Need some advice ...

While on a road trip away from home, yesterday I developed a problem where the drivers side door unlocking mechanism is failing to operate. I can click the remote, turn the key from outside, push the power button inside, or pull the manual lock latch, but in all cases the door acts like it is still locked from both inside and outside handles. I can hear the electric mechanism engaging as normal, door will just not unlock. Passenger side unaffected. I think some mechanical link is broke inside the door. Needless to say, it is inconvenient to slide back and forth over to the passenger side to get in and out of car.

Took it to a Mazda dealer in the area where I'm visiting, and after an hour they said there's nothing they can do short of prying the top of the door panel away to get inside (since they cannot get the door open to take the panel off normally). They said that this would probably break the inside door panel.

I decided to just wait until I get home next week and take it to my local Mazda service shop. Any suggestions? Is there any way to get the door open without destroying parts of it?

2004 MT

 

Mine did the same thing....

It was the outside door handle. If you can get your outside door handle off.
(I pulled real hard (do at your own risk))

You can use a screwdriver to lift the rod inside to open it. Once it is open remove door panel as per Shop manual.

Order a New one and install it.

 

The big SEARCH option above is your KEY! Use it wisely and this site will be your friend...

If you've done so, the SEARCH should have yielded you at least this:
"Driver Door Will Not Open"

 

+1. Jesus age Christ there are some lazy sons of a bitches these days.

 

Tronicj,

Thanks. I'm trying to diagnose it right now. I found an older thread here about a recurring problem some were having with a broken spring in the locking mechnism, but cannot determine yet it I have that problem or yours.

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=177163

When it was broke, did your inside handle open the door?

How did you pull off the door handle? Did anything break?

 

Until I got my outside door handle off it acted like it was locked. Door would not open at all! I drove it home and literally pulled the outside door handle off. After I got it off, the inside handle started to work. The plastic tabs holding the spring assemble were broken. Had to buy a new handle. Most just break a spring mine was plastic breaking.

It was broke before pulling it off. Mine really kinda fell off more or less. A locksmith could probably get your door open if they could get a hold of the rod assemble.

 

Thanks Tronicj. Looks like there are a couple common failure modes here. Will investigate.