Driver door latch not working

Tiny
MKELLOGG13
  • MEMBER
  • 2002 CHEVROLET BLAZER
  • V6
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 126,325 MILES
I cannot open the driver door using the outside handle. Door will open from the inside.
Tuesday, March 26th, 2019 AT 10:08 PM

7 Replies

Tiny
SCGRANTURISMO
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,897 POSTS
Hello,

This sounds like a faulty door handle to me. Door handle's wear out with time, like everything else, and when they do, boom, this happens.
In the diagrams down below I have given you factory step by step instructions on how to properly replace your vehicle's door handle. Please go through this guide and get back to us if you have any more questions or comments.

Thanks,
Alex
2CarPros
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Wednesday, March 27th, 2019 AT 3:30 AM
Tiny
FOOTBALLBOB
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2002 CHEVROLET BLAZER
Interior problem
2002 Chevy Blazer 6 cyl Automatic 123000 miles

My driver side door latch wont engage when I shut my door. I have a new one to replace it with that I got from a junk yard. How do I replace this with out bending the door handle rods? Or breaking the little pieces that hold them on the latch its self?
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Wednesday, January 20th, 2021 AT 3:33 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,755 POSTS
The plastic retainers are removeable. If you twist them, they should pop loose and then you can remove the linkage. As far as the latch, it is screwed into place.

Let me know if you have other questions.
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-2
Wednesday, January 20th, 2021 AT 3:33 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KRISTENMN
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2000 CHEVROLET BLAZER
  • 255,000 MILES
My car door opened but it will not close. It is minus eleven degrees outside.
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Wednesday, January 20th, 2021 AT 3:33 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Use some WD40 or other lubricant on the latch assembly on the door. It may have some ice on it not allowing the latch to attach. I attached the procedure for checking why the latch is not working correctly.

This was a technical bulletin for the issue from GM.

Roy

PI0011C: Door Latch Diagnostic Procedure - (May 29, 2013)

Subject: Door Latch Diagnostic Procedure Models: 2014 and Prior GM Passenger Cars and Trucks (Excluding Corvette, XLR, CTS Coupe, CTS-V Coupe, DTS)

This PI is being revised to add the 2013-2014 model years and update Warranty Information. Please discard PI0011B.

Condition/Concern

Some customers may comment that the front or rear side door has one or more of the following conditions:

The door will not open from the inside or outside handle.

The door will not unlock with the key fob or electrical switch on the interior door trim.

The door will not unlock with the inside lock knob.

The door will not unlock with the key cylinder.

Note:

Although latches are often replaced for these conditions, malfunctioning parts are often not the actual cause. Please follow this bulletin in order as written.

One possible cause of these symptoms is a condition called "preload, " resulting from incorrect attachment of the outside handle rod to the latch. If the outside handle release lever on the latch is not in the full up position when the rod is attached by the clip on the latch, the latch will not operate correctly.

Another condition causing latch malfunction, especially lock/unlock, is caused by high effort on the inside lock knob. Resistance to the travel of the lock knob may cause the latch not to unlock.

A third condition causing malfunction is the improper or incomplete attachment of the outside handle rod and inside handle rod/cable. If the outside handle rod clip is not completely secured, the clip can come unlatched and the outside handle will not function.

A fourth condition causing malfunction is the improper or incomplete attachment of the wire harness to the side door latch. If the connector is not fully engaged, the power locks, door ajar signal, or other electrical features may not function properly.

The following diagnosis might be helpful if the vehicle exhibits the symptom(s) described above.

Recommendation/Instructions

Note:

Verify the latching function after each step. If the condition exhibited is resolved without completing every step, the remaining steps do not need to be performed.

Perform these preliminary inspections before removing any components:

1. Inspect the inside and outside door handle for debris, that all parts are present and working properly and that they are securely attached.

2. Manually cycle the inside lock knob to check for smooth operation and low efforts (on some newer designed vehicles, the inside handle is used to unlock the door instead of pulling up on the lock knob).

3. Note any differences in lock knob travel between manual function and power lock function. High efforts or reduced power lock travel indicate a lock rod bind condition.

4. For rear doors on which the inside handle will not function, verify that the child security feature is not engaged.

If no issues were found when performing the preliminary inspections, proceed with the following steps.

Note:

Verify the latching function after each step. If the condition exhibited is resolved without completing every step, the remaining steps do not need to be performed.

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1. Disengage the door trim, without detaching the inside door handle cable. DO NOT LET THE TRIM PAD HANG FROM THE HANDLE CABLE OR THE WIRE HARNESS.

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2. While holding the trim panel close to the installed position, inspect the connections of the inside handle cable to the inside handle and latch. Assure that the cable is not kinked and that the lever on the latch moves when the inside handle is actuated. If the condition persists at this point, disconnect the inside handle cable from the handle and set aside the trim.

3. If the manual lock function had high efforts or was not smooth, check to see if removing the trim panel fixed the condition. Also check for the rod or knob being bound by the rod grommet, side impact foam, water deflector, inner belt seal, or wire harness.

4. Push down on the top of the connector that attaches the wire harness to the latch to verify that it is properly connected. Check for proper function. If the connector had not been fully seated, use the appropriate labor code for the harness.

5. Verify that the key cylinder rod is attached to the key cylinder pawl and the latch. Reattach as required.

6. Verify that the outside handle rod is present, properly attached to the handle and is the correct part.

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7. Unlatch the clip holding the outside handle rod to the latch. Make sure the outside handle rod lever on the latch is in the full up position and hard against stop on the latch. While maintaining this lever position, apply a slight upward pressure on the rod while reattaching the rod using a new clip. Pull on the clip slightly to verify that it is secure.

8. Disconnect the electrical connector at the latch, inspect for corrosion and verify the electrical output when actuating the electrical switch on the door trim. If power is lacking, perform electrical diagnostics. Reconnect and assure that the connector is fully seated.

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9. Unbolt the latch and remove the latch from the door cavity with the electrical connector still attached. Function the power locks using the switch on the door trim (reattach the switch module to the electrical harness.) Verify that the lock/unlock lever shows full travel (refer to the green arrow in the picture). If the latch properly functions (DO NOT replace latch), properly reassemble in order to correct the bind/attachment issue.

10. If all the above steps have been completed and the latch still does not function correctly, replace the latch.
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Wednesday, January 20th, 2021 AT 3:33 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JAP36
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1998 CHEVROLET BLAZER
  • 4.3L
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 240,000 MILES
The door wouldn't shut so I looked at the latch and had to flip up the latch. I shut it and now it won't open. How did I get the door own to assess the problem?
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Wednesday, January 20th, 2021 AT 3:33 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
More then likely the latch is seized so I would open the latch and then from the inside, put your shoulder into it hard as you can without hurting yourself. Then you will need to lubricate the latch and operate it a number of times to loosen it up then you should be okay. If not you will need to remove the door panel.

Here is a guide that will help with this:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/door-panel-removal

If you can't get it open then we are going to have to remove the door panel with it closed. Below is the process from the manual on how to do that.

Let us start with this and go from there. Thanks
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Wednesday, January 20th, 2021 AT 3:33 PM (Merged)

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