Rear door won't open
02-16-2019, 09:49 PM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Rear door won't open
The right rear door on my 2003 S55 won't open. I knew that when I bought the car, figured something was simply not hooked up, cable broken, something like that. I got the panel off, pretty much by destroying it (replacements on eBay aren't too bad,) and I can get inside the door. Both handles operate, and it makes no difference if the lock button is up or down, the door behaves as if it's locked. Attachments show the bottom of the lock actuator, and a video of the lock button, inside handle cable, and outside handle working. Yes, the video shows me working the cable with the lock button in the locked position, but it makes no difference. I just wanted to show that all the parts are linked and moving.
I've seen posts elsewhere that say a stuck door is caused by the air cap on the actuator being popped. I can't tell if that's the case here or not. I see the air line attached at the bottom, and that's the point where I run out of knowledge.
What now? Someone told me said the air cap is cracked, but I don't see that it is.
I've seen posts elsewhere that say a stuck door is caused by the air cap on the actuator being popped. I can't tell if that's the case here or not. I see the air line attached at the bottom, and that's the point where I run out of knowledge.
What now? Someone told me said the air cap is cracked, but I don't see that it is.
03-25-2019, 12:50 PM
#2
Member
Thread Starter
More learning in the intervening weeks since starting the thread: As far as I can tell, interior and exterior handles are mechanically connected and OK. All the mechanisms and levers move correctly. The lock lever moves correctly when locking and unlocking the car, either by the button manually, or by the remote or dash lock/unlock buttons. The air cap is not blown.
Seemingly unrelated, but this made a ***CLICK!!!*** in my head: I was showing someone the soft-close feature on the front door, and then tried to open that door and IT was stuck! No opening with either handle. Started the car and the front door worked fine then, but the ***CLICK!!!*** in my head connected the soft close with the handle failure. You can't open the door with the soft close actuator extended into the lock, and somehow I stuck something by trying to open the door too quickly after the soft close worked. I believe that somehow the soft close in the rear door is jammed, disconnecting the handles inside the lock actuator, making it behave as if the door is always locked. I have a loose actuator in hand, which has the blown air cap; I can work the soft close plunger manually, so I confirmed to myself how it works and when.
A local indy shop said I may have to destroy the lock actuator, just chisel the plastic housing away to get inside before I can release the door, and that may still be the case, I haven't been back in yet to try anything. The levers I see moving on my loose lock with the soft close plunger are against the latch panel of the door, so they are inaccessible with the lock in the door, so that's not encouraging. Not looking forward to replacing that if that happens, though...
Seemingly unrelated, but this made a ***CLICK!!!*** in my head: I was showing someone the soft-close feature on the front door, and then tried to open that door and IT was stuck! No opening with either handle. Started the car and the front door worked fine then, but the ***CLICK!!!*** in my head connected the soft close with the handle failure. You can't open the door with the soft close actuator extended into the lock, and somehow I stuck something by trying to open the door too quickly after the soft close worked. I believe that somehow the soft close in the rear door is jammed, disconnecting the handles inside the lock actuator, making it behave as if the door is always locked. I have a loose actuator in hand, which has the blown air cap; I can work the soft close plunger manually, so I confirmed to myself how it works and when.
A local indy shop said I may have to destroy the lock actuator, just chisel the plastic housing away to get inside before I can release the door, and that may still be the case, I haven't been back in yet to try anything. The levers I see moving on my loose lock with the soft close plunger are against the latch panel of the door, so they are inaccessible with the lock in the door, so that's not encouraging. Not looking forward to replacing that if that happens, though...
08-27-2023, 03:44 PM
#3
Junior Member
08-29-2023, 09:49 AM
#4
Member
Thread Starter
Nope. The car was totaled after being flooded in the rains from Hurricane Sally, and it exists no more.
Water got up into the body under the rear seat and wiped out much of the electronics back there. The brake lights came on and stayed on, and once the water receded the car would crank but not fire. It had to be towed 90+ miles to the nearest Mercedes dealer and they didn't even start on the electronics; after they determined the cost of the water damage in the interior, Progressive wrote me a rather generous check and I mailed them the title.
Water got up into the body under the rear seat and wiped out much of the electronics back there. The brake lights came on and stayed on, and once the water receded the car would crank but not fire. It had to be towed 90+ miles to the nearest Mercedes dealer and they didn't even start on the electronics; after they determined the cost of the water damage in the interior, Progressive wrote me a rather generous check and I mailed them the title.
