KeithinPHX

Hi Everyone.

Today the driver door would not open and had to crawl out of the car.

I have tried:
1. pushing and pulling on the door while trying the inside and outside handle per the youtube video.
2. spraying WD 40 in mechanism area from outside and inside the door.
3. pounded on door while working the handle
4. pried the interior panel back and manually worked all linkages. All work freely. No broken cables or rods.
5. tapped on mechanism while working the handle.
6. heated up mechanism with a heat gun.
7. repeatedly worked the lock manually with the key while trying to open the door.
8. cursed at the car and taken the Lords name in vain. (Will go to church Sunday)

At this point want to replace the mechanism but how can you remove it with the door stuck shut? I have even thought of just cutting the door off with my reciprocating saw but that would be too expensive.

Do I just shatter and drill the lock mechanism apart?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Lucky

Welcome to the site.

In most cases the door latch gets rusty and sticks then the door can't be unlocked. Like when you hold the door handle out you can't unlock the door.

Drilling the lock cyl won't help you.

Look here at post 127. It may help understand what's happening. This is for 2010 but yours should still be the same.

https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/prob...-23231/page13/

Grizzly old man

There is a chance you could manually work the door latch if you can get the interior door panel off.

I really don't see how you would accomplish that with the door shut though.

On second thought, you did say you have a sawsall,...

843de

aboard Keith.

Lucky's link may be the way to go, but over the years when this has happened to members, it has usually ended up with a trip to the dealer and some unavoidable damage.

alexrckid

could this be your issue..??

843de

It's possible alex, but it sounds like he's describing a textbook case of a failed latch mechanism, and that ain't pretty.

geg

maybe I'm wrong
I've never done it in practice, moreover towards HHR, but ...

just from the arsenal of the hijackers:
locking is actuated by a steel cable. Cable runs from the door handle to the latch lock. A steel cable is located across the door and a little diagonally. A steel cable is placed inside a plastic tube (cable sheathing), the tube is attached to the door by a plastic clip.
If you push a steel hook between the door trim and door metal near the window - you can find and pick up a tube with a cable inside.
Next - a sharp jerk upwards. Your task - to pull the cable to open the lock. Plastic mounting cable should break with it.
Use steel wire for manufacturing the hook, not fat but strong, the thickness of about 3 mm.
Pull the door trim as much as possible from the metal. If you're lucky, you can see the cable visually.
Before starting work studied images from the manual. You'll see the approximate location of the cable inside the door.

If your cable is still hooked to the latch lock ... If you have enough skill and luck ... You will succeed.

Do not feel sorry for the broken clip. It's cheap and they still need to be replaced after removing the door trim (not to creak).

PS
if there are problems with the hook - Use a thick and long steel ruler. The task is the same - to pull the cable and cause the lock to open. But the cable is pulled not up, cable chokes down. Quickly push down on it by the ruler, do not mourn the mounts, let breaks.

08LaRam

You might try pushing IN on door(lean your body against door) from the outside while actuating the door handle. If this opens the door then you need to lube the striker and maybe adjust it slightly. Lube with white grease and or wd40. Good luck and oh yeah, Welcome to the site...

08LaRam

If that did not work look at the passenger door and see how the latch works when working the door handle and see if you can figure a way to trip the door latch manually.

Tmcghee

My passenger door was stuck shut and after reading this thread I determined it was the lock that was stuck. I did my best to spray wd40 in the door jam from inside and out. After that I repetitively locked and unlocked the doors until I heard a loud clank (the lock finally released) from that door. Then I sparayed all locks and hinges in hopes of this disaster not happening again! Hope this helps
-Tiffany