Driver door will NOT unlock............Ideas?

[texasmike]

I met some friends for lunch the other day and when I tried to unlock the door, the key would not turn counter clockwise. I opened the passenger door and was barely able to clear the aftermarket console to get in the drivers seat. I drove to an old established locksmith, ran down the power window and both guys there pushed, pulled and grunted but could not open the door. the power lock sounds like it is trying to work but nothing will budge. They told me something was jammed and I should go to a body shop. I drove to the place that did my paint job about 25 years ago and he went through the same routine but could not get anything to move. He suggested I make arrangements to leave it with him and he would try to figure something out. I know the door panel has to come off but the only way to do that is to take the seat out. Do you guys and gals agree with that or is there anything else I can try?

 

[goldpack]

plastic plunger handle is not on top of the door by the window?...it maybe stuck down too.

while you are waiting for a better reply.

you could spray a penetrating lube into the key hole and into the door jam where the hasp is and down the plastic plunger, and see if you can get any change.

I was just out trying my key, and wow does that make a mechanical racket vs. a modern vehicle. (long time since I have had to chase a problem like this).

I would have hopped the locksmith would have used a rubber wedge and a light on a stick to look down inside the door. ...but I have watched tow mechanics do the same. = looking for the lock trip mechanism to tap with a slim jim,....or possibly in your case to see what has popped apart.
(today they would use a camera on a probe).

if you shake the truck can you hear anything rattling like nut down in the door?

 

[Hilllbilly]

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[bucket]

Push in the outside door button a bit and see if it will unlock then.

If the button happens to come out too far, it somehow jams up the whole lock mechanism.

 

[78C10BigTen]

Push in the outside door button a bit and see if it will unlock then.

If the button happens to come out too far, it somehow jams up the whole lock mechanism.

Thats true, my 78 does that. Key turns but wont unlock. Found out the door button bein stuck in was causing it. Spayed it and worked it and all is well.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Thats true, my 78 does that. Key turns but wont unlock. Found out the door button bein stuck in was causing it. Spayed it and worked it and all is well.

Yessir....a little bit of lubrication often works wonders!

 

[texasmike]

Hey everyone, just FYI. I'm bad and should have tried the reference library first. Thanks to the Similar threads section below, Steve (stvaughn) replied to a thread on June 18,2025 and because of his message, I was able to quickly get the door unlocked. My problem was not with the black button coming out too far but with it not coming out far enough. I had noticed a tiny piece of rubber protruding out of the handle beneath the black push button so I pulled on the button and it came out about 3/16". I then pulled on the lock pull and it came right up. PTL, saved again by the GM SB website, you guys are something else, THANKS! The door opened so I am now able to easily remove the door panel. I paid about $10 for that reproduction part about 5-1/2 years and 12k miles ago. Those handles are $30 today. Has anyone tried to replace that o-ring behind the black button? The chrome on mine still looks great and I would like to save it.