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Thread: My 1998 Ford Explorers door

  1. #1
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    My 1998 Ford Explorers door

    The driver's side door on my 98 Explorer wont unlock anymore making it a pain in the ass to get out. A month or so ago it we had a below freezing day or 2 and when i went to open my door i hear a pop and a crack and my door handle felt like it had no tension on it at all compared to the other doors, it still worked if you played with it for a few seconds so i figured id check into it when i could.

    This morning when i went to play with it, i spent a minute or 2 hitting the unlock repeatedly and to no effect. I tried letting the car warm up, pulling it up, trying to open the door(the front doors unlock when you open them), pliers, and hitting some stuff and nothings worked.

    I'm thinking some little latch or somthing is broke in the locking mechanism, if thats the case...is it possible to fix yourself? and about how much would it be if not? any help is appreciated

  2. #2
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    Just rip the door apart, and smash some stuff. That should fix it.
    Bring it to a garage and get it fixed.
    "We went to Wnedy's. I had chicken nuggest." ~ Quiggs

  3. #3
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    You should just take to a garage. I have no idea howmuch it will cost, because I get my cars fixed for free(when I actually have to take them to the garage).

    Does your car sit outside?
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  4. #4
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    Can you open it from either the inside or outside?
    [O o)O=\x/=O(o O]

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  5. #5
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    Recently took both my doors apart and did a little work silencing and repairing them. So... first you need to get the door open somehow. If you can't open it with either the inside or outside handle, you might be able to remove the interior trim without opening the door, but that might be difficult. from there you should be able to unlock/unlatch the door manually. Once it's open you need to figure out what broke. I would start by checking the handle>rod>latch linkages if they're all good then either the locking mechanism itsefl is bad or the linkages from lock switches to lock mechanism is bad.

  6. #6
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    So it was cold outside and your door handle broke? I drive a chevy of the same exact year and my door lock buttons work just fine as well as the handles even when its -20*F.

    Chevy>Ford
    John says:
    so i had to dump acid into the block tank today
    i'm afraid to fap
    cause i got it on my hands

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by baddabang
    So it was cold outside and your door handle broke? I drive a chevy of the same exact year and my door lock buttons work just fine as well as the handles even when its -20*F.

    Chevy>Ford
    That's completely useless buddy. All this chevy is better than ford or visa versa bullshit. Americans can't build cars, period. Or maybe they can, but they simply choose not to do it right. My dad has owned both ford and chevy trucks. Both of them were and still are shit. Our 2001 Silverado that we bought new wouldn't start (it wasn't the battery, the electronics inside worked fine) while we were on a hunting trip. It was lucky we had the ATV with us or we could've walked home 15km in the darkness and the cold. The door locks also stop and start working as they please. With our F150 from 1993 that we had also bought new, the lever broke off while my dad was shifting into 4wheel drive, and one thing after the other started to break after 50,000 km. Every experience that I've had with an American car has been disappointing, right up to the 2004 Dodge 2.0 SX that I took home for a day last summer.

    Kingnothing, I have the answer to your problem. Trade in your car for a 4Runner of the same year.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by RobPorsche
    That's completely useless buddy. All this chevy is better than ford or visa versa bullshit. Americans can't build cars, period. Or maybe they can, but they simply choose not to do it right. My dad has owned both ford and chevy trucks. Both of them were and still are shit. Our 2001 Silverado that we bought new wouldn't start (it wasn't the battery, the electronics inside worked fine) while we were on a hunting trip. It was lucky we had the ATV with us or we could've walked home 15km in the darkness and the cold. The door locks also stop and start working as they please. With our F150 from 1993 that we had also bought new, the lever broke off while my dad was shifting into 4wheel drive, and one thing after the other started to break after 50,000 km. Every experience that I've had with an American car has been disappointing, right up to the 2004 Dodge 2.0 SX that I took home for a day last summer.

    Kingnothing, I have the answer to your problem. Trade in your car for a 4Runner of the same year.
    Thats quite the bold and very vague statement. Does that include old american cars too?
    "We went to Wnedy's. I had chicken nuggest." ~ Quiggs

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by johnnynumfiv
    Just rip the door apart, and smash some stuff. That should fix it.
    Bring it to a garage and get it fixed.
    Quote Originally Posted by Mr.Tiv
    You should just take to a garage. I have no idea howmuch it will cost, because I get my cars fixed for free(when I actually have to take them to the garage).

    Does your car sit outside?
    Might do that if totaly 100% required, and yes it sits outside

    Quote Originally Posted by Quiggs
    Can you open it from either the inside or outside?
    Cant open that door period, inside or out.

    Quote Originally Posted by Bob
    Recently took both my doors apart and did a little work silencing and repairing them. So... first you need to get the door open somehow. If you can't open it with either the inside or outside handle, you might be able to remove the interior trim without opening the door, but that might be difficult. from there you should be able to unlock/unlatch the door manually. Once it's open you need to figure out what broke. I would start by checking the handle>rod>latch linkages if they're all good then either the locking mechanism itsefl is bad or the linkages from lock switches to lock mechanism is bad.
    Thanks, ill have to look into doin that...ill need some time thou ill probably have to do it next weekend.

    Quote Originally Posted by baddabang
    So it was cold outside and your door handle broke? I drive a chevy of the same exact year and my door lock buttons work just fine as well as the handles even when its -20*F.

    Chevy>Ford
    I like my explorer but im actualy looking into a chevy or dodge pickup if my VR4 doesnt work out

    Quote Originally Posted by RobPorsche
    That's completely useless buddy. All this chevy is better than ford or visa versa bullshit. Americans can't build cars, period. Or maybe they can, but they simply choose not to do it right. My dad has owned both ford and chevy trucks. Both of them were and still are shit. Our 2001 Silverado that we bought new wouldn't start (it wasn't the battery, the electronics inside worked fine) while we were on a hunting trip. It was lucky we had the ATV with us or we could've walked home 15km in the darkness and the cold. The door locks also stop and start working as they please. With our F150 from 1993 that we had also bought new, the lever broke off while my dad was shifting into 4wheel drive, and one thing after the other started to break after 50,000 km. Every experience that I've had with an American car has been disappointing, right up to the 2004 Dodge 2.0 SX that I took home for a day last summer.

    Kingnothing, I have the answer to your problem. Trade in your car for a 4Runner of the same year.
    If my VR4 doesnt happen then ill be getting a pickup, but toyota ill look into. Those engines last forever.


    Quote Originally Posted by johnnynumfiv
    Thats quite the bold and very vague statement. Does that include old american cars too?
    It especialy includes old american cars, i love the classics but they cant stay running to save a life.



    Thanks everyone, apreciate it.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by KingNothing
    It especialy includes old american cars, i love the classics but they cant stay running to save a life.
    i've found the exact opposite.... But then, Chrysler wouldn't know a good car if one came and crapped all over their face.
    Andreas Preuninger, Manager of Porsche High Performance Cars: "Grandmas can use paddles. They aren't challenging."

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by KingNothing
    It especialy includes old american cars, i love the classics but they cant stay running to save a life.
    They do if you know what you are doing.
    "We went to Wnedy's. I had chicken nuggest." ~ Quiggs

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by RobPorsche
    That's completely useless buddy. All this chevy is better than ford or visa versa bullshit. Americans can't build cars, period. Or maybe they can, but they simply choose not to do it right. My dad has owned both ford and chevy trucks. Both of them were and still are shit. Our 2001 Silverado that we bought new wouldn't start (it wasn't the battery, the electronics inside worked fine) while we were on a hunting trip. It was lucky we had the ATV with us or we could've walked home 15km in the darkness and the cold. The door locks also stop and start working as they please. With our F150 from 1993 that we had also bought new, the lever broke off while my dad was shifting into 4wheel drive, and one thing after the other started to break after 50,000 km. Every experience that I've had with an American car has been disappointing, right up to the 2004 Dodge 2.0 SX that I took home for a day last summer.
    Maybe I'm bias because both my dad and grandad, as well as 2 uncles and 1 cousin work for or have retired from General Motors. However, let me point a few things out. My dad drives a 2000 Silverado 1500 Ext. Cab 4x4 that he purchased new. It now has approx 175,000 miles to its name as its towed, hauled, and plowed snow for 7 years now, not to mention countless hunting trips, and has never been to a repair shop for any engine or drive train repairs. In fact the exterior has taken such a beating over the years because its actually used for what it was made for. Work. The engine still runs strong.

    Now lets take the Ford F150 our good friend bought new in 2004 with a brand new snow plow right from the dealership. The additional weight on the front end nearly bottomed out the suspension and turned the front wheels inward when he turned. Not to mention almost 2 weeks after getting it the front suspension was so f*cked up that if he made a tight turn the inside wheel would cock itself and would skid along the road jerking the truck and making a horrendous noise. He now drives a 2500 HD silverado.

    In this case we are speaking in terms of the Ford explorer. I drive a 1998 Blazer as stated before, and I see plenty of them just as old or if not older on the highways and streets everyday. Its a common vehicle. However I can't remember the last time I have seen a 1998 ford explored without the fenders and rocker panels rusted through and making a terrible screeching noise as it tries to make its way down the street. How many older fords do you see besides the shitstang on a daily basis? Exactly.

    Americans can't build cars
    But we can build trucks and muscle cars, what can Canada do besides play hockey? So shut the **** up.
    John says:
    so i had to dump acid into the block tank today
    i'm afraid to fap
    cause i got it on my hands

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by johnnynumfiv
    Thats quite the bold and very vague statement. Does that include old american cars too?
    That's where my opinion changes. I love old american cars (1974 and older). When it comes to such vehicles as the muscle cars or old cadillacs etc, I don't care for reliability or build quality, because these cars are simply a gem to own. They'd only be driven a few months out of the year anyway to maintain their original condition. Yes, old american cars are awesome, because they aren't meant to be daily drivers. They're beautiful show pieces.
    I'm only saying, when it comes to building vehicles that have to fulfill their purpose of working properly all the time as daily driven vehicles, American marques have been lacking. That also includes the little things like door locks. You wouldn't believe the power that these minute details have over peoples' opinions on cars. I don't believe that my statement was vague because that many people can't be crazy when they said they'd never been happier when they switched from an american car to a japanese one. Japanese cars have their problems too, but nowhere near as many, and surely not as repeatedely. How many times have I heard of people bringing in their ford or chevy etc for the same problem over and over again. Incompetence. Why are GM and Ford going downhill/struggling if their cars are so great?

    end rant/

  14. #14
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    They are going downhill because the SUV market has gone down.
    I know several people that use muscle cars as daily drivers, would that change your opinion of the car if you had to use it as a daily driver? How do you know they are a "gem" to own, have you had any?
    "We went to Wnedy's. I had chicken nuggest." ~ Quiggs

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by baddabang

    But we can build trucks and muscle cars, what can Canada do besides play hockey? So shut the **** up.
    I don't know what Canada can do, and it doesn't really interest me; but I'm from Stuttgart, Germany, where some pretty well functioning not to mention great looking cars (MB & Porsche come to mind) are built.
    I apologize for getting you all fired up, I didn't mean to offend you by saying that your country can't build cars properly. I was merely stating a common fact that most experienced people would likely agree to. Its not uncommon to get a car from any american marque that experiences no problems or difficulties whatsoever, even from Ford. Its just kind of rare. The engine on my dad's silverado is fine, when it starts lol. Other than that it was just some electronics inside that were pissing us off. Its not that bad of a truck, but when compared to our 2000 4Runner with 3 times the mileage, the only thing that ever went wrong with it is that we had to replace the fuelpump at the 150,000 mark.
    Musclecars are the bomb, I wholeheartedly agree with you on that one. My favourite car is from that era.

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