For some reason my driver's door stop being able to be opened from the inside. Out the handle unlatches, but not from the inside. I took the door panel off and everything appears to be fine. If I pull on the rod that is attached to the inside release handle the door opens, but it is as if the handle itself has slack to it that keeps it from being able to pull enough to release the door. Here's a video I took:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3DfO5jgp7w

 

fsm link:
http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/index.html

 

Thank you so much for that link ocdropzone! That is good at showing the overall components and how to disasemble the door, but I'm still not sure of a particular piece that looks like it is broken or loose. I probably need to disasemble the door more to see better. But if anyone can tell what is wrong from the discription I gave of the problem, or from the video, then please let me know.

 

See if you can manually pull the rod that attaches to the inside handle with enough force to open it...

 

I sprayed some graphite lube on the linkage and it solved the problem for me. Might give that a try...

 

Yeah, I've done that and it works when I manually pull the rod. Any idea what that means? The handle works but it is as if it doesn't pull the rod far enough to release it.

 

Thanks for the idea, when I get a chance, I might give that a try.

 

I know your truck is newer than the 87 runner type, but in these doors i have noticed that the your refering to, in our trucks, sometimes has the same issue. Its not the there is a broken part, but the rod it self has "loosened" up from years of use. To fix mine, i just to a pair of vice grips/pliers and bent the rod where the original bend is, keeping in mind your trying to make the rod "shorter" so when you pull on the inside handle it pulls that rod a little more. iirc, i bent mine with a counter clockwise turn of the pliers, didnt take much, do a small bend, then try to open, if it needs more, bend a little more. hope this helps not confuses...

 

That's very helpful. I think that might work, I'll give that a try.

 

OrRunner did you take the metal rod out when you bent it, or did you bend it while it was still attached?

 

areyou sure nobody didnt pull a prank on you with some construction addesive.. and glue your door shut..

 

Yes, I'm sure that's not the problem.

 

I know it's a really basic question, but was the door handle screw there and screwed in and the door handle hooked into place before you presumably unscrewed it in order to take the panel off?

 

Yes, it was.

 

Well thanks to OrRunner's advice, my door handle works again. The handle want's to stay in the open position after pulled, but at least it works. I'll have to play with it to get it right, or just replace it, but at least for now it will work the way it is. I noticed in the street by my 4runner a small plastic piece that had broke off something. Not sure if it's related to the handle, or even if it's from my car.

 

At least you got it fixed, i have an 88 truck that the inside handle wouldn't open the door also, inside where the rod went thru the plastic clip, thru the square hole in the outer door handle, the yellow plastic fastener/clip had cracked. When i pulled the rod out it then decided to completely break off. I couldn't find that rod clip anywhere, so i instead used a "hitch clip" on the end of the rod. It worked like a charm and only cost me 17 cents.

 

What happens is the plastic catch on the back of the handle itselt breaks off and the handle won't move the rod. you will eventually need a new handle, but it will work like it is for now.

 

http://www.4runners.org/writeups/doorhandle/index.html