Somehow the door handle mechanism (both inside and out) and the locking mechanism seem to have become detached from the actual door latch in my 92 GTI. The inside door opening lever just hangs limply; likewise the outside one does nothing. Any suggestion for how to get the door open?
Tobin
If you have time before the people who will know more precisely come by, you might consider getting the interior door panel off. I feel confident that the solution will start there.
You may need to remove the door card in order to repair whatever became loose or broken. I suggest that you get a Bentley service manual for your particular car before doing anything.
Sounds like the linkage has come disengaged. Probably from someone trying to use a 'slim jim' to open it. Look for scrapes around the bottom edge of the window. Then it's a matter of taking off the door's interior panel and fixing the linkage. The panels come off easily, there's usually three screws holding the armrest. The rest are just clips that can be carefully pulled out. Get a Bentley or Haynes manual to learn more.
Yes, that's exactly what happened. In fact, it was a locksmith doing the slimjiming--I'd lost the key (since found)!
Removing the interior door panel seems slightly complicated by the door being struck in the closed position. The screws holding the trim to the door frame are sort of in the door jam, which makes them impossible to get to with a normal screwdriver. I have to find a right-angled screwdriver or something.
Tobin
Sounds like that locksmith out to be paying to have the door opened since they broke the linkage.
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