Focci01 TEAM Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 953	Re: HELP!! drivers side door won't open THat happend to me once. but i opened it form inside then it stop doing it.. I dont know maybe the cable busted? __________________ www.focsa.net

02-05-2007, 07:52 AM	#7 (permalink)
ivantrox Newbie Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: San Diego/Tijuana Mx. Posts: 4	Re: HELP!! drivers side door won't open I just had that problem last week with my driver's door, but it's not the first time....I have noticed that I get that problem only when it rains....hehehe I don't know if that's a coincidense......but now, it works perfectly *One day...BOTH doors wouldn't open......so guess what????..... I had to get to my car through the trunk in order to open it from the inside!!!!

11-02-2009, 12:53 AM	#8 (permalink)
nategruebel Newbie Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 2	Re: HELP!! drivers side door won't open yea um.. my doors won't open because the cheap little tiny piece of plastic that connects the handle to the rod thing broke off. both my doors are like this. when it rains i have to climb through the back to get in my car because i can't leave my windows down. that piece looks like ford made it to freakin break. i've tried all kinds of stuff to fix it and i will not take it a shop because the jerks want like $140 per door to fix it. thats alot for something that in my opinion for something shouldn't have broke anyway.

11-02-2009, 12:55 AM	#9 (permalink)
nategruebel Newbie Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 2	Re: HELP!! drivers side door won't open try pushing in on the door and then pulling on the handle. that's whay i had to do until my doors completely broke.

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