How to remove rear door panel.... with door closed?

[Night Wolf]

So the right rear door on the Brougham will not open from the inside or out, when pushing the button, or pulling the handle, I can tell the linkage inside the door is disconnected... no biggie...

but, how can I remove the door panel, with the door shut, without messing it up? Its tough cause the edges are kinda pressed in against the body of the car... or is there another way I could get the door open to remove the door panel?

Hasn't really bothered me, cause I don't need to use the door, and I actually forget about it at times, but its an easy fix, and I want to fix it....

Thanks

[Wheelman322]

That sounds like a neat trick for David Blaine. J/K...Good luck.

[slk230mb]

Slim jim to get the door open?

[deVille33]

Have had this problem with the front door. If someone tries to access your car with a slim jim they may break the little plastic retainers on the control rods.
You have to go iin through the opposite door and remove the back seat, then the door panel will be accessable, not easily available, but accessable.

[z06bigbird]

That has happened to me before. As other member suggested, take rear seat apart. Just a little more effort than expected.

[Night Wolf]

Alright, I'll give that a try.

Is it like other GM seats of the era... the bottom gets pushed back and unlatches, then comes out and the rear portion gets unbolted?

Thanks

[Highway Star]

Have you tried holding the inner door handle in the open position while throwing some body weight against the door (from the inside)? Sometimes they just hang-up and need some tough love. May not work if you definately have a broken linkage prob.

[Night Wolf]

Originally Posted by Highway Star

Have you tried holding the inner door handle in the open position while throwing some body weight against the door (from the inside)? Sometimes they just hang-up and need some tough love. May not work if you definately have a broken linkage prob.

not yet....

the door first stopped opening from the outside a long while back, and even today, when you push the outside button, there is no real tension behind it, just the little spring in there.

From what I remember, the inside was the same way... I've got the car in the driveway though, so I'll give it another try

[pimpin88]

You could also try tapping the door right around the handle with your hand. My '88 Brougham did the same thing, but the linkage wasn't disconnected, it was just stuck.

If you keep tapping it around the handle, it should pop back out and the button will be hard to push again. It should open if you hit the unluck button and then try to open it. Then just pull the door panel off and lubricate the linkages.

[Night Wolf]

well I tried it form inside again.... nothing. It dosn't feel right tho, I really think its disconnected, just odd that both the inside and outside are like that.... although it stopped working from the outside first.

But, the car is back under the rear carport, I don't know when I'll be able to work on it again, but I will pull the rear seat and try to fix the door next.

[Red_October_7000]

Originally Posted by Night Wolf

Alright, I'll give that a try.

Is it like other GM seats of the era... the bottom gets pushed back and unlatches, then comes out and the rear portion gets unbolted?

Thanks

I'm pretty damn sure it is. GM never gave up on this one, that's for sure. Every GM sedan I've ever seen has been this way, right through to the 2000s and probably continuint still.

[96Fleetwood]

Anyone have any idea about this issue?

The passenger side front door on my '91 Brougham is doing the same thing. It will not open from the outside or inside handle.

How do I get the door panel off with the door completly shut?

[My_favorite_Brougham]

I'm thinking that one of the several rods inside the door that activate the opening mechanism is broken or has broken clips.
I've seen the inside of these doors, as I've had this issue w/ the outside handle only on these cars. That cheap 80s plastic disintegrates after some time, especially if exposed to weather extremes.

What you might try is removing the inside door handle's chrome shell-type housing. That will expose the innards of the handle, and perhaps you can see the problem there or poke and pull with a coat-hanger wire. Or remove the lock-pull and start poking/pulling from there.

Best of luck!

[DopeStar 156]

The driver's door on my '76 DeVille got stuck shut one and I found out the linkages in the latch were rusted stiff. If you're outside door handle just freely goes in with no resistence, try shoving a slim piece of metal down the door and tipping the plate that outside handle knocks forward to open the door. My problem was that plate was getting stuck halfway and it was the equivelant to you trying to unlock the door for your girlfriend and she's too impatient and opens it at the same time canceling everything out........

[Night Wolf]

Wow.... I made this thread a year ago this month.....

man... that is so weird... it really dosen't seem like a year ago I was working on the Brougham... but at the same time, sooooooooo much has happened this past year....

man '08 has been a heck of a year...