removing door panel 96 corolla

[sltintexas]

I just got a 96 corolla (parents old car) and the passenger front door lock doesn't work from the outside with key...I can hear something rattling around in there so I want to take a look. At one time they had to get some one to slim jim the door to open it and it busted that door...

anyway.....

How do I get the panel off..specifically, how do I get the manual window crank and the door latch off so I can get the panel off. I haven't really taken a look at it yet, so I don't know if all they need is a good tug to come off, or what... didn't want to make the problem worse by jacking something up! Thought I'd ask the experts first!

[VooDoo]

there's a lock ring between the panel and the handle of the window riser. you can insert a flat head screwdriver to jam the lock ring while you turn the window riser. with enough patience, you should get the lock ring to pop out. when it you get it off, you can then pull the window riser out.

hope this helps.

[sltintexas]

yup, that was the trick... I thought (before posting) that it may have one but I couldn't see it...not a lot of room to work up there.. got that off no problem after that.

the door handle was a little tricky..it has 1 screw and I thought it would just come off...NO.. you have to slide it to the front a little, then it comes out.

Once I got the panel off, it took me a little while to figure out how the linkage was supposed to go together...its hard with out looking at one that is put together properly... finally I gave up trying to everything from inside the door panel and I took that outside handle off, then it was easy to figure out cuz you could see the whole picture... fixed it up easy after that. Now I can use my key on both sides (oh the simple pleasures )