Is your outside latch really moving up and down all the way/engaging? It should have a spring resistance on it so it pulls back in when you let go -but they rust easily so often it does not pull itself back in. Push it back in all the way manually and then pull out. Try turning the key the other way and then manually push the latch in then pull out. Spray some grease into the exposed spring under the handle outside so it will improve with use again perhaps.
If your latch is completely flopping around, then the spring is broken as well as being disconnected from the locking mechanism -you'll have to improv a repair or replace the components
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Sunday, August 30th, 2009 AT 3:19 PM