Thread: D1 rear door unlocking problem.

Is this the infamous busted spring syndrome?


Using the remote to unlock, all doors apart from the rear, unlatch. The 'knob' on this only rises apx. 50%. If I lightly hold my finger on it when unlocking with the remote, it rises a bit & then drops back.

The rear needs the key in to unlock it which it does satisfactorily.

Going by the WM I need a "Trim Panel Removing Tool" to remove the 17 fasteners & dismantle it. What does this tool look like & can one be easily made?

Any other possible/likely fixes?

Ta in advance.

Well the weather was dry & sunny so I tackled "Operation Busted Spring". It was good having the door open towards the North to get the max. light in there.

How did it go? Not too bad really. I found the hardest part was noting where all those bloody links went & noting same as there is not much of a photographic opportunity in there.

Followed the WM directions & do you think I could get the lock to come out? No way! Tried this angle, that angle ad finitum & then bugger me, it just fell out of the door.

The problem was the spring, & you can see this is the problem even before the lock comes out.

At this point, do a small diagram as to which way the spring hook faces. Trying to recall after, was a bit daunting for me.

Replacing the spring is easy really. You just need some needle nose pliers & a small flat bladed screwdriver to do some pushing. A groove in the end of the blade would be better, to position the spring ready for pushing into the teardrop shaped hole.


Surprise, surprise, the lock just slipped back into the door as cleanly as you could want, despite the difficulties in getting it out initially.

Then, on to hooking up the linkages. Not much chance of error really, but you must think it through before doing it.

I wondered why I could not get the internal handle to operate & eventually realised that I had removed some black duct tape & stuck it on the door edge which covered the "child proof" locking knob. It had accidentally been locked on ffs!

Rumbled that & all was ok.
It was assembled using white assembly grease. (Castrol PH Zinc Oxide)

For information, the rear door lock is a GM P/N 6606800.

If you prefer to replace the lock, you may find this P/N is less expensive than LR.
I found that was the case with the Idle Air Control Valve I purchased recently. Less than 50% of LR price.

Ritters never replied asking for a confirmation price for the spring, & so I got my set of 3 from E-Bay.

phillip@alisma.freeserve.co.uk

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....B:EOIBSA:AU:11


Cost for 3 was A$28.88 inc air mail postage. I recall Ritters wanted something like $22 for one.
The others will probably let go eventually, as they all have had the same use cycles.

I trust the above is some assistance to those contemplating this job. Go for it!