My door is currently being held close by my seat belt....Lame....

looking at the 'latch' on the door, it seems like it is very loose and moves easily up and down with my hand, unlike my other doors. I move the latch in the right spot, and the door just bounces off the car. Sounds close to staying closed, but that damn latch just wont catch or something.

Is this just a replacement thing? Anyone experience similar issues?
I'll take off the door panel tomorrow after work, and a little more investigating. Fresh post.

wow, I have never had this happen, or heard of it happening really. Are all three bolts on the door side tight? Do you have any missing bolts?

Is your door sagging? Try realigning the latch with the striker by closing and lifting the door? I know my door will not cloose unless i lift it, due to worn hinge pins. Good luck.






--------------------------
NCR-SCCA

Does it close if you hold the outside door handle open while you slam the door.

i have this problem every now and again, its prolly the U shaped latch that flips when u close the door....if its pointed down take a screw driver and push it up so itll latch...

Thanks for the input!

freelancer1988 wrote:Are all three bolts on the door side tight? Do you have any missing bolts?

All three bolts are tight

Chelotus wrote:Is your door sagging? Try realigning the latch with the striker by closing and lifting the door?

I'll try this tonight.

bradsk88 wrote:Does it close if you hold the outside door handle open while you slam the door.

No.

Daniel Cooper wrote: its prolly the U shaped latch that flips when u close the door....if its pointed down take a screw driver and push it up so itll latch...

The U shaped latch is kinda floating there. So I have a feeling it is something to do with that. On all my other doors the latch feels a lot firmer and secure. I aligned the latch to look like my passenger door, and still the door just bounced off the car. Almost sounds like it closes, but doesn't stay latched.
I'm goin out to try again after dinner...

The latch in the door is cased in plastic, the top of that case is a spring that pushes the latch lip down to align with the notch opening of the door skin to the rotating assembly. I bet that the spring has escaped due to the thin plastic case and that missing spring enables the latch not to align properly when the door is opened.

To remove the latch would require the inner handle/lock panel rivets to be drilled out so that you can pull the whole latch lock assembly out with the rods attatch. Also dont foget the three screws holding the door latch housing. The clip that holds the outside handle rod opens easily with a flathead. You can also remove the key lock cylinder with a pull tab.

Also i have found that most of my door rattles were from the rod ennd attatching point to the latch housing. I would insulate that so the rod rattle is minimized. Thats one of my door plans.

Let us know what you find. Good luck.





--------------------------
NCR-SCCA

so even with it facing outwards it still doesnt latch...hmm ..i agree with Chelotus that the latch mechanism may just be broken..i say replace it

Ok, so I Took the whole lock assembly out, (rods, locking unit, door handles, rivets).

Besides it being incredibly rusty, nothing looks obviously broken on the lock assembly itself, however the latch still floats around. I can see a couple of springs and they all seem to be connected still, but I can't figure out why the latch is so loose. GM wants $130 for a new lock assembly. Im gonna call scrap yard right now. Maybe i'll try taking apart the lock assembly. looking inside that box of springs and latches.

THanks again for all the input.

WHAT A PAIN IN THE ASS!!!
Sounds simple: replace the door latch...Hells no.
Broke stock door handle takin it out for the 3rd time and some plastic collars-- first time didn't realize you have attach outside handle before you bolt up the latch. And what a pain that is. Tryin to finger @!#$ it inside the door panel is not fun.
Got a latch assembly from scrap yard for $20, but its a power latch, so it's even more of a pain to get in the door panel.
Weird thing is, my latch is from an 05 and the face is completly covered in rust, but the one I pulled from the yard, was off a 99, and it barely has any rust on it! Explain that one!
As of right now my door is being held closed by slings, until I get a new outside handle.

Put on a new muffler today...priorities...lol