Door stuck closed, all linkage works

[WT Morgan]

My 91 MR2 passenger door is stuck closed. All linkages work. The door locks work and the handles move the linkages and when I pull up on them (inside and outside handles both work). The linkages move most of the way through their full motion and then just won't budge. The linkages even bend and the handle seems like it will break if I pull on it any harder. It seems like something in the actual actuator itself isn't moving. I can't get the door open to remove the inside door panel. All I can do is look through the window trim looking down into the door.
Any ideas?

[WT Morgan]

Just to note also that it is not the locks.

[tHa kNiGHt FaLL]

i had this problem before... the lil plastic clip that holds the linkage to the release solenoid prolly broke... thats why it looks like it moves but its not connected to anything...

i had a locksmith try to work it... didn't work... wha i had to do was go to a body shop... and it took them almost a hour to get it open... then i got a new plastic piece then twisted a piece of copper wire around it and around both ends so if it does break again it will still open.

[DjJester88]

Same thing happened to me when I owned a civic, but it was on my driver door, sucked ass, and was embarrasing as hell to put gas and go shopping and stuff lol, but yea, I gotta agree wit knight, its the plastic piece that holds it together.....but the door panel thing, with my civic, I had to pry it off, dont recommend you doing it though lol

[WT Morgan]

I wonder how the body shop opened it. I don't think there is any magic solution. They probably tried using every tool in the shop and finally got it open.

I have to get to the release actuator turned with something. The manual doesn't show it broken down. If I have to, I will take the drivers door apart to make something that will work.

When I get it I will post the method.

[tHa kNiGHt FaLL]

i dunno how he did it... but when i talked to the toyota dealer they said not to even bring it to them... that they would ship it off to their body shop...

they got in w/o scratching or denting anyting... took over an hour... but at first i didn't know what happened and why it wouldn't open...

i mean i had a professional locksmith come out to my house and try w/ all his little angled picks and hanger things... he couldn't do it... everyone said take it to a body shop... and i did and they got it open

[DjJester88]

I did have one mechanic tell me that just put WD-40, but I did, and......nothing....lol, thought I'd share the info before someone else would, but if you want, you can give it a try, wouldn't kill you.

[KensMR2Parts]

If you have looked down into the door and find all of the rods connected; there is another possibility ... there is a very small spring inside the door latch mechanism itself that can break ... it takes a truely skilled artist to manipulate the mechanism to get the door open ... if everything appears connected and seems to move normally, this is the most likely culpret ... I would suggest acquiring a duplicate door latch mecanism for examination/familiarization, or you could disassemble the passenger side for this purpose ... there is a spring, approx 3/16-1/4" long that holds a sear and can clearly be seen through one of the holes in the latch mechanism ... as a hint, it is accessable when the latch is mounted, so it is on the forward side (and as I recall, the bottom toward the inside of the car) ... if this spring breaks, the latch cannot release ... replicating the springs tension will allow the door to open, so the trim panel can be removed and so on ... when this has occured in my experience, I did not have a replacement available, so I reconnected the spring and have had great success with it ... it does require a custom fabricated tool to get down inside the door to apply the pressure the spring used to ... a coat hanger with one end filed/ground to a small diameter and bent 90 degrees will work (welding wire, bailing wire whatever ya got) I happen to have spring pull hooks that are just long enough when held by vise grips ... I hope this helps ... regards ... Ken

and as a post script disclaimer ... I haven't turned Toyota wrenches professionally for several years; only on my MK1's ... and I'm old ... so the jist of this is right, but some details may be fuzzy ... press on weedhopper (WT) ...

[WT Morgan]

Great info. Thanks. I am not going to be able to get back on it for a week or so. When I do I will take pic's and try to document it on the thread.

[cantalibre]

Off topic slightly, but I've got a Peugeot 106 with jammed shut door - and a girlfriend who is a lawyer and loves wearing short skirts, and has the indignity of climbing into the car, over the drivers side seat. She won't sit in the back, as she considers that the 'Granny seat'