Hey guys,
I went out to my 5000 after work today and noticed that the lock plunger was flush with door panel. It was never that low before, and when I unlocked the car with my key, the plunger fell into the door! Also, the door didn't unlock. Now I can turn the key left and right and pull on the handles all day long but nothing. The previous owner of the car had just cut the striker bolt and replaced the handle after it broke, but now it seems broken again. I need to take the door panel off and fix it, but I don't really want to cut the striker bolt. Is there a better way to jimmy the lock or handle to get it to open? Thanks! Until I hear back, I'm going to have to get in and out through the passenger door or the window!

 

if you can get some long *** needle nose pliers ... the possibly it can be done

the hole where the lock button sticks out ... there are 2 rods close by 1 fot the lock button and the other is connected to the lach mechanisim if you move it down then it should open the door

 

Alright, I sussed it. The stupid lock button had broken right in half and both parts fell into the door. The stub of what was left had jammed against the door panel on the inside and was preventing me from unlocking. Some careful work with a pick, and I was able to position the stub precisely below the hole while unlocking with the key, and it came right back up. Now I need to not lock the car until I can scare up a new lock button. Nobody's going to want to get in to steal the factory tape deck anyway!

While all this was going on, the passenger door broke too! When I tried to close it, it would bounce back open! It's been opening itself on the freeway too. I traced it to the little latch that pivots around one of the two bolts that holds the mechanism on the door. It wasn't moving smoothly and the door had time to open itself before the latch fell into place. No amount of cleaning or lubrication was fixing it though. It's corroded down inside and I do not want to take the whole mechanism apart. I found that by leaving the bottom bolt slightly loose, everything works fine.

 

good for you and now you know the benifit of improvization