Thread: Ummm arr crap - Passenger Door - Def..

Is your better half still stuck in the car?

Originally Posted by jx2mad

Is your better half still stuck in the car?

Nah she climbed out over my lap so it was not all a bad day ...

but now wondering what to do !!!! I think the hinges need to be removed .. what a ****.

I'm not familiar with the locking mechanism on Defenders, but I think that removing the hinges will probably not help. The latch will still be attached to the locking pin and the door can't simply be pulled off.
You could remove the seat to remove the door trim. Otherwise NRMA may be the best option (if the mechanism isn't completely jammed).

If all else fails you can pull the surround from the lock lift tab and get access to the innards of the door through there. Replacement bits are pretty cheap.

I don't think you can get the door card/trim off without opening the door.

I've had a similar problem before, where the lock tab just won't work. It seemed to be due to accumulation of dust in the various bits of door lock. Sorted with a clean up.

I've also found that if you keep at jiggling the tab it will eventually come good.

Cheers
Simon

Try using the "coat hanger wire" trick to unlock it from the outside.

You'll probably need something stiffer than a coat hanger (otherwise fold it double for rigidity). The mechanism is in the corner where the lock is. When I locked the keys in the Defender, I tried to do this for about half an hour, the RACV arrived and unlocked it in <30 seconds. When I again locked the keys in the Defender it took me about 5 min to get the lock open.

The Roadside Assist people have a hook just the right shape. If you do call them, memorise the shape.

Anyway, unlocking the mechanism will hopefully allow the door to open. One of the linkages in the door has probably come loose or broken. They're cheap, make sure you clean & lubricate all the parts when reassembling.

Nah, undo the hinges, they are external and then the door will just lift out. Then you can remove the trim and fix it.

Originally Posted by loanrangie

Nah, undo the hinges, they are external and then the door will just lift out. Then you can remove the trim and fix it.

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!

I think that the lock will still hold the door into place and you're only going to bend something trying to pull it off by removing the hinges.

The lock is a 'hook over pin type' and therefore will not allow the door to be removed when closed/locked.