Hello All,

I just acquired my first Jag, and I'm locked out of the front passenger door!
It was working just fine, but now it wont unlock and I cant unlock it manually. All the other doors actuate and work fine, but I do notice that the manual lock button on the dash doesnt seem to work. I cant get the door open to check the interior components. All fuses appear to be good.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

Your inside handle should disengage the lock, but since it doesn't sound like that is happening, it may be the linkage has come undone. What happens when you pull the lock knob up? ...is there any resistance? ...is there a lot? Something easy to check is to open your driver door (don't climb in, leave the door open) and manually push down your lock post. All the locks should engage down, then the safety feature should engage and pop all the locks back up. Then try to open that door. This is thin, but its an easy thing to try.
These are from my 2000, as you can see, there is a plastic connector that may be your issue. This should also give you some insight for your fishing expedition. Hopefully your locking mechanism for the B pillar latch hasn't broken.

 

Can you hear the door's actuator working, if not it'll be that, a fairly common part to fail.

Try a 'hard reset' - either remove the neg- terminal from the battery and touch the pos+ terminal to discharge the memory capacitors, or leave the neg off and grab a coffee, then hook back up. You'll need your radio code. This resets the memory systems on the car and can bring dead things back online.

 

Thanks Highhorse and Sean B. I should have mentioned that I did try the hard reset, but I just did it again for grins, with the same result. The manual lock knob is hard to pull up, and it pulls back down. I did also try the lock/unlock while opening the handle remedy, but that didn't work either. I don't believe the actuator is working, but I kind of don't expect it to, since I am thinking something is jamming it. I think when I first got the car my wife was overanxious to enter the car and was trying to open the door from the outside as I was unlocking it. I've worked in door lick mechanisms before and I am guessing that it is a clip or something silly. Unfortunately as you can imagine, if I cant get the door open......

 

"on door mechanisms" :-)

 

Oh, I did try what you suggested Highhorse with the push down, didnt work, but I did discover that if I try to pull up on the manual lock while trying to open the door from the inside, the manual lock does not try to retract, however, trying to open from the outside handle does not affect the manual lock and it pulls down. I'm feeling that the interior door release is going to be the one to eventually open the door.

 

Well, I hope it is accessible from the interior door release, keep working it. If the actuator is boogered, either toast or jammed, you may have to cut the door card and get into it. Now I'm not trying to scare you, this is the last resort. But there are a few cars being parted out in The Marketplace which you may be able to get another door card for at a reasonable price to replace it. I'd check to see if they have you trim scheme before going that route. At least you have my pics to know where to cut instead of guessing.
Definitely keep trying to get it to release, it may work free. Also, I'd consult a pick a lock guy (or the like) to see what knowledge they may be able to bestow.

Here's some details I used for another member who had issues with his latch.

 

Thank you so much for all your suggestions. Someone at work today suggested using a slim jim to get it open. I've never used one, I looked at some videos but don't know if it will work with what I've got going on. Your thoughts?

 

Jaguars have safety rails and a 6 mil plastic (you can see in the pics) in the door pocket that make slim jim action difficult. But perceptively, I don't see where if your pull latch isn't working, how a slim jim would considering your action is to pull forward for release? (Note how the cable connects in detail E36292 on both lower details) You may be able to cut a hole behind the wood trim and get to the mechanism that way, then patch and cover the hole with the wood trim after? Be sure to check the pics for where to do it in the body stamp holes. Notice in my second pic and the angle you get toward the latching mechanism.
Also, if you cannot pull up your lock plunger from on top, how would a slim jim? If you want to try to get more leverage on the plunger rod, try replacing the slick vertical cap with a sex nut.
I use these for my work, for other purposes, and can be obtained at a hardware (usually an ACE or similar). Just be sure to get the same threading (take your cap with you).



Sean mentioned a hard reset and you said you tried that. Have you tried taking the door card off the driver side, removing the connections on the control module for a couple minutes (to reset it) and reconnecting them?

 

Thanks for the invaluable diagrams! No, I haven't done the drivers side reset. I'll try that tomorrow. :-)

 

I really hope you don't have to cut your door card. That is the last thing I hope you would have to do.
I found this thread from last year... https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...andles-166747/
...and I finally found this one from earlier this year, very similar issue as you...https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...oppage-176912/
Neither is much different than we discussed, but the responses may help.

 

 

So, the door card can be opened from the inside with the door closed! Can't seem to get the door to open still! I'll keep fiddling :-)

 

So, I disconnected the driver's side door control computer and left it off for 10 minutes.



behind the protective skin



loosen one and remove 2 screws



Flip the unit over and release the retaining clips



Make sure the clips are snapped closed before re-attaching.

Anyway, no change - door still locked closed.

 

I went back to the stuck door and released the interior pull cable from the handle. I then pulled really hard, but steady, on the cable but no release and no ability to get the unlock lever to have any affect.
Am I gonna have to cut this door off with a torch?? !@#%^*!!

 

Geez, I hope not...you also showed me something I didn't know for sure and that is you can get the card off with the door closed....good news you don't have to cut it.
Can you get to the latch at the locking point in your last pic post #12? Can you see if there is anything obstructing it? Can you pull in on the door (to try to relieve pressure) and try activating the cable? If you still have the driver door card off, make comparisons, check alignments. My goodness, this is one of those so close scenarios.

Hey, check this post out by member omgimali and the video he posted in reply #4. https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-stuck-176937/ Not sure if the rear door latch will help, but it may give you some direction.

 

I have felt in and around the area, and yes, I did do a comparison between the doors. I'll go and try relieving the pressure. Now that the sun has set it's probably now in the mid 90's in my garage :-)
It was 104 deg. here today!

 

Hallelujah! I got it open! I leaned on the door from the outside while jerking up on the lock lever with vice grips repeatedly. It "popped" the lock released and I was able to use the outside door handle to get the door open.
I have not closed the door, I'll go out there now and look and see what might be up.
I'm drenched in sweat, but I feel so victorious!
Thanks for all your help and encouragement. I really mean that.

 

When you get that figured out, read this thread...https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...roblem-174266/
Excellent pic detail posted by Mod Graham in #4... https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...ey-fob-173254/

I'll leave these 2 previous...but great, great effort on your part and determination. Now you'll need those other details previously posted to get that latch out to probably replace it or at minimum fix it. Again, congrats! If it makes you feel better, I was putting flooring in my garage attic for more storage and it was 114 when I scanned it with the heat sensor gun, so I know kind of how you feel.

 

Indeed. Thanks. I have disconnected the battery and left the door open till tomorrow when I'll have much better light and maybe only 80deg to work in :-)