mike[piston eater]

iTrader: (3)

wow i thought only blonds got locked inside a car lol, but you had a reason though lol mechanical malfunction

red_rx8_red_int

I have the same problem, locked driver door. I have taken the inside trim off, and when I unlock it, i hear a noise, and the handle cable moves when i pull the handle, but it is still locked. I can grab the rod that extends to the outside handle and it moves when the handle is opened. Both the wire and rod extend in to a plastic box. Thats all I can see.

Vlaze

iTrader: (14)

When all else fails, drop kick it













































Sorry, that wasn't very helpful was it? Hopefully someone who has experience in this area chimes in...

ArXate

You mean you removed only the plastic piece surrounding the aluminum lever and you can see all that? I can barely see anything except the 2 wires.

Have you taken the door panel off? I am going to attempt to do that. Someone told me it can be done even if the door is shut but might have to take driver's seat out to have enough space.

red_rx8_red_int

I took the door panel off. After you remove the plastic piece surrounding the aluminum lever, then you can take the switch panel off, you pry from the bottom. Then there are two screws, one on the right side and one on the left side of the "pocket." After those two screws, I pulled the panel up and out and it popped off. I had to pull pretty dang hard though. The tweeter box came off as well. I was able to pass the switch panel through the switch panel opening to completely remove the panel. Now there is a part with about a dozen screws holding it in place. The window motor is mounted to it. I was able to remove most of the things attaching it and pull it back to see the rods and wires and stuff. I'm going to go take pics and post them.

heyarnold69

iTrader: (1)

have you tried hugging the car in a push like fashion? then pulling?

ArXate

Yes, please post pics. I'd really appreciate it.

A person who knows cars in general said there might be a plastic piece that connects to the aluminum wire at the end where the lock mechanism is back by the rear door. He said that plastic connector may have broken. Do you observe anything like that?

red_rx8_red_int

In the last pic, you can see the rod that comes from the outside handle.

otakurx

This has happened in the old RX-7's, in fact just happened to a buddy of mines 85 lol. Was a pain in the *** to get the door open.

red_rx8_red_int

Whew!!! Hooray!! My door is unlocked! The second rod closest to the rear controls the locking. I grabbed it and pulled down and the door unlocked. Now to put everything back and never lock this car.

ArXate

Awesome. Thanks to you, the rest of us know it can be done. I'll probably work on my door later this week after I finish my taxes.


BTW, was your lock mechanism just temporarily jammed or did a connector or something break that you have to replace?

theSLEEPERX8

I had to pull my door panel, and the inner panel off, then cut the latch "box" open, and lift up on something... I can't remember now... But it was a major pain in the ***...

ArXate

But after you finally got it open, did the door jam again? Did you end up having to replace anything?

ArXate

I just got my PASSENGER SIDE door panel off to use as a guide to get my driver side panel off later.

Each step is a bitch, except for the black plastic cup around the aluminum door latch. The screw in the door pocket was really tough. I used a fairly long phillips screw driver but it was always slipping, but I stuck with it and finally got it out. Are you guys using a power screwdriver? I can't get my power screwdriver to fit in there.

The black piano plastic panel with the window controls is difficult as well. You just have to try it for the first time, I guess, to get a feel.

Two of the nine door panel connectors broke a little, but at this point I couldn't care less. Is there a door panel tool that can prevent those things from breaking?

Using the passenger side panel as a guide, I'm convinced you can get the driver side panel off even when you can't open the driver side door. Because, with the door closed, there seems to be enough space to get your fingers into the crevice down back by the courtesy light to begin pulling the door panel out. Regardless, Red RX8 Red Int was able to do it, so we all know it can be done.

Right now, I'm trying to take that door pocket screw out on the driver side, and I'm having trouble. Real pain, especially since I can't get leverage and I can't get my body down under the steering wheel. I need a power screwdriver or something. Taking a rest now, I'll get back to this a later day.

BTW, good pics are available in the following:

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...+panel+removal

http://rx8.becomeanidiot.com/puddlelights.pdf

Grace_Excel

iTrader: (5)

I had the same problem two weeks ago and just now figured out what the problem is when I finally opened the door this after noon. Mushkid, guided me and told me to cut open the black plastic covering the lock where the door latch rod leads to. There's a white piece and a small black piece of plastic aligned within each other. Both needs to be pulled down together to open the door. The problem with mine was the re-tractor spring broke for the lock-opener. Below are the pictures I took and steps I made to unlock the door and hope you have some understanding of how I opened mine, ENJOY!

Inside the car, unlatch the rear door as you would to open it which will give you some extra space to work on. Use a Phillips screw driver to unscrew the door handle and the cover for the window and door lock switches. Unplug the cords and proceed to remove the door panel by pulling back and out. You will not be able to remove it completely, but all you really need is to open the space between the panel and the door frame closer to the lock-actuator.


You need to remove the window to reach the area where those cables meet. Use a ratchet with a 10mm socket to remove the motor and the tracks for the window. Lower the glass and slightly pull it towards the inside of and pull it out.


With the door panel partially open, use a box cutter to cut open the black plastic cover and expose the door-lock opener rods as far as you could. Pull down the white plastic and the little black plastic below simultaneously. It might take a few tries before the latch unlocks itself.


After opening the door and removing the driver side door lock/actuator, use the Phillips screw driver to remove the lock-actuator. Remove the rods/cables and open the piece to replace/fix the broken re-tractor spring.

ArXate

Grace_Excel, can you tell me what kind of tool you used to cut the holes and what kind of drill bits/heads?

It looks like you made two cuts- (1) a circular cut in the first black plastic panel (the one just behind the door panel) and then (2) a vertical cut downward in the black plastic by the door lock opener. Is that correct?

mushkid

iTrader: (6)

another 8 owner with a broken re-tractor spring??

wow that is simply amazing.

after you manage to get the spring, i highly recommend you go to a hardware shop and you find a heavy duty spring. that's what i did so i don't have to deal with this headache again.

sorry for the mishap ^^ Grace_Excel; dude these are awesome pics it should help other members with this same prob. good job!!!

Grace_Excel

iTrader: (5)

Thank you mushkid! ArXate, find yourself a heavy-duty box cutter. That's what I used to make the only (vertical) cut on that plastic. It's really soft, so carefully cut it, the blade might snap and lacerate yourself. 9krpmrx8 and sisco360 pm'd me for asssistance as they came across and were STUCK with the same problem.

ArXate

Grace_ Excel, thanks for your private message with the pics and links. Now I see that you didn't actually cut a circular hole in the first black panel.

One thing I'm wondering is were you able to completely remove the driver side door panel BEFORE you opened the door? It seems in the private message, you imply that you did. If you actually did, how did you do it? The front and rear doors are locked together, but I pulled the rear door latch (the big black plastic latch on the inside of the car) and was able to push the 2 doors outward- but just a little. It seemed like I can't push the doors out far enough to get the front part of the door panel completely out (the part by the dashboard).

On the other hand, maybe you just meant that you were able to pull the back end of the door panel outward (without completely removing the door panel). That's actually what i did.

Grace_Excel

iTrader: (5)

No, I wasn't able to pull the door panel completely out. I forced it but not it was enough to completely remove the panel. I broke a few of those plastic tabs in the. Like you, the panel is stuck where it meets the dashboard and I could only open the front and rear doors by opening the rear door.

Since the shell is aluminum, you could lightly push it out more and give the door a little flex to allow yourself some extra room. Once you have removed the glass window, you'll be able to access the black plastic box that the outside door latch's 'rod' is connected.

Try to take pictures of your progress.

ArXate

Do I absolutely have to remove the black plastic piece housing the tweeter (in the corner of the A pillar) in order to remove the window?

Grace_Excel

iTrader: (5)

You don't have to remove it's , but it might cause obstruction once you attempt to remove the door panel. Here are the pieces that I had removed: the tweeter box, inner handle cover, switch panel, door panel (trim), and the door glass. The rest stayed until I've completely opened the door.

ArXate

I didn't have much time yesterday (Wed) to work on it but I could tell that the black plastic tweeter housing doesn't really get in the way of the window glass but rather is in the way of the door panel. I was able to pull the door panel out partially without removing that piece, so I'll just leave it in.

My final question before I get to work on it a little later today is: Do you absolutely have to remove the window glass? It seems the window doesn't get in the way if it's all the way up. Am I right or wrong about this?

Grace_Excel

iTrader: (5)

You won't be able to access the plastic box with the window raised up, you'd have a hard time reaching it. Besides, your only view to the box is through the sill with the glass window removed.

ArXate

Ok, I opened my ******* door finally! Thanks a ton, Excel_Grace.

I removed the window glass and used a normal box cutter to cut open the black plastic casing, then used my hands to play with the mechanism until the door opened. The ordeal is finally over...almost.

BUT now, what am I supposed to replace? I can't even see the spring or whatever else is inside there. Even if it's just the spring, how would I take it out and put a new spring in? It seems like you have to take the entire apparatus out first, but how would you do that?