Attach a straw to your favorite brand of spray lubricant and get some into the latch. I havent seen a mechanical failure on these, but rust and corrosion can glue a latch together quicker than you think.

-SP

 

Welcome to the forum! I deleted your other post, it's frowned upon to resurrect dead threads but I'm happy to see you started a new one.

Unfortunately, I can't offer any advice. Best of luck with your endeavor!

 

It could be the lock motor, but if that checks out, it might be the latch itself. There's a spring in them which breaks, causing the door to be stuck locked. The latch thing happened to my non-power lock Corolla - on the driver's door! Pretty sure that's what was wrong with the passenger front door on my non-PDL old '90, too...

 

Thank you all for replying. Sorry for skipping past the forum guidelines and introductions. Not being able to get this door open had me running a no huddle offense. I will try silicone spray on the latch today and let you know how that goes. I'm really hoping the spring isn't broken because I am out of ideas to get access to it without being able to get the door open.

 

If you can remove the passenger seat, it will be a lot less difficult to remove the interior panel. Mine broke in the middle of winter, and I tore the panel off with the seat in place and fiddled around in the door until I got it to open, and bought a new-to-me panel at the junk yard, along with (ultimately) a new-to-me latch.

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/1....com/forum/130-corolla-7th-generation-1993-1997/993850-door-latch-troubles.html

 

I just might have to try that. Silicone spray isn't helping. I got the key to turn about an 1/8th of a turn or so. But it's not budging. It's got to be the latch mechanism or spring. Forgot to mention the manual lock is in the up position but doesn't move up and down.

 

I really don't want to screw up the panel if I can avoid it. Is it even possible to remove the entire panel with the door closed? Even with the passenger seat installed, I have got the panel off across the top, right side and across the bottom. Only the side behind the dash is still attached. I don't see being able to get any tools in there without the panel completely removed. My big hands barely fit and I can't see a thing.

 

You can actually unlatch the mechanism with a straightened coat-hanger. Bend a 1/2" section at tip sideways. Bend coat-hanger about 5-degrees 11" from end. Lower window all the way to give you more wiggle room.

 

Thanks Danno. I'll give that a shot.

 

Over decade ago, my wife told me later, she locked her keys in and called AAA to send help. Truck showed up 45-min later and some kid hopped out with a jimmy kit. Took him 20-minutes and he finally did it. Mangled the mechanisms and the window-regulator died shortly. Couple years later, the lock motor started making horrible screeching noises and died.

Another time going to market, i faintly registered two chics trying to break into their car with coat-hanger. Store was closing in 15-min, i'll help them on my way out if they're still there. On my way out, i saw them and headed over. A kid with poopy-pants dragging around his knees got there first. The girls stood aside and he opened the door in less than 5-seconds!!! Faster than using key!

The trick is you're bypassing the door lock & handles. You're pulling on and moving the latch mechanism itself halfway down at the back of the door.

It's ridiculously easy and I'm not posting more here. PM me if you can't do it with the instructions posted.

 

Hi mine name is Jack, I have 1997 corolla and the drivers door won't open from the inside or outside. I have the door panel off, but the latch mechanism is badly torn up and the spring is missing. Could you tell me how to open the latch that you were describing in your post?

Thanks Jack

 

So, after a lot more cursing and a few more scrapes, I was able to get the door panel completely out of the way. I had been careful with the clips all around so the panel survived. But that clip that's blocked by the dash I didn't much care for anyway. Used a lot more force and got it out. The dash hold the panel on in that corner.

With the panel out, I could get the right angle to see the latch mechanism and open it by hand. I removed all linkage and lubed everything again. Decided it wasn't worth removing the whole assembly tonight, as it is Sunday and getting late. My girlfriend drives the car to and from work every day, about 80 miles round trip. She wasn't keen on having the door zip tied shut. Lol

All the linkage is good and moving parts seem to work well enough. I didn't unhook the power lock actuator yet. I'll start there when I can get back to it this week. I don't mind having a manual lock for a while, but the latch mechanism should still be functioning with the handles being pulled, if it's in fact stuck unlocked. Anyway, like I said.... I'll work on it later this week and post an update. Thanks for all the help!

 

I should have noted PETROLEUM based lubricant. Silicone lubes are useless for dealing with corrosion problems.

Glad you were able to gain access to the door internals.

-SP

 

PB-Blaster or Kroil FTW !!!

 

Kroil smells so bad I wouldnt want that odor lingering in my car, but I know many swear by it.

-SP

 

Old thread from 2017. Please start a new one.