Grace_Excel

iTrader: (5)

There are three screws where the machanism meets the striker. Before you remove those, unplug the wires that connects to the actuator and remove the rods that connects to the outside door handle. You do not need to remove the handle, only the rod. Once you've removed the machanism out from the door, you could easily take out and open the plastic box by removing the only two screws that secures it.
Front Door Latch and Lock Actuator Removal/Installation

You'll see the broken spring as soon as you open it. Home Depot should have the similar length and size spring with hooks on each ends. Here's a picture that 9krpmrx8 took during his ordeal.

craigztoyz

my 05 has the rear drivers stuck on lower hinge. car got a little body damage on those two doors, so I used a set of tin snips last night and cut the outter panel to try to access it, still cant. I can access the shifting mech, but it wont release.

How do you access the two nuts on the bottom of door latch on rocker panel.

If I can get them loose, I can take the door off, as I already took off all 4 bolts for the hinges, the lower strap one, and the wiring. All in an attempt to get this latch undone, since there is some damage was going to swap the rear door anyways.

Thanx craig

Grace_Excel

iTrader: (5)

There's a thread for that... Not much discussion, but here it is: Rear Door Won't Open

ArXate

I was able to remove the lock actuator assembly earlier today (Sat), then spent the rest of the day going from Home Depot to Walmart to Lowe's to Orchard's Hardware but couldn't find a similar size spring.

Since the original spring broke at one of the ends such that most of the original length remained, I used two needle-nosed pliers to fashion a new hook at the broken end and then installed it. The spring works perfectly!

Grace_Excel

iTrader: (5)

LOL, pulled a MacGyver!

Sirreal45

I just had to go through this whole fiasco. Same issue, broken spring inside the actuator. I was able to get the trim panel completely out before getting the door open, but it was a PITA.

I also had to cut the actuator housing a little further in to get the actuator to trip. Spent quite a bit of time trying then reading threads, then trying again before deciding to cut it open as far as I needed to.

Thanks for all the info and pics in this thread, really helps out alot.

Grace_Excel

iTrader: (5)

Glad you were able to navigate and found this thread and helped you with the problem.

jast10

god bless these threads. i was able to fix my door and enjoy my day off thanks guys..

Grace_Excel

iTrader: (5)

Thank you, good sir', for using the search option instead of starting another thread..

[c]K

This thread is GOLDEN! Thanks a lot guys!!!

Important points:

-You have to open the rear door to get enough room to remove the panel (very tight and frustrating...)

-When removing the window watch out for the power window mechanism.

-Once I cut open the black plastic box I wasn't able to unlock the door. I had to insert the key in the lock, turn it so the unlock rod goes down and push the white/black levers UPWARD (quite the opposite of you guys) and pop the door is unlocked!!!

-As it was getting late I decided to pull a McGyver like ArXate and re-use the broken spring, works like a charm!

Grace_Excel

iTrader: (5)

Thanks for pointing that out, I also reused the broken spring by bending another loop to hook on the ring in the lock.

Like Whoa

happened to me as well, except it took me half a year to get it fixed since i was bombarded with school and work.
never had free time and when i did, i just didnt feel like fixing it.
anyways, after crawling out of the passenger door for 6 months a friend helped me out and replaced (not sure) some part and it was good to go.

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

^ You did that for 6 months?

Maraku

Hello all,

Just had this problem with my car last week. I finally got to the actuator and did see the broken spring. Would someone please tell me or show me how the spring is suppose to be attached? Thanks in advanced and hope to hear from you guys soon.

Mark

Grace_Excel

iTrader: (5)

I completely forgot about your PM over the weekend. Are you still trying to figure out where the end of the spring connects?

Maraku

I managed to fix the problem... but now cannot open the door from the inside lol! I'm planning on taking it apart again after summer classes when I have more time. But thank you for the help.

Grace_Excel

iTrader: (5)

May be I should just do a D.I.Y...

REsuperD

i just went thru this; thank goodness for this thread. took me most of the afternoon to get my door open, and i almost gave up. i was able to pull off the door panel completely w/ the door shut, and didn't have to remove the window. it was such an AWFUL project. and the culprit was indeed the broken spring. my hand is all scuffed up and i'm in a lot of pain. now i need to clean out the plastic debris in the latch mechanism from cutting open the plastic box, regrease up everything, and replace the freakin' spring. what kind of grease should i use, just anything from the autostore? there must be a batch of these defective latches w/ this defective spring from mazda's supplier. how much is the whole latch? i wonder if i should just replace them on both doors just so i won't have to go thru this again. it was really a hugh pita...

Grace_Excel

iTrader: (5)

I think, any lube/grease that has the Vaseline-type texture vice WD40-type. I know it's an all-aftenoon's-work, so just do the passenger's in one of the day's that the car's not acting up and you want to tinker only for the heck of it.

Sisco360

Yup... definitely the biggest pain in the *** you could imagine. I ended up with ten stitches in my hand trying to fix the f'er.

REsuperD

Yowza! I ended up with many cuts on my hands (include a burn from the courtesy light bulb) and arms.

BTW, the proper length of the spring appears to be 1-1/8", which is not very easy to find. I went to one hardware store last night, and the closest I found was 1-3/16", which believe it or not leaves enough slack to make me not feel good. Grainger (an industrial supply store) appears to have 1-1/8" extension springs in all kinds of strengths, so I'll check them out. I'm scared to reuse the broken spring. I hate that spring. I'm feeling pretty **** about getting a good, right spring in there 'cuz I really don't want to have to go thru this experience again...

Sisco360

I just took the old spring and created a new reinforced loop and greased it up. Probably should have just replaced it. But on the bright side it will be easy to fix again now that the black box it off.

Grace_Excel

iTrader: (5)

Yep, that's true... If it breaks again, I may not have to remove the window knowing which rod to move in that black box.

Hesselrode

iTrader: (3)

I'm having visitation in Kansas 600 miles away from home. Took my 5 year old daughter to the restroom and come back and it wouldn't unlock. My wife and I are this far from home with no help, and was thinking it wouldn't unlOck at all and realized the pass door unlocked and crawled in. Well needless to say it wouldn't open. Gonna try to fix when I get back to my moms in Missouri.

Hesselrode

iTrader: (3)

How do u pop all the Panel clips out? I got one but can't get the rest.