Thread: If you ever need to replace your driver's door latch .....

Well folks, due to some ongoing issues with my remote key fob, I set about to replace the drivers door latch mechanism.

On the P38's this is the semi mechanical, semi electronic unit inside the drivers door that controls the drivers door opening. Here's a picture...

Door Latch - Front Left Hand Replacement | Land Rover Parts

It has 4 mechanical inputs and 2 wiring harnesses and it has 3 torx screws which hold it in place.

What you need to start......

In order to train for this procedure I would advise buying several of those chinese puzzles, you know the ones, where several metal peices are all looped together and you have to try to separate them all. Then buy a blindfold, and the third thing you'll need is a set of highly restrictive handcuffs ..... ones that really cut into your flesh would be better.

Now put on the handcuffs and the blindfold and attempt to complete the chinese puzzle. Spend about 3 or 4 hours doing this. You are now ready.

Seriously though, I had the workshop manual for instruction and other than identifying the part as the right one, I found it less than helpful. So here are some tips that will hopefully save someone in the future ...

Firstly you have to take off the door trim casing including the small triangular casing for the tweeter at the front of the door. There is no mention of how this is attached so it is quite nerve racking just pulling it, hoping it won't snap. In fact there is one spring clip positioned in the centre of the triangle that had to be prized of. getting good, even grip around it and a sharp tug worked for me.

The door casing itself isn't too hard. The workshop manual is fine for this task.

When you get to removing the latch, it seems to suggest that you can detach the pushrods from the latch mechanism before you have unscrewed the latch. Folks, there is no way (that I could find) to remove those pushrods before I had released the latch. Even once you have released the latch it is quite an exercise in rotating the latch mechanism around inside the door to get the right angle for looping the push rods out.

Tip: some people may even find it useful to label the pushrods before removing them, just so you can be confident of where to connect them on the new one. A lot of swearing takes place in between, and not everyone has a photographic memory !

I eventually got the latch out of the door.

Now to put the new one back in. You would think that this might be a reverse of the removal procedure but I'm sorry to say that things aren't always what they seem. Its the old chines puzzle again. When you take the pushrods out, you do it in an order such that each subsequent removal allows the unit itself more movement to release the next. When putting it back the opposite is true. Once each one is connected there is less movement, making the last almost impossible to connect.

Venturing further away from the workshop manual, I realised that the only way I was going to be able to use my car the next day to get to work, was if I dismantled more of the door handle and pre installed some of the pushrods. I removed the torx screw holding the outer door handle in place and worked the lock mechanism out enough to access the other end of the push rod which has a retaining clip holdong it in place.

It was quite easy to release this clip from outside the car with the mechanism pulled through but impossible from inside the door. Being a snap in retaining clip meant that it would be easy to put back in, just getting it out is difficult. So I removed that pushrod and pre installed it on the latch, knowing the other end would go into place easily once inside the door.

The other pushrod I pre installed is the one that goes to the internal door snib (push down button in the car for locking / unlocking the door)

With these 2 pre installed at the latch end, the other 2 have a much easier way of attaching (that's right folks, 4 different pushrods, 4 different ways of attaching them). Some minor manipulation required, but a much easier approach. After doing up the torx screws and fixing the mechanism in place, the last attachment is the easiest and then it is all done.

Putting the door casing back.... for those who have not done this before, you will find several of the blue clips still attached to door and some have come out with the door casing. Remove all of them from the door and re attach them to the casing. Gently line them all up with the corresponding receiver holes. I have found a swift karate chop action will best secure these clips back in place. Replace the screws through the armrests and door handle and clip the triangular tweeter cover back in place.

Job Done.

I apologise for the extreme ramblings, but my intention is to serve one of 2 purposes for anyone attempting this task in the future..... to provide some insight from someone who has done it before, and/or to simply provide some sympathy.

Cheers
Dave

Hey guys I have a similar issue which happens occasionally. I use the key to unlock the drivers side door. The problem is that none of the other doors unlock, only the drivers side door. Then if I open the door the alarm goes off. I lock the door it stops. Wait 10 mins then its all fine again.