Why will driver side door not open?

20

Asked by Rman13 Apr 21, 2014 at 09:42 PM about the 1996 Pontiac Grand Prix 2 Dr GTP Coupe

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

Exterior door handle on driver side door needed adjustment to allow door to open from
outside handle.  While adjusting linkage the door shut.  Now the door will not open from
outside or inside.  The door is not locked.  Any suggestions on what I should

11 Answers

31,245

Well that sucks. Do you have the outer handle off right know. Does the inside handle move as far as it should or is it binding.

1 people found this helpful.
20

The outer handle is on, It is not the original it is aftermarket handle, The outside handle quit working about a month ago, door would not unlatch with outside handle but the interior handle did work. I took the plastic cover off the door and adjust the rod to the latch, put the clip back on then put the plastic cover back on. After I adjusted, the door opened with both the outside handle and the interior handle. I drove the car for about and hour, now neither handle will open door, Neither handle feels like they are binding.

2 people found this helpful.
31,245

Something probably came off on the latch in the door. You can try to roll down the window and take a peek. I will see if there a diagram somewhere for the rods. They are held on in there with the crappy plastic pivot lock things.

2 people found this helpful.
31,245

Wow no good pics of the latch. http://www.w-body.com/showthread.php/79112-Door-won-t-open-(yeah-I-know-what-you-re-thinking-yet-another)?highlight=Coupe+door+handle Read the last few posts. Now that I read this my pass door on my Beretta did the same thing when I tried to open it with the key in the hole. Jambed for a couple days half open and neither handle worked. Some rough roads must have shook it loose, works now.

1 people found this helpful.
20

I can't see anything by looking down the window slot. The lock rod and the latch rod were both secured with metal clips underneath the plastic cover outside the door cover panel. Are the plastic pivot locks you mention on the other end of the rods inside the door behind the door panel? If that is the case it really sucks since the door is shut and will not open.

31,245

Yes they are. Read the end of the post. They say this happrns when the latch sees movement from both the lock and open rods at the same time. They tapped the outer handle in the closed position then cycled the lock and it worked. Then you just need to adjust the rod for a little slack

1 people found this helpful.
31,245

Just be gentle those outer handles are easy to break. Have 3 GTP's there all broke. The Beretta's seem stronger? Finally got made and made a handle out of steel and fit it to the factory bracket.

I had the same issue. And figured out that the freezing temperature was the reason. As it became warm by the noon, everything seems to be working fine.

50

both of my door handles needed replacing, i replaced the driver side door easily and it was working. Then i did the passengers side, easy enough just like the driver side, but when i got it all put together i closed the door to test it now both doors wont open from either the inside or out side... I'm having to get in like a Nascar driver! Please help this is not a good look.

5 people found this helpful.

If u file out the spot where the rod goes up it helped me out get some space take the rubber boot up and take a file make it happen

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