Bongo Fury

Err, hello. First post nerves... So I think I've got my first genuinely novel problem. Can't find a solution on the forum, which is otherwise amazingly informative and has helped me resolve a number of non-novel problems in record time, including in deep snow and freezing temperatures next to Loch Lomond when the sliding door wouldn't open: bang it about 2/3 of the way down! Genius (although I also applied a hot water bottle at that spot as the contact was probably frozen stuck).

Current Problem: All of a sudden I can't open the driver's door from the inside. The lever doesn't seem to be catching on anything, regardless of whether the engine is on or not and regardless of the position of the door lock. To get out, I have to open the window and reach round. Central locking works fine, other doors work fine.

Despite the use of creative search terms on the Forum and perusal of fact sheets I have not found a solution. In case you're wondering, I have also tried banging that door about 2/3 of the way down on that door as well - didn't work! hot water bottle?

Its a 1995 4WD AFT diesel automatic etc. if that's of any use.

Thanks

Chris

check the child lock its the most common solution

Child lock on the Drivers door ? That could be intersting

http://www.lushprojects.com/bongopartsm ... mgno=.html
it almost sounds like the link to the button has come apart 58-691

Doh stupid me read it wrong
Must pay more attention

Not hard to remove door card and inspect mechanicals. Use a sharp knife to slice through the black goo when peeling back the polythene membrane - good reseals then you put membrane back.

Thanks all, especially for the photo and diagram. I don't think its going to be that part: the locking mechanism works. Its the door lever that doesn't do anything (58-321Z if I read it correctly). That will be a job for the weekend then. I'll report back.

I've checked, and can confirm that there isn't a child lock on the driver's side, which makes me wonder how you're going to stop the kids accidentally opening the door while they're driving you home from the pub?

Perhaps they should put child locks on the outside of hot hatches

Likely the little rod that connects the handle to the mechanism has popped out of the plastic clip. All will become apparant when you pop casing off no doubt.

Paul

Hi, There may be no need to remove the door card. The chances are the bar has popped out of the hole on the door handle, and will be floating about in situ (or at least it'll probably be reachable) Unscrew just the door handle, and work it out of the door card, it'll need a spot of patience and fiddling to extract the handle. Take a look inside the hole where the handle came from, chances are you'll see a bar with a "L" shape on the end of it. Now take a look at the rear of the handle. You'll see a black plastic (if the handles are chrome) hanger slotted into a push in hole (If your handles are grey plastic the hangar may be yellow or brown). work the redundant bar out of the hole where the handle went, pop it into the empty hanger, you should hear and feel a decent click. If not,the slot is likely to be worn. The top part of the hanger is almost domed with a slot, straighten a paper clip and form a rudimentary "circlip" using the paper clip, this will ensure the bar doesn't break free from the hanger if the locking mechanism on the hangar is loose. Try the handle works ok vigourously a few dozen times whilst still out of the door card to check it's re-attached properly.

lpgimports wrote:Perhaps they should put child locks on the outside of hot hatches

Likely the little rod that connects the handle to the mechanism has popped out of the plastic clip. All will become apparant when you pop casing off no doubt.

Paul

Cheers Paul, said the same as me but with 200 fewer words!

It's rare that, I usually use 200 where 10 will do

Paul

thanks for your help (both wordy and short).

The bar that connects the handle to the un-locking mechansim had come loose, but not at the handle end (as suggested) but at the lock end. So I took the door 'card' (weird word) off and managed to hook the bar back into the hole it belongs, using a mirror, headtorch and a screwriver to prod, but there was no way I was going to get the clip back into place, as I only have the one elbow on each arm.

It did come undone again first time so I had to go through it all again. Seems to be ok now, although I suspect it will pop out again at some point without the clip in place. Thanks for the excellent description of the clip by the way.

I think I'll leave it at that and hope for the best. It did occur to me to take the door mechanism out by undoing the bolts on the outside. I'm reluctant to do it in case important bits fall off into the body of the door, never to be seen again (to join the mirror which I dropped).

Cheers

Christoph

That sounds like a nightmare! I've never really looked at the "lock end" i must admit... But if it does happen to pop off again, and access is limited, removal of the entire lock isn't feasible, then try to see if zip tie can lock the bar into the lock somehow. I know it sounds like a bodge...but if it does the trick...

Will keep fingers crossed. In fact, I'll zip-tie my fingers crossed. Should work.

That may make it a little difficult to manipulate the door innards... but hey owt's worth a try!