Door lock pushed in (driver's side)

[raptoranderson]

Simple-ish fix: the door lock pushes in when I use it. I've removed the door panel and the plastic sheet and have managed to wrestle the metal clip off with some swearing and now that I've got the lock seated back in place I cannot seem to get it to stay there.

It seems as though the lock has two ridges ontop of the lock assembly and two ridges on the bottom of the lock assembly and my guess is that the U-shaped metal bracket slides in between these two ridges and holds the lock assembly in place. However when the assembly first pushed into the door and I took the door apart and then pushed the assembly back into place with the bracket still attached, the lock still pushed back in as though the bracket wasn't doing its job.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Comments?

 

[Archer Fabrications]

Pictures?

 

[raptoranderson]

Not my picture, but a damn good one!

 

[Archer Fabrications]

Oh okay the lock where the key goes. I just had my door apart too i could have looked at that.

 

[AWDnBoosted]

Can't tell but is the bottom broken. The piece that holds the u shaped retainer I have replaced a bunch of these not by choice that all that holds that lock cylinder there

 

[AWDnBoosted]

Just saw that's not your car in the picture

 

[raptoranderson]

This is my car and the lock assembly seems to be okay ...

 

[AWDnBoosted]

You do have the clip correct

 

[raptoranderson]

I do, yes​

 

[PlanZero]

It looks like there's a piece missing from the door handle where the lock nests. However, that clip lays in the groove in several places so it shouldn't matter.
You need to put the clip on the grooves in the handle, then use a needle nose pliers to open it just enough to put the lock back in. Once the lock is in place snap the clip on. Give the lock a push from the outside to make sure its secure before you button everything up.

 

[Dsmkauai]

How does your clip look? Is it possible it got bent alittle when removing. Maybe bend it alittle more in and see if it holds.

 

[Chumpaumpalumpa]

I HATE THAT DAM CLIP!! Harder to get that lock out than pull the trans I have this same problem on the passenger side. The clip is supposed to auto lock itself in but I cant seem to push the lock in far enough

 

[raptoranderson]

The simple things are always the most difficult. Go figure the guys living in my house always ask me if I enjoy working on cars when they see me outside tinkering and I always reply "No, it sucks" haha

I suspect the clip is bent too far outwards to actually hold the lock in place so I'll have to take out the door handle so I can better get to the lock assembly housing that the clip holds the lock assembly into. Then I'll push the lock in as far as is humanly possible and then bend the bracket back into place with some pliers. I must confess that removing the door trim was much easier than I anticipated though I'm not sure if that should make me happy or worried

 

[PlanZero]

If you're going to the extent of removing the lock and door handle I would twist a piece of wire around it instead of using the clip.
I found its easier to attach the clip by pulling the door handle out as far as you can without breaking it and doing it from the outside instead of trying from the minimal space inside.
Or just buy a new eBay handle for $7.

 

[Chumpaumpalumpa]

The simple things are always the most difficult. Go figure

the guys living in my house always ask me if I enjoy working on cars when they see me outside tinkering and I always reply "No, it sucks" haha

I must confess that removing the door trim was much easier than I anticipated though I'm not sure if that should make me happy or worried

Thats exactly right . Door trim comes off super easy be happy. Just remember to line the receiver up with the hangar when you put it on. Again very simply but gets overlooked if its someones first time. Glad it's going smoothly

 

[raptoranderson]

Here are some better pictures of the door lock assembly, door handle and the metal clip that holds the lock assembly in. As you can see I managed to get the door handle apart and the clip does not seem to be seated on the handle at all well, in fact it seems as though it barely fits the way it should. Will I have to buy a new door handle since the holder for the clip seems to be broken?

 

[raptoranderson]

Whilst removing the door handle I happened upon another of the metal brackets that holds the lock assembly in place and it was hung delicately over one of the parts of the interior door trim. I picked it up and kept hold of it as an extra and now whilst sat in my room fiddling with the mechanism I decided to try the bracket I found and hey presto it's a perfect fit! I suspect that it may have been the original bracket and the owner before me had purchased a new one after thinking he'd lost it. Luckily for me I found it and now the lock mechanism seems to have no chance at all of breaking. Who said there's no god!

 

[PlanZero]

Your handle looks fine. It just looks like your clip is bent open. It should look like a "U". Either squeeze it shut more, use a piece of wire like I said, or order a $7 eBay handle just for parts. I've replaced several of these in the past year before I did the screw/ bolt trick on the latch lever (separate fix for broken door handles). Although the eBay handles are chintzy, they're no different than the dorman handles. The clips are good, as well as the rubber seals and the little clip where you snap the latch lever into, which usually breaks.

 

[raptoranderson]

Fixed the door in its entirety absolutely everything to do with the handle and locking system works perfectly now, though I managed to lose the screw for the door handle trim I'll have to keep my eyes out for a replacement

 

[Axelrappleye]

It looks like there's a piece missing from the door handle where the lock nests. However, that clip lays in the groove in several places so it shouldn't matter.
You need to put the clip on the grooves in the handle, then use a needle nose pliers to open it just enough to put the lock back in. Once the lock is in place snap the clip on. Give the lock a push from the outside to make sure its secure before you button everything up.

I am having this same problem when I took a look inside the door the clip was gone and no where to be found if I buy a new clip and put it in will It keep the lock in place?