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90 Jetta stuck door latch mechanism

On my 90 Jetta 4 door, the passenger side door latch mechanism is seized. My Jetta does not have power locks, and the lock is in the "unlock" position. The inner door release handle moves, but it doesn't open the door. I cut the outer door handle off, and sprayed the latch mechanism w/ WD40. This approach has not worked.

Does anyone know any trick to releasing the door with a seized latch? The latch mechanism has a small lever that the outer door handle would appear to depress. My latch mechanism handle won't move, and I have forced it to the point where I thought it might break or bend.

I'd rather not cut off the door and replace it with another door. I'd like to tear off the interior trim to get to the latch, but the latch mounting screws are accessible from the outside of the door. I have access to metal cutting tools: sawsall, etc., but I'd like to keep the surgery to a minimum.

Has anyone else solved this seized door latch problem without destroying the door?

thanks,

Andy

Reply to
AH
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This usally happens on the rear passanger side, at least for me. What happens is a small part inside the lock mechanism that has a spring on it becomes gummed up. Then it will not flip back and forth when the knob is operated. This part is what locks the mechanism. I've been sucessfull by spraying lots of wd40 or whatever in the lock and rapidly working the lock knob up and down. When it eventually moves you will feel a slight difference. Then open the door, remove the latch and clean and lube it. Examine the driver's side and maybe get a better idea of where to spray the wd40.

Jo Bo.

Reply to
Jo Bo

Reply to
Darryl

Jo Bo is probably right. Keep trying it with the handle off. Make sure you spray the lube and work the locking lever AND the release lever until you get the door open. I had this problem on an 88 Jetta on both rear doors. The springs were both broken and everything was gummed up. I did cut off the handles and never gave up. No damage to either doors. So there IS hope!

later, dave Reminder........ Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them, and you have their shoes. Frieda Norris

Reply to
dave

You may want to carefully punch/drill a small hole in the trim to insert a tube to spray directly onto/into the latch. Best to cut the cloth that's glued onto the trim and push it away from where you're about to drill; the cloth could then maybe be pushed back to conceal the hole. There'll be a plastic "membrane" behind the trim to penetrate before you can spray stuff on the latch, else anything you spray will just end up staining the trim from the back.

Good luck.

CAUTION! WD40 will dissolve/wash away any grease that's lubricating the mechanism and itself evaporate over a short period.

If you don't want to put in a new lock, then take the lock out of the car, throughly wash and dry it; the re-lube with the proper grease. Should be OK for another 8 to 10 years.

Reply to
Bernd Felsche

Thanks for all the replies. I will these ideas when it warms up a little.

Today in Western Massachusetts, it is about 5 degrees Fahrenheit.

Andy

Reply to
AH

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