Hi everybody, I posted here a few months ago looking for advice about the lock problem on my driver's door. It turned out to be the common problem, which is a wimpy piece of metal getting fatigued and breaking. Thanks largely to Mark Randol's excellent repair instructions:
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I was able to fix it myselfin an hour or two, with about $30 in parts from the dealer and aBentley manual for about $80. You might be able to do without themanual and just use Mark's instructions if you like to livedangerously. I would suggest pulling the passenger's handle out (themechanism is identical) so you can have a model of what a working locklooks like. You could also swap the passenger handle to the driver'sdoor, but remember that you'll be stuck if that one breaks too, so getit fixed quick! Don't worry about getting a torx bit for the mainhandle bolt - I did fine with an allen wrench. Don't try to yank thehandle out (slide it forward) or you'll be swapping that piece to thepassenger side and calling the junkyards for a replacement (or spendinganother $40 at the dealer). If you're having this same problem and are considering fixing it yourself I say go for it - it's pretty easy once you make up your mind to do it. Anyhow, just wanted to put in my 2 cents for anybody else who's trying to get this fixed.