Door locked now cant open

[Gonzo64]

Like to say hi. new to the camry world. Picked up 95 camry le auto 82k miles. Needs some work. Anyway in a jam. I bought the car with the handles working. On my way home I was making sure the lock and unlock works. Well the driver side door is locked and wont unlock. Tried slim jiming it and pulled the handle off the pull the lock and unlock switch a little more with needle nose pliers. Read how to change the interior. Thats good and all if I can open the door to get to all the clips. The guy I bought it off of said he forgot to tell me about that. He got it open with a slim jim. Well me and my friend tried for an hour. Im not a small guy so doing the nascar climbing out sucks. So anyone have anymore ideas.
Also was looking over the car and saw the back of the motor is wet. assuming its oil. Going to change the valve cover gasket tomorrow with new plugs and wires. What else could cause it to leak around that area. Headgasket?
Did a lot of research on couple dyi things I am going to do also. Radiator fluid is brown so going to just flush it out and hope for the best. Needs new struts bad. KYB best for staying stock? Wanted to get maybe h&r springs maybe down the line. Doubt it though. When doing the struts going to check brakes and sway bar end links. Anything else I should check. Car sat for 6 months

[DRANKLIVE]

I am having a very similar problem on my '95 Camry, my door won't open on either side whether it is locked or unlocked; and i can't fix it, unless i open the door.

[SexieWASD]

Go to the scrap yard and pick up a used door panel, then have at the old one with a carpet knife!

[eyeball96]

If it ever happened to me, I would first go after the inside door handle.

Its possible to remove the handle, with the door panel on, if you have the right tools. (The bezel a bitch to remove without breaking it tho)

Then I'd have access to the lock rod, thats attached to the handle....may work, may not! Worth a try.

Its just what I'd do!

[Gonzo64]

Well found my problem. Spring broke inside. Now i am really screwed because now I cant open it when its broken. Tried for 3 hours today. How do you take the part were the hinge is apart. (by the outside door handle). The guy I bought the car didnt tell me this and was messed around with it now its jammed. I got most of the door panel off. Except for the two screws by the dash.

[HI85WH1]

I hate when people KNOW there is a problem but wont disclose it until after the fact.