Anyone familiar with Explorer door latches? Working on a 1999 Explorer front driver door. Outside handle won't open the door. Key won't unlock the door. Can't pull up the inside button. I can open the door from the inside handle if I pull it about 3 times and then it pops. After that it doesn't work again. Took off the door panel and water shield. Found that if I hold up the rod that connects the latch assy to the outside handle, everything works. Without taking it all apart, I'm trying to figure out if the outside handle is supposed to hold up the rod or if the latch assy has a broken spring and must be replaced. The outside handle does not feel limp like when the handle spring breaks. Ideas?

 

You have a broken door latch return spring inside the door latch. A temporary fix till you get the new latch is to jury rig a spring to pull up the rod going to the outside handle. The new latch is about $45.00 at a dealer. Or you can remove the latch and make a general purpose spring work. Use a flashlight to look into the latch-use a working door as a guide. You will see the broken spring.

 

That was my suspicion. Thanks for confirming it. And, I was thinking exactly what you suggested with the spring because I have to drill out the handle rivets and remove the handle and a bunch of other stuff to remove the latch. BTW, here's a shocker... I called the dealer for a price and they said the latch assy was $19.73. I asked him if we were talking about the same part and he said yes.

 

Do you have the part number?