A tale of 3 broken springs
 

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...3f71b8101d.jpg

The old/OEM handle with 2 broken springs
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...831b811619.jpg

The assist sring hanging around in the latch assembly
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...2effe2d008.jpg

Te same spring as stock mounted.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...e3e238a81f.jpg

Spring after getting it unhooked
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...a660bf8450.jpg

And the broken end clearly visible.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...1f88525095.jpg

New handle installed, new assist spring installed and door bake to normanl. Thnk any one will notice??
A little over 2 weeks ago the driver side door lock on my 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac wouldn’t work. The key would not turn to the unlock position, felt blocked. Tried the door keypad and the auto-unlock also wouldn’t unlock. Had to do the “go around to the passenger side and reach across to open” jig. Now when unlocked to door opened with the outside handle without issue. Now the inside handle opened with resistance, felt “crunchy”.

During my research I found the issue. It seems there is an “unlock assistance spring” that gets fatigued and breaks. Well this spring (for no logical reason I can fathom) is actually inside the door latch assembly. So when it broke the spring was ‘floating’ in the door latch, making the inside handle “crunchy”. While doing the research I also “discovered” that the 2 outside handle springs were broken, which makes the handle floppy and noisy when driving.

This past Tuesday I went into the door and dug the broken spring out of the latch, not fun, and redirected it round the outside of the latch and bent the end to re-engage the unlock arm and boom 1 problem fixed.

Ordered a new outside handle, got it yesterday, and a new spring from Lowe’s. This morning following an instructional video on YouTube ( ), got the outside handle replaced and put a new assist spring in place, door is back to normal.



Experience note; you have to remove the lower window guide, it’s 1 bolt and just lays in the door as you work, when you go to replace it there is a clip/keeper that holds the lower guide to the upper guide, make sure you get it clipped correctly (the bolt hole will align when correct) if not your window may not want to roll up as easily as it should. Plus you’ll hear an odd rattle when you close your door.