I took some kids to the lake today, and when I got home, I found the rear door on my F-150 could not be opened. Neither the inside handle nor the handle in the jamb will open it. I'm stumped. And not sure where to start - it's kinda hard to tear a door apart if you can't get it open.

I see a couple rivets on the handle in the jamb, so that might be a starting point, but I'd like to get some inputs from others first.

Is this a well known problem? How can I get the door apart if I can't get it open? Is there a version of the old credit card trick which might work?

TIA.

Doug

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It's a very well known issue, that's easier to fix than you might think.

You will have to climb in the backseat and take the panel off, though, to get the door open.

When you pull the handle the door is opened by a cable that runs to the top of the door and, another cable that runs to the bottom of the door. These cables release the latch at each end of the door.
The cable itself doesn't usually break, rather it's the plastic/rubber that holds the cable in place where it mounts to the latch. The rubber/plastic dries out and crumbles after years of use so the cable is still in place, but it's just not tight enough to release the latches at either end of the door.

To get the door open:
Remove the panels;
remove the speaker;
reach in and pull the cable by hand to release whichever latch is stuck.

Youtube is very helpful for this

 

I jut did mine a month ago its not that bad I work in North west plano if you need some tips contact me I will help you out

 

Great reply! Thanks a bunch!

Trying to open the door, it feels like the bottom is releasing, so I think it's the top latch which is causing the problem. I found some good videos (thanks again) which show how to disassemble the door and also how to fabricate a repair. I found the part for 87 bucks (plus tax) at the dealer, so, once I confirm it is indeed the upper latch cable, I plan to just order it from them and save the fabrication time for another project

Thanks again for your help.

Doug

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I'm at Independence and McDermott, not too far, I reckon.

Once I get the door apart, and am able to open it, the work should be downhill after that (using a dealer replacement part). I've been planning to tear that door apart anyway - I bought a new speaker for it a couple weeks ago, and need to install it, so I'll do that while I'm at it.

Thanks for the offer. I'll post back here or PM you if I get hung up.

Doug

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good luck I am sure you will be able to get it done no problem I am at Coit and Hedgcoxe I work at Life Point Church

 

If you order the part from the dealer, it will be a cinch.

Keep us posted as to how this works out for you.

 

You are lucky, on the earlier trucks only the top latch has a cable, the bottom one had a mechanical linkage. I found that out while junkyard diving trying to find usable cables. That is why the bottom is unlatching but the top isn't.

On the later trucks the top and bottom latches are cable actuated and when one goes the other one is gone too or is soon to follow. When I went to the dealer, they only sell the cable/latch assemblies, but not the cables separately (About $85 for the top and about $285 for the bottom, ROBBERY).

If anyone else has this problem there is a company out of South Florida that makes Aluminum cable ends designed to repair the existing cables (For Vans and Trucks), these work better than any home fix that I have seen and I have tried many of them.

The website is WWW.okmarketplace.com and it is called a "Door Cable Repair Kit", they can also be found on eBay and they are ~$20.00 for a pair (Repairs both ends of one cable). You have to remove the plastic ends of the cables and fit these Aluminum ends to the cables, they are not a slip on fit and may require a little tweaking to get them on, in addition they are a very tight fit in the mounts of the latches, but once installed these make the door latch and unlatch like a new door.

Good luck in your install, the hardest part is disassembling the door while sitting in the back seat. Once you get it apart, it should be a piece of cake using the dealer part!!

 

Yes, I found out Saturday, when I finally got the door apart, that the bottom one has rigid linkage instead of a cable. I picked up the top cable at the dealer for 95 bucks with tax, and had it installed in little time.

While I was at it, I put new speakers in the rear as well. The foam roll edges were shot on both the old ones. I had to take the rear seat back out to access the driver's side speaker, so that took way more time than the rear door.

The aluminum repair parts sound like a good tip. For 20 bucks, they seem worth a try.

Doug

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I dropped by one dealer I had ID'd on the web, expecting to order it, but the parts guy there directed me to another dealer who had it in stock. So I was able to go start to finish on this project the same day without driving around with a partially disassembled door for 2 days

Doug

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I was researching this same problem today. My '98 F150 3rd door seems stuck at the top. I'm not a mechanic nor the son of a mechanic, but I'm going to try to fix it myself.

Incidentally, I have to wonder if this is contagious. I also live in Plano, Texas.

Gig 'em,
Gunny

 

Good luck on it, Gunny. I started at Bob Tomes in McKinney and they sent me to Bankston/Autonation in Frisco, so I recommend you call ahead and save some time.

The only issue I've run into is getting the top latch adjusted properly. There's nothing mentioned about it in any of the documents and write-ups I've seen, but I definitely have some play in the top latch. I can pull the door frame out about 1/4 to 3/8" at the top before the latch stops it.

I can't see anyway to adjust the latch, but it appears the u-bolt it mates with at the top of the opening can be adjusted. It looks like might can slide it around some and maybe also remove a layer of shim from it, but none of that appears at first glance to offer enough adjustment range.

So if someone here has experience with tightening that up, please speak up and share. TIA.

Doug

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The driver's side rear door quit opening this past weekend on my 2002, so this thread is timely and great information for me. Thanks Guys!

 

any one Google the part number? bet it could be had cheaper..

 

Just stumbled across this thread. My third door quit working a couple of years ago. Local Ford dealer fixed it, no problem. Had no idea it was a common issue.
1997 F150 XLT, 3door extended cab.