My new to me 03 D2 drivers door wont open at all from outside,...I have to use the interior door handle to open it. I have removed the inner door panel and then removed the door handle/lock cylinder assembly. I was expecting to see the star end cross shaft that goes from the exterior door handle to the door lock actuator to be broken, but, it is NOT.

I have reinstalled the door handle a few times to make certain that the star end cross shaft was properly engaged and I believe all is ok there. The lock cylinder and shaft assembly rotate through the correct range of about 180 degrees with no issues. I checked the feel of the lock cylinder assembly while in the door on my other 03 D2, and notice that on IT , as I rotate the key in either direction from vertical that I feel a catch point at roughly 45 degrees in either the lock or unlock direction, and at that point,...all the doors lock or unlock. On the new to me 03,......I do NOT feel that catch point, and the door locks do not lock or unlock.

BTW, all the doors DO unlock and lock from the remote or inside door lock button, but,...again,....once unlocked,....the door will not open from outside,.....only from the inside door handle.

Thoughts?

Brian in Austin

 

Anyone experienced this,....my truck is still apart outside and its getting dark.

 

Anyone?

 

There is a small bent round linkage that goes from the handle to the actuator. It connects to a white threaded piece of plastic for adjustment which connects to a metal piece on the actuator. This is the linkage that actually opens the door via the handle. The cross that you speak of handles the locking only.

When you did assembled, did you see this part?

 

I was going to say the same thing. It is a little metal rod maybe 1.5 inches long that is bent 90 degrees on one end and 90 degrees on the other end. The top attaches to the inside of the handle and the bottom to the door latch assembly. Hard to describe and hard to put on if it is completely off (just because it is way up in the door, in a dark corner, and not entirely intuitive). Basically when you pull the handle out, the rod is pulled up, which disengages the latch.

I think there is a diagram in the RAVE but when I dropped mine, after fishing it out of the bottom of the door with a magnet, I ended up removing the opposite side door card just to see the same setup over there. You'll need a small flashlight and small hands.

My wife hooked mine back up for me. "It's all right to be little bitty."

 

Thanks guys,....I do remember seeing that piece on a prior disco. Gonna go check my door bottom to see if its there,

 

Brian, I just noticed you are in Austin. HAHAHA it brings back fun memories (I went to UT when it was still fun to go to UT--80's). When I was recently there for work in the Disco, I felt like a I was driving a semi down the street and all of the little, tiny, cars gave be a wide berth (I am lifted, bigger tires, ARB bumper/winch with LED lights on the bar... they probably thought I was some kind of survivalist). I felt like I was on the back of a dinosaur. Then, on the outer loop, I saw an 80 or 85 mph speed limits and thought "are you kidding me?!" I did the best I could, in the right lane.

 

Charlie, Im not from here, but I got here as soon as I could,.....in 2004,.......and it has just turned into another Dallas, So, now moving to San Antonio,....Boerne actually.

I Went to Penn State which was a fun school,....but one of my roomates' brother was going to UT in Austin at the same time,.....we heard the stories about Austin from him. Wish I had been here then. A friend of mine bought a home on Town Lake,.....now Lake Ladybird in 1980 for $150000,....now worth well into the millions of dollars. Dang!

Yeah, Highway 130 does have some crazy speed limits that might challenge a Disco to maintain,.............and as you might have found out later,...............its also crazy expensive.


Brian

 

Let me know if you can't find that little doodad for your door. I might have one or ten somewhere in the parts pit (my garage) and, even if not, I know where I can get one this weekend.

 

I looked in my door bottom, did not find anything. Also looked at the RAVE and actually looks like the link you are describing is present in the rear doors, but not the front. What I have in the front door is a longer rod, bent 90 degrees at the top,...then straight and threaded at the bottom, and the thread part is in a white nylon connector,....I assume this allows for adjustment of the rod length.

Am I missing something?

Brian