QuestionI have a mid 2000 E350. I am unable to open the side hinged door. I have tried to pull on the cables and have worked the lock back and forth. How do I get it to release? I am going to assume I am going to have to replace the lock, but looking at another van, I can see the screws are between the two doors. Access is tight right now due to tool box bolted to floor in front of door.
AnswerHi Roger!....From you mentioning that you have tried pulling on the cables, I take it that either the door has no trim panel, or you have already removed it. If you have not removed the trim panel, and are pulling on the cables through the interior door handle opening, you will need to do so. Unfortunatly, you may need to remove your floor mounted tool box to do this, as I do not know how close it is mounted. That being said, once you have full access to the inside of the door shell, most door latches, have a "Master Release". It is a bar on the latch itself, that will release the latch in a case of the latch being stuck. I would suggest, purchasing a new latch before hand, to see where it is located, so you can try and release the existing one. If by chance that the latch does not have a master release, and you can not get it to release any other way, the only way that I have been successful in getting a door open in this case, is to actually take an air hammer with a chisel bit, and cut the latch open. A door latch, is installed from the inside of the door shell, and is fastened from the exterior, usually with 3 screws, so the door latch will need to be released one way or the other as to get the door open, and to remove these screws....Hope this helps you out...If you have any other questions, please drop me another line....Thanks....Dave
