aviator

good to hear you got her fixed diesel

SanDiego4Runner

Diesel, you are my new best friend on the yotatech forums!

I spent $15+ a couple of months ago asking a certified Toyota mechanic on JustAnswer.com and yet I got no clear direction as to how to approach the problem. It was pulling teeth just trying to get him to tell me what the source of the problem could be.

With that said, I am glad I came across your somewhat recent post. I was about to buy a $150 door look online after hearing from the tech I would need to replace the whole assembly. I now have hope it may be just the spring!

I also have a '93 4Runner, by the way- with power locks and windows. I have been entering and exiting my car through the passenger side door for about 2 months now on a daily basis! I was holding off spending the $150 or so and now I'm very glad I did.

Thank you again for describing your fix and the fact you posted photos. They're worth a thousand words in my situation!

dieselloco427

its good to see that I'm not alone with had having to climb in and out the passenger door for - like you - the past couple of months!!

Let us know if you need anymore help or if you've gotten your door fixed!

SanDiego4Runner

I'm going to attempt my fix this coming weekend. I will try and remember to take photos from start to finish. Hopefully, I can contribute even more to the thread with a step-by-step instructions of sorts.

For those interested or suffering from the same problem, I'll keep you guys posted!

And thanks again diesel!

dieselloco427

Hey SanDiego4Runner,
Any luck?

Ertified4Runner

Now I get to play around with this new failure...
I was pumped up, just put in new OME rear shocks (after blowing out the stock ones in october doin firewood shuttle runs) and steering damper (a bit bummed when the wrench fell pointy side down and tagged me right below the eye).
Then I go out tonite to clear the snow off and unseize my doors of the ice when, voila! The driver's door handle pops and will not open--same result as when it's locked and you lift the handle, but it's unlocked. Genius moment--something in there busted. Opens fine from the inside though.
So thanks to all those who posted about gettin in and out the pass. door, feel less singled out knowin there're others with the same affliction!

Stuwy123

iTrader: (1)

Did you happen to wash your truck recently?
I had a problem unlocking my door after I washed my truck and it got below freeze that night.
Did you grease the latch in the door jam? That thing collects gunk and can get sticky.

Ertified4Runner

The only time I wash my 4runner is when it rains

It snowed here, thawed, then froze--my doors always freeze shut here in the winter cuz I ain't got no garage

Simple fix, just put four e clips on the end of the rod that attaches to the inside of the exterior handle and bam! Done. $1.90 fix.

The e clips replace whatever was there that held that universe together.

Now the 4runner doesn't bounce down the street like on hydraulic shocks and I can open the driver's door! Woohoo!

ScottyC

iTrader: (1)

Just for a follow up, my wife's new (to us) 93 4runner just had the same thing happen last night. I pulled apart the door today and sure enough that spring is missing. Heading to the ACE in a few for a new spring. Oh, and I also broke the latching mechanism today too so I will have to grab one at the pick and pull this weekend. So, be careful when pulling the clips off of it.

Seems that the spring is a pretty common sfailure on these over time.

BryanWithAY

Hi, I don't know if this is related, but was having a problem of not being able to open my door. Now I just can't open it from the outside - when I took off the door panel, this is what I found:



Sorry the pictures aren't very good, I could try to get better pictures later, but basically...there is a rod/thing just laying there. It is the reason my (crank) window wasn't rolling all the way down, it was in the way.

I think it's supposed to be connected somehow to the inside of the outside door handle (if that makes sense) but I can't figure out exactly how or what I'm missing.....
It's a 94 Toyota pickup...any ideas?

sidewind

Hi dieselloco427 or anyone who might be able to help, if you are still active in this forum could you repost the pictures that you had posted of the broken spring and latch assy, the broken spring and new spring, and the new spring installed on 03-12-2009 in the thread "Driver's door won't open!!" I have a 2001 Tacoma that I am having this problem with. Thanks

Lance o Lot

I know this is an old thread, but I had this problem last week and found that I was able to remove the panel, intact, without breaking any clips while the door was shut. I needed a 90 degree pick to push in the turkey-timer pin up by the A/C vent, but by moving the seat forward and for the rear lower clips, then backward for the forward lower clips, I was able to take off the panel and hand it to my friend Bill while we was yelling at me that I had to take out the seat. Unfortunately, I ended up buying an entire latch assembly instead of just a little spring. And new door locks.

tailsgunner

Once the panel is taken off or off enough to access the rear inside door panel, you can open the door by using a long stick or screwdriver and press the lever down (where the arrow is) then the door should open. The circle is where the spring belongs on the two little hooks inside.

I bought the spring at OSH for about $3.

The spring allows the door lock to unlock. When the spring is broken, the lock thinks someone is pulling on the door handle so the lock wont unlock. The lock actuators are trying to unlock the door (if you have electronic door locks). By pushing the lever down (arrow), doing this does with the spring does and release the lock safety, but when you open the door using the handle, the spring release the safety lock so the lock can't unlock the door again without the spring being in place or pressing the hinge on the arrow.
Clear as mud..right?

RAD4Runner

Hi folks,
The yellow clip that attaches link rod between outside door handle and door latch mechanism on my truck broke. I searched for replacement from online stores but no luck. Does anybody know of source for replacement for this? If not sold as part for the first-gen, perhaps it's interchangeable with that of later gens?
If you have one handy used or new, would you consider selling, and how much? Here are pics:


CLOSE-UP


It goes into here:


If no replacement can be found, does anybody have a clean and robust solution?
If this part is accessible enough, I could probably make some sort of a a collar that locks to end to rod with a set-screw, But rather tight in there.

TIA.

RJR

It looks to me like it's P/N 69293-12040, from this drawing http://www.toyotapartsoverstock.com/...rimLevel=18406

I googled that PN and found a couple of sources for it. Whether or not they actually have it is another matter. Hope this helps.

scope103

It's a pretty generic part (there might even be a Dorman version at your local parts store). It looks like there's a left hand and right hand version. So get 'em both!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/361225336493?ul_noapp=true&chn=ps&lpid=82
(What, you only want one? No you don't. If you drop one inside the door, you can't use a magnet-on-a-stick to get it out. Stock up!

RAD4Runner

COOL! Good to know that it's generic. Will check out local stores first.
THANKS a lot, guys!

RAD4Runner

Thanks again for your help, guys!
Needed to get it fixed right away so I just got one from the dealer ($5). Replacement procedure was quick. A few pics here.

Terry has more on removal of the latch assembly itself.

Terrys87

iTrader: (1)

Thanks RAD.. I got a lot of info on my 85 build for the door. More info if needed >>> https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f198...l#post52225983

Another issue I have experienced with doors is they wont open from inside or the outside. From what I have determined is the foam is what keeps the door rod in the valley. When the foam gets cut thru, the rod can not pull the latch far enough to open.

Here is my fix for the rod and has been working great on several other trucks as well.

Copied...
This is my passenger door and it does open like it should from the inside. The drivers side does not. I was comparing the two trying to figure out why the passenger did and not the driver. I then seen this little foam. It helps hold the rod into the valley impressed in the door and that little bit makes the door open.


Here is the valley with the door handle pulled to open it and you can see where it is out of the valley.


Not the best fix in the world but is a better system then what Toyota did and it is working great now. I drilled two holes and used a ziptie. I will see if it is going to interfere when I stick my windows back in and let you know if this will work. Either way it will be a similar fix if it does interfere unless someone has a better idea on to do it.

A friend of mine and me have seen this issue several times and surprisingly I dont ever see this pop up on Yotatech or even seen a thread on it.

High Tech door fix.

jamesg

great post. drivers' side o/s handle went in-op. opened panel and found yellow clamp on linkage broken. Used a good quality tie wrap around remaining yellow clamp to rod connection and pulled it tight. put another tie wrap below yellow clamp, just on rod, to hold the first one in place/just in case. Should work well since there is no torque on the clamp itself; it just holds the rod into the actuator. my $.02 worth.