Help! Drivers door won't open

[Boonie]

Hey guys

I've stuffed up my drivers door royally! I replaced my door handel that was chrome to black so it matched all the others and it worked fine on the first few test closes. I then locked the door and tried to open it but it unlock but the door wont open from the outside and inside.

Due to my lack of foresight I'd already put all the trim and handels back on the inside. My question is: Does anyone know how to open the door without mutilating it?

As a last resort, I do have a brand new door trim from a VK that I could use to replace this one if I have to cut it. Or should I just go to a pannel beaters and make them do the hard work?

[evl]

try an get the door skin off with the door shut an u should be able to open it. just dont bend the rods in the door or ul be adjusting it foreva

[Bucket]

He's right, get the door skin off, go from the lower right as looking at the inside. Put it this way, you can get another one no worries, mine cost 5 or 10 bucks when i put the speaker hole in the wrong spot.

[craigvl038]

i had a simular problam to that where my passenger door would not open we boosted it open with a coat hanger i dont know if it will work of you but i would give it a go if i was you.

[vlv8vic]

can you really get the skin off without wrecking it with the door closed?
id be giving craigs idea a go and winding downthe window and poking around with a piece of wire. Most VL doors have the little tinny security brackets but with the window down they are a piece of piss to get around. if need be pull off hte window strip (careful you dont bend it) youll be able to see what you are doing then.
you should be able to see the mechs for the opener, hook the wire in the right spot and youll be right. if its a problem in the lock, have the key in the door and try the wire and carefully turning the key together. might need a friend for that one!
would be a shame to wreck the skin if there is another way.

[Bucket]

best of luck, are the door trims really schmicko. I broke into my VB the same way yonks ago but that was to get the pin up, not to open the door, dunno if you've poked around in there much but think about it, the only thing that will get down that gap in the window sill will be a weak as coat hanger and you need to exert more force than that.

At worse you'll break the door trim and get another. Pull the other door trim off on the pass side and suss it out, its a 5min job m8 and you can look or practice what you want to do.

[Boonie]

Thanks guys, you've given me some direction in solving this. Ill let ya know how it pans out

[vlv8vic]

...would argue that you might fit more than a weak coat hanger down there, with the weather trim pulled off. ohhh but i did mine when the interior trim was off. so, maybe ill settle for a strong coat hanger! certianly arent going to get a jemmi bar down there!

[Boonie]

I pulled the passengers door apart and I have found a way to get the door open, when the window is down, very easily. Just used a regular coat hanger (Can't tell the difference between a strong one).

The problem got worse when I'm not able to do the same on the drivers door. I'm wondering if I've damaged the lock because it would be the only thing stopping me. Now im going to try and take the trim off from the inside but I dont like my chances and may just have to hack at it.

[Boonie]

Ok. Im now ready to admit defeat. There isn't enough room to pull the trim away far enough before it hits the door jam. :b: So unless someone has anymore ideas im gonna cut the trim and get a new one.

[vlv8vic]

keep poking with the wire i reckon. if youve done it before you should be able to do it again, if something is damaged there might be a few other places you need to poke at! failing that start hitting the trim in the soft spots with a hammer to start a hole (*cringes*) then rip it off in bits. WITH THE WINDOW UP.!!!

[jethro32]

Had the same problem with my vl turbo. What I did was wind the window down and using a flat blade screwdriver lever the trim upwards from the top rear of the door. It will bend the trim enough to clear the retaining tabs (you can easily straighten the trim once the door opens). With a torch you may be able to see down inside the door to a lever which both the exterior and interior handles connect to via rodding (this lever is more than likely stuck in the open position) hit this lever using a long screwdriver or metal ruler to reset it and the door will open. Lubricate it once you have the door open and the trim removed using INOX or some sort of penetrating oil to prvent it happening again.