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Hi, I've reviewed the FAQ, and searched the archives, so... apologies if this issue is already covered.
My '98 supercab 4x2 3.0 Ranger is the only one I've driven, so no idea if this issue is normal or not. When you lift the exterior door handle, there's no movement of the door at all. Every other car/truck I've been in, the door pops out against the latch. I know I'm not imagining things, as everyone else who tried to get into the truck gets confused as well - they lift the handle, nothing happens, and they think I haven't unlocked the door.
Thanks, Ken. At least I know that I wouldn't be wasting my time swinging by the local dealer's service department. Hopefully someone else might chip in & save me the trip (and aggravation...)
Can you feel it engaging something inside the door when you lift up, meaning, if the door is locked and you lift up, no resistance, door unlocked, resistance on the handle itself.
I'll go outside & test that idea. IIRC, there's no feeling through the handle that you've engaged/disengaged anything whether the door is locked or unlocked. You just have to know to heave outward on the handle - which is awkward, given the paddle-style of the handle. brb
Well, stopped by the local dealer. Service advisor told me that there's usually a spring on the body that pushes outward on the door to provide that initial 'pop' outwards. But my particular truck doesn't have one. Okay...
So I swing by the showroom and check out a Ranger on the floor. It looks identical to mine w/respect to the absence of any kind of spring. Surprise, surprise, bad information from a service advisor.
Other than taking the door latch assembly out & cleaning/lubing the heck out of it, I don't know what else to do. Perhaps the rubber bumpers on the body could be replaced, maybe they've lost their resilience.
Your service advisor is dingbat. Avoid him and go back to the body shop. Someone there should be able to help out. I suspect you problem has to do with the latch mechanism on the door. I would be willing to bet that there is a broken or missing spring in the latch mechanism or in the linkage from the handle to the mechanism. Also may be a broken clip in the linkage that prevents the handle from completely opening the latch. Problem might also be the handle itself. Pull the door panel and have a look-see. Anytime I have encountered this type of problem, I've been able to figure it out once I can see everything operating. My guess is that it will become self evident once you can see what's going on. You may have to pull both door panels so you have a correctly functioning reference but I would start by just pulling the panel on the offending door.
Last edited by texan2004; Mar 1, 2005 at 07:52 PM.
I just checked mine out and it doesn't really kick the door out, I open it from outside and just by holding my finger against the door and then lifting the outside handle I could unlatch the door without it moving outwards. Mines a 4 door and I know your doing it from inside. If your a 2 door I'll check it out on my std cab for you.
Your service advisor is dingbat. Avoid him and go back to the body shop.
, good call on the body shop vs the service advisor. I'd had the door panel off once before to check out an issue w. the lock assembly, I'll give it a try.
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