I have a 2005 XJ Vanden Plas. Last year, I noticed an intermittent failure of the rear door - occasionally, I won't open. It doesn't matter if I hit the unlock button and pull the inside release handle or the outside door handle. Can someone please give me hope this will NOT quite a mechanic to destroy the door trim panel to gain access to the door inner guts? Thank you.

 

I have repaired door actuators in the past but they have not failed in the locked

position.

It is possible I believe to remove a rear door card without destroying it but if the

door is double locked you will need to cut though the metal frame to access the

actuator.

When a door is double locked you can't use the interior handle to open it and
.
if the actuator fails in this position then you have the above problem.

I have stopped using double locking because of this potential problem.

 

"It is possible I believe to remove a rear door card without destroying it but if the

door is double locked you will need to cut though the metal frame to access the

actuator."

( After removing the door card)