how to get a door open?

greg fulk · 01-24-2010, 12:21 AM

Ok guys HELP! My buddy Galuk has an 80 Malibu & the drivers door will not open! When you pick-up on the handle it feels as though nothing is hooked to it? The inside handle is the same way....I would just pull the panel but with the roll bar you can't get it off with the door shut...so how do I / we get it open?

Chris "drooze" Wertman · 01-24-2010, 12:34 AM

Not that its a good answer but the damage seems minimal.....cut the panel off and replace it ?

And Im half serious....if its one of the maroon velour ones should be easy to find....

The GM handles like that have a bad habbit of the pot metal going bad where the rod is, sometimes, sometimes, you can get a coat hanger down in the mechanism, but its a lot harder on a sedan (Im adduming a wagon has sedan doors)

Ive opened them by accident with a slim jim in the process of trying to open them (on the same car) on the down stroke with the V end if I remeber right, as well......well......you can cut the door panel off.....might save time and frustration then the only thing you have to worry about is finding a replacment.

(I had an malibu 4 dr like this, for 10 years or so I used as a parts runner/winter car, it was given to me and wouldnt die. I have / had a bad habbit of locking keys/loosing keys in it....I musta jimed it or hangered it (like a slim jim though) 100 times honest. sometimes I would pop the door though so I KNOW it can be done.)

Maybe someone else knows another way....or take off the front fender, hinges, pull the door away from the front , take the panel off ? (that should get you the clearance)

Quote:

Originally Posted by greg fulk

Ok guys HELP! My buddy Galuk has an 80 Malibu & the drivers door will not open! When you pick-up on the handle it feels as though nothing is hooked to it? The inside handle is the same way....I would just pull the panel but with the roll bar you can't get it off with the door shut...so how do I / we get it open?

Mark Yacavone · 01-24-2010, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greg fulk

Ok guys HELP! My buddy Galuk has an 80 Malibu & the drivers door will not open! When you pick-up on the handle it feels as though nothing is hooked to it? The inside handle is the same way....I would just pull the panel but with the roll bar you can't get it off with the door shut...so how do I / we get it open?

If both handles feel loose, I'd say the striker mech. is just about unlatched. Probably dried grease holding it back. I assume it's cold where you guys are?
Can you roll the window down? Keep squirting WD on the mechanism and push in and out on the door while flipping the handles. Maybe a hair dryer would help or a heat gun down behind the window.

Tom Moock · 01-24-2010, 01:46 AM

Greg, on malibu doors the lock mechanism has to be unlocked to open the door from inside the car, if the pull up lock handle comes off ? the the only way to unlock door is with the key, my car has the pull handle`s removed and the key mechanism came off and i had to take door panel off to rehook, so the door would open, I had locked the door with key when this happenened. Tom

Rob Petrie E395 · 01-24-2010, 10:40 AM

Just had a similar problem on a customers car in the shop not too long ago. We ended up replacing the latch mech. in the door. To get it open I rolled the window down then I got a small foam tipped paint brush, pulled the foam off and used it as a wedge between the window and the door frame to make a gap so I could get some light/ room in there to see. I went to the outside of the door and pushed in gently at the back edge of the door to take some of the pressure off of the striker. Then I put a piece of heavy wire a coat hanger might work too down in there with a hook on the end. first I pulled hard on the lever that unlocks the door then I pulled on the other one that comes to the inside handle. I had to give it a quick jerk a few times checking to see if it released after each try. I took several tries but we got it open.
Hope this helps
Rob

jerry witzel · 01-24-2010, 03:06 PM

I've run into this a few times. What i did was lift up the outside handle and spray wd40 or something similiar inside the door towards the latch assy. Then lightly tap on the door with the side of your hand under the handle while working the handles and the lock. This will usually free up the stuck latch.

rayfin · 01-29-2010, 03:13 AM

Call a locksmith. They can get in an armored car in seconds. (Auto parts stores sell a slim jim. I can't remember if that model is push or pull.)

01-24-2010, 12:21 AM	#1
greg fulk VIP Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: jackson Posts: 1,165 Likes: 0 Liked 5 Times in 3 Posts	how to get a door open? Ok guys HELP! My buddy Galuk has an 80 Malibu & the drivers door will not open! When you pick-up on the handle it feels as though nothing is hooked to it? The inside handle is the same way....I would just pull the panel but with the roll bar you can't get it off with the door shut...so how do I / we get it open? __________________ Greg Fulk 308 308X P/SA "ALL AMERICAN"

01-24-2010, 01:46 AM	#4
Tom Moock Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 801 Likes: 1 Liked 10 Times in 6 Posts	Re: how to get a door open? Greg, on malibu doors the lock mechanism has to be unlocked to open the door from inside the car, if the pull up lock handle comes off ? the the only way to unlock door is with the key, my car has the pull handle`s removed and the key mechanism came off and i had to take door panel off to rehook, so the door would open, I had locked the door with key when this happenened. Tom __________________ Tom Moock 5704 STK

01-24-2010, 10:40 AM	#5
Rob Petrie E395 VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Woodlawn IL Posts: 1,092 Likes: 162 Liked 216 Times in 77 Posts	Re: how to get a door open? Just had a similar problem on a customers car in the shop not too long ago. We ended up replacing the latch mech. in the door. To get it open I rolled the window down then I got a small foam tipped paint brush, pulled the foam off and used it as a wedge between the window and the door frame to make a gap so I could get some light/ room in there to see. I went to the outside of the door and pushed in gently at the back edge of the door to take some of the pressure off of the striker. Then I put a piece of heavy wire a coat hanger might work too down in there with a hook on the end. first I pulled hard on the lever that unlocks the door then I pulled on the other one that comes to the inside handle. I had to give it a quick jerk a few times checking to see if it released after each try. I took several tries but we got it open. Hope this helps Rob

01-24-2010, 03:06 PM	#6
jerry witzel Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Marion, Ohio Posts: 183 Likes: 3 Liked 44 Times in 15 Posts	Re: how to get a door open? I've run into this a few times. What i did was lift up the outside handle and spray wd40 or something similiar inside the door towards the latch assy. Then lightly tap on the door with the side of your hand under the handle while working the handles and the lock. This will usually free up the stuck latch.

01-29-2010, 03:13 AM	#7
rayfin Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: sioux city Posts: 134 Likes: 1 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: how to get a door open? Call a locksmith. They can get in an armored car in seconds. (Auto parts stores sell a slim jim. I can't remember if that model is push or pull.)