Bird Doo Head

Hello All,
I apologize if the information Is seek is here somewhere, but Search came up empty.

The driver's door on the 2006 LT is will not open. The inside handle feels like there is not the usual final jerk. My guess is that the cable came off of the inside pull (again). This happened when the car was new, so I don't know how the warranty work was done.

My pondering is how to remove the inner door panel while the door is closed- without damaging the panel. I though about removing the seat for access, but the dashboard and steel door jamb trap the panel's flanges & will not let the panel move up or out.
A general on-line search showed lots of pages where people asked. The answers ranged from cutting a hole in the outside of the door, to reciprocating saw holes inside, to remove the seat and dashboard (which won't help since the door jamb traps the panel). There were no "wreck nothing" answers to be found.

Next, I thought of trying to pry the trim of the inner handle off in order to access the cable for a manual pull. (How I did it on the GM Sierra). But, when I installed a window regulator some years ago, I remembered noticing that this trim is held on plastic posts molded into the inner panel. The posts are melted down to form a sort of rivet head. Thus, prying will damage the liner & make re-installation of any handle bezel impossible.

I know sometimes GM doesn't think too much about the repair process, but they must have an "escape" route for this- especially since warranty work costs them money.
Do you all know any techniques for removing the inside panel without wrecking it?

Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
Paul
PS: I got lucky. It isn't zero degrees out!

Oldblue

Most use a slim Jim to open the door from the outside.

PulpFriction

Yeah, maybe just call a towing company for lockout service. Or call the number on your insurance or AAA card…

RJ_RS_SS_350

I thought slim jims were for unlocking, not opening, a door.

But then, maybe that is the actual problem, that it is locked, and cannot be unlocked by key, plunger, switch, or fob.

Oldblue

I’ve popped doors stuck closed with a slim jim, depending on where you put it , it’ll unlock and push or pull the latch

RJ_RS_SS_350

Ok, interesting.

But on that thought, OP, does the plunger move up and down when you unlock and lock?

PulpFriction

Good point. The symptoms described are exactly what would happen if the door was locked.

Some of these cars had a problem in which the remote locks wouldn’t actuate fully. It might not be fully unlocking. I had an 08 HHR like that. Maybe open the window and work the key and the lock button at the same time?

Bird Doo Head

Thank You All for taking time to reply with suggestions. I want to very much apologize for my year late reply. For some reason, I don't get e-mail notifications, so I didn't know of the replies. (And I wasn't bright enough to check manually.)


It turned out that the linkage from the inside door handle fell off. Unfortunately, I forgot to make detailed notes of how I removed the panel. The back of my mind says that I removed the trim around the inside door handle, sacrificing the plastic posts that are melted to form a rivet of sorts. Next, reached in and pulled the rod manually to open the door for panel removal. I vaguely remember cutting the broken plastic rivets flat on the ends, drilling and tapping for a threaded stud to use a nut to hold the trim on. (Only visible from the inside of the door panel)

Again, Thank You all for helping and I apologize for such a late reply.

Paul

donbrew

Click on your name at the upper right the choose "user control panel" then set your preferences. Notifications are not on by default; I'm not sure they are available, this isn't Facebook.

RJ_RS_SS_350

In the control panel, on the left side of the screen, about the 10th item "edit options " will get you to this. See "default thread subscription mode"