FAQ: Power Door Lock Problems

I just took my wife to the airport and when I tried to open my drivers side door it acted like I had locked it. When locking the door the handle seems to be unhooked normally. Is it a big deal to get at the mechanism to see what came loose? Any ideas are welcome from anyone with a similar problem. Car is 1998 Riv.
Thanks , jimmyirv

Never mind guys,
I removed and repaired it.I did however find that the 1996 door handle assy is a different design that my 1998 handle assy. I couldn't change mine with the 1996. I thought that since the body of the 1995 through 1999 were the same, door handles would also be that way...No way. I don't know how many different changes there were for those or other parts? beware....


jimmyriv
ROA#6721

Thanks for the update. I didn't know that about the door handles.

My wife and I just picked up a 95 riv supercharged with 46k miles. After driveing it for a month the drivers side door lock has gone out. the rods move back and forth with the remote and the handle rods go up and down, it see,s the problem is in the mech. right at the edge of the door. Does anyone have an idea what the dealer might charge to replace this?

thanks

Not sure what it would cost, but I think you could fix it easily yourself.
BTW, Welcome to the board.

Welcome.

Could be the plastic rods have broken, not real hard to change though. Drill out the rivets holding in the door handle and then three bolts hold the mechanism in the door.

sorry for not following up. Ron Carter in ALvin TX replaced the door mechanisim. the part plus labor plus an oil change was about 375.00

I asked them to change the supercharger oil as well. THe service manager told me a. they didnt have the tool b.they didnt have the manual to tell them how to do this and c. he could find the info, but on his ford the supercharger unit was non serviceable.

after my wife got the car home, the door lock started doing hte same thing again, and she had to go back.

so far so good, although i dont believe I will be stepping foot at ron carter again.

Changing SC oil requires an Allen wrench and some way of extracting the old oil (syringe or siphon pump). Instructions:

https://rivperformance.editboard.com/Series-II-Engine-Transmission-f4/Write-Up-Changing-Supercharger-Oil-t999.htm

Is the plug to remove the oil in the same place on the m62?

The techniques should be the same, make sure you only use gm supercharger oil.

yes there is a plug, the dealer just didnt want to mess with it. they even threw in a bottle of oil.

the usual addage...if you want something done right then do it yourself!

Not sure where to post this, but recently I notice my drivers side (haven't tested the passenger side) door lock has a weird trick.

If I use my key, and turn the lock to the right to lock the doors, it will stop when I turn the key at about 45 degrees to the right, but if I turn a little more with a little pressure, it'll turn a little more and the key will be flat (0 degrees). I can then pull the key out and nothing but the key will open it again. The key fob won't...

Doing this seems a great extra way to deter "theives"...

Has anyone else noticed their door lock like that...??

Odd...

yea i noticed it too

like a dead-bolt for the car

I forgot to add that by doing this, the doors can't be opened from the inside either... and the inside handle doesn't work.

Sure seems like a great deadbolt!

9/10 times I try and use the key fob to unlock my drivers door, it doesn't work. So I stick my key in and it won't unlock it. Now if I go to the passengers side, it unlocks fine and I have to climb in and open the drivers door from the inside. It's almost as though it's binding. It also went let me unlock it with my fingers on the lock, but if I hit the unlock button on the interior door enough times it finally unlocks. Any ideas why this is happening?

Sounds like the mechanism inside the door is sticking.
Remove the door panel, inspect all the linkages and lock cylinder and lubricate all moving parts or more correctly, all parts that should be moving that aren't.

I found on the older GM keyfobs I had to hold the unlock for 2 secs before it actually unlocked...

I also find my key very tough to unlock the door with, but the power works fine. A lot of jiggling seems to resolve my hard key issues. Try some graphite lock powder on the key... need to dry-lube the inside of the lock cylinder maybe?

The first answer was probly best. Lubing the key might work - can't hurt - but I think you need to roll up the window amd pull the interior door panel. I suspect you will find the door handle mechanism got wet or some such.

If the lock is binding for any other reason you might want to get a junkyard or dealer replacement.

Albertj

Rick and Albert, thanks a ton. I am going to do that when the weather breaks. I assume it's just a mechanism of pins and rods?

As for holding the key fob, that didn't work. One of my key fobs has gone crazy and every button locks it. The other works intermittently.

Did your fobs get wet/immersed? That can kill 'em.

Albertj

Is it possible to remove the door panel somehow with the door shut? My drivers door will not unlock, thus it won't open. I'm overly annoyed with this damn door. I don't know what could cause it to not unlock

if it wont unlock with the key or by the inside handle, i dont know how to get it open.
there are 2 screws on the edges of the door that need to be removed to get the panel off.(along with a few other screws)
the inside handle is a direct metal connection to the lock mechanism.

manofmany wrote:

Is it possible to remove the door panel somehow with the door shut? My drivers door will not unlock, thus it won't open. I'm overly annoyed with this damn door. I don't know what could cause it to not unlock

Not really - there are screws on the front and rear of the door panel that you can't reach when it's closed. I imagine one could break the panel at the screw points (it's only filled plastic) but not sure then how to repair it.

Do you have any idea why it won't unlock? Can't you move the little lock paddle above the interior door release handle with your finger? Did you consider removing the cover plate from behind the interior door release handle so you can have a look around?

Albertj

i took pictures of the inside of my door thinking i would do a write-up for something, but never found the time. you might be able to make something of them though.
Driver door with panel and insulation off: (note the 2 rods)




lock mechanism:(note same 2 rods)

Thanks for the pics

I know atleast one of the screws is missing. The panel is loose over there. It was dark out so I will see what I can figure out tomorrow.

I can move it with my finger but it refuses to completely unlock.