Back doors won't open

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marko66@gmail.com - 26 Apr 2007 06:08 GMT

I have an 86 Jetta that the rear passenger did not open when I got it
last year. Yesterday, the other back door refused to open. I had
replaced the outside handle on that door a few months ago, and it was
the best working door on the car!

So I have 2 doors that won't open from the inside, or the outside. How
do I get them open to fix what I have to fix?

Any clues?

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samstone@aol.com - 26 Apr 2007 12:54 GMT

>I have an 86 Jetta that the rear passenger did not open when I got it
>last year. Yesterday, the other back door refused to open. I had
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
>Any clues?

The rear latch has child levers on them, so in one position kids can't
open the door from the inside. Keeping the latches and handles
lubed is really simple and should be done yearly. ( imo)
It's not impossile to get the rear doors inner panels off so you can get
to the release lever but it is a huge ( PITA ).
If you have a parts/salvage yard that allows you to pull your
parts it would be worth your time learning what exactly you need to do
on one of theirs.

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dave AKA vwdoc1 - 26 Apr 2007 13:38 GMT

I am with samstone on the lube. They need periodic lubrication especially
when they feel a little stiff.
If you "play" with spraying lube in the door handle towards the latch and
keep working the lock knob and both inner & outer handles while thumping on
the door near the latch, you may get lucky enough to get them open. That
has usually worked for me almost 100% of the time. Of course we are
ASSuME-ing that the trigger on the outside handle is not broken and the
child lock is not on. lol
If the trigger is broken you will need to cut the handle in the middle and
snap it off the rear without damaging the door.
Then you can get inside with more lube on the latch and your fingers to work
the release.

Sometimes the spring inside of the latch is broken and still my method "may"
work. Cursing at it may help you feel better too while you spend 20 minutes
going through the above procedure!

Good luck and let us know what happens.
Oh and WD-40 AIN'T it and neither is PB Blaster in HMO! lol
Marvel Mystery Oil works much better and seems to last so far. I have other
favorites but I can't seem to find them easily. :-(

Signature

later,
dave
(One out of many daves)

>>I have an 86 Jetta that the rear passenger did not open when I got it
>>last year. Yesterday, the other back door refused to open. I had
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> parts it would be worth your time learning what exactly you need to do
> on one of theirs.

Reply to this Message

samstone@aol.com - 26 Apr 2007 14:55 GMT

>I am with samstone on the lube. They need periodic lubrication especially
>when they feel a little stiff.
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>If the trigger is broken you will need to cut the handle in the middle and
>snap it off the rear without damaging the door.

OH ! yeah , sure now that I know how easy it is to keep them lubed and it won't
happen to me , :-) I'll have to try this on a bones car just to see though.

>Then you can get inside with more lube on the latch and your fingers to work
>the release.
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
>> parts it would be worth your time learning what exactly you need to do
>> on one of theirs.

Reply to this Message

dave AKA vwdoc1 - 27 Apr 2007 02:25 GMT

The broken spring in the latch is the tough one. Only through luck, a lot
of time and some serious use of certain language can I get those doors open.
Hopefully I catch handles before their triggers crack.

Yeah try it out and let us know! ;-)

>>I am with samstone on the lube. They need periodic lubrication especially
>>when they feel a little stiff.
[quoted text clipped - 28 lines]
>>other
>>favorites but I can't seem to find them easily. :-(

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marko66@gmail.com - 29 Apr 2007 03:24 GMT

> I am with samstone on the lube. They need periodic lubrication especially
> when they feel a little stiff.
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>
> Good luck and let us know what happens.

Hey! I have a 4 door car again.

Pulling the trim piece off, I undid the forward phillips screw, With
a little bending and pulling, I was able to snap the front part of the
handle out of the door. With that out, I was able to snap the pot
metal at the rear latch and remove the door handle. With that out of
the way, I was able to spray enough joy juice into the lock mech from
the inside, and voila! the door is open.

Of course it helped that I had purchased a set of door handle, and had
them on hand for the replacement.

Thanks for the help folks...

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dave AKA vwdoc1 - 29 Apr 2007 17:18 GMT

lol...........so the door handle removal (although a vicious procedure)
worked huh?
congrats to you also!

perodically use that "joy juice"! ;-)
BTW which juice worked for you?

>> I am with samstone on the lube. They need periodic lubrication
>> especially
[quoted text clipped - 34 lines]
>
> Thanks for the help folks...

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