I can't remove the panel. The fasteners cannot be accessed. Am I screwed, so to speak?
First try using the key to place the lock in several different positions. You may get lucky. If not your AAA should be able to open the door with the lock tools available to them. It is not a complex mechanism to overcome
Something else that occurred to me earlier: there are multiple places that the mechanism could have failed. - The outside handle has become disconnected - The inside handle has become disconnected So, try both handles. Try both handles while simultaneously turning the key in the lock. Also try to determine (feel, sound) if manipulating either handle is moving a rod inside the door. It could also be that the latch itself (that closes shut over the bolt/plate) is inoperable. If it's that, then much more problematic.
I will probably try the auto club route but I'm hoping it isn't a latch problem. Had trouble closing the door properly in the past; the striker may have been mis-alligned. Also the lock tumbler is pretty loose now. Thanks for the advice. Appreciated.
I had the same thing happen to me on the drivers side. Lean against the door to relieve pressure off of the latch mechanism, and slap around the door latch to jar it loose. celebrate with a beer and then lube and keep lubed - DO NOT completely dissemble to lube (you'll never get it back together) . Good Luck!
Let us know how and when it gets resolved, as I've had the opposite on my drivers door. Every time you try and shut the door it bounced back at you, I had to drive the car home one handed 60 miles home. I never want to do that again. It ended up again just lubricating every area I could get to and it magically closed and opened as it always did, now I carry a can of WD -40 in the boot with all my other stuff. (Relays/fuss/clamps/different size tubing/spare rad cap/plugs/ignition leads/rotor arms etc etc etc) You know how it is
I had a similar prob on GT4. A plastic piece of the lock mechanism broke. It's riveted to the latch frame with multiple rivets. The whole mess was pivoting about one of the rivets rather than transmitting motion to the necessary components. I used a slim piece of metal, a flashlight, and an enormous amount of patience. Got it open without destroying anything. Whew!!
