Land Rover Repair: Rear Door Latch Problem, rear tailgate, door latch

Question
Hello John,

I have a 00' Disco that I can no longer manually open the rear door.  The latch is currently in the up or open position but without the rear door opening.  Even from within, the door will not open as well.  It appears that the latch itself has locked the door in place.  I wish to do the repair myself, so I wish to ask for any advice on how to trouble-shoot this problem.

Thank-you in advance,

Mike A.

Answer
The rear tailgate doors are known for sticking in that way.  Pop the "Land Rover" logo out and shoot penetrating oil in liberally to oil the exterior of the release handle.  Once you get it working freely the door should open, and keep it oiled to prevent a recurrance.  That cures 99% of rear door problems.

Good luck with it
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John Elder Robison