Defender door stuck closed

[Captain_Rightfoot]

So my td5 defender door is stuck closed.

The other day I was doing stuff around the car. I opened it.. closed it.. then went to open it again and it's like it's locked. Can't be opened. Feels exactly like it's locked.

Thing is I didn't lock the car. I can lock it and unlock it and it makes no difference. You can see the little tab moving on the lock in the inside. I can reach in through the window and move the lock tab up and down. Can't open the door with either the interior or exterior handle.

Does anyone have any ideas how I can open this door to get at the mechanism? I've got a cargo barrier so I guess it's in through the window.

I ordered a replacement door lock mechanism which i have but I've got to get at the thing first. Sure glad it didn't fail on our trip.

[4bee]

Sounds a bit like a failed tiny lock spring to me. A known problem, certainly in a D1, & rectified by easily replacing a small spring & no biggy as you will still need to remove the lock either way. A lot more inexpensive than a new lock as well.

If you go down the track of buying springs online, buy enough for all doors as they have all had the same or similar use, then hide them away so you will know where to find them & when that time comes, like me you'll have forgotten where you put them.

In the D1 I had internal access to be able to lift the rod but it was lift able to unlock. Maybe a lift & boots onto the frame may do it, sorry no magic cure.


Oh yes forgot to mention. On the D1 assuming you may have this "feature" behind the "black Lock Box" if you remove the Green Oval badge that is clipped in to it's face you can fiddle & fartarse around in there with WD40 & possibly push & pull stuff which may just get you out of the brown stuff. Worth a try.

[Captain_Rightfoot]

So it could be just a spring? First I've got to get the door open.

[4bee]

See above late update.

[Wallaby Ted]

I had this happen whilst in Alice Springs earlier this year, the tab on the lock on the inside was going up and down but not all the way up.

It needed to be pushed all of the way up for the door to be able to be opened on the outside as I couldn't reach the inside with the sliding windows and like you have a cargo barrier in the way.

If you can reach the lock through the window you might want to try some lubricant into the lock and work it.

That reminds me I should go and pull it out and clean it before it occurs again.

[Captain_Rightfoot]

Ok - so I got the door trim off. The locking mechanism is actuating fine. You can easily operate the lock - doesn't make a scrap of difference - the thing wont't open.

So I tried undoing the four bolts that hold the locking mechanism to the door. That was fine but you still can't open the door because the handle gets stuck on the door skin, and the locking mechanism itself encases the striker so it's can't be slid either way so it's all still stuck closed.

Perhaps I can remove the bolts which hold the latch to the body and the whole thing can open then. Any ideas?

[4bee]

Anything is worth a try but if you can gain even 1mm clearance you should be right. Then you can operate on the problem properly.

Have your hinges worn or malfunctioned allowing misalignment of the door?

[Captain_Rightfoot]

Anything is worth a try but if you can gain even 1mm clearance you should be right. Then you can operate on the problem properly.

Have your hinges worn or malfunctioned allowing misalignment of the door?

I'm not sure where I need the clearance?

So I've unbolted the lock from the door, and the striker from the car and I have the whole locking mechanism out and the door open. The lock is sill clinging onto the striker though. no idea how to get it to release.

The whole mechanism is sealed so I can't see anything I can access or fix? I can't get the striker out of the lock.

[Captain_Rightfoot]

This is what my lock looks like.. the only difference is it has a central locking actuator on mine. Oh.. and a door striker in it's grasp!

[4bee]

I don't know either. You're there & I am here so have no idea what you can see & am just trying to go by your descriptions. You started off with the door not opening & now you have it open, so you are in a better position than anyone else here to look for a solution. Maybe it needs a clout with a BFOHammer &/or a screwdriver inserted somewhere to lever them apart? Btw. No image posted.