Pulling door panel for a door that doesn’t open

[avacado11]

Have a 2021 Chevy Bolt EV. Passenger door latch decided to give up today. Both door handles inside and out don’t seem to be engaging anything. Knowing GM it may be rod retainers that broke due to cold temps, possible the latch mechanism but regardless I still need to get the door panel off to work on it. The lock rod/actuator still works so I know it’s unlocked. The seal may be frozen, but that wouldn’t cause the handles to become inop would it? I ran the car through touchless last night then garaged it. Door was working fine all morning til it didn’t.

I can scoot the seat all the way back have have some room to work with but I know on these you have to slide the panel up as they hook where the window seal is. Also, the front portion of the panel goes into the dash board not sure how that part is gonna go as I may not have room to pull the panel push pins out of the door.

Pulling the door panel is the only solution I can come up with right now. Any other suggestions are welcomed. I’m sure im not the only one who has ever had this issue.

 

[JohnB5656]

May be frozen.

 

[avacado11]

May be frozen.

Could be just because I ran it through the wash last night. I hope it is. I’ll let it thaw out in the garage during dinner before I start working on it.

Last time I had an issue like this was years ago on my 05 Silverado. But the rear extended cab door panel was much easier to get to.

 

[Snagglefoot]

My Ford Taurus has freezing issues. Use a heat gun or your wife’s hair blower and heat up the area of the latch where your door latches to your frame. Alternate the heating with an attempted door close. I would do this prior to trying to get the panel off. Chances are it has plastic clips that can get brittle from the cold and break.

 

[D60]

I've pulled rear door panels on an '09 Focus, '00 Cavalier and '06 Expedition when they wouldn't open at all. It always requires some decent body mobility and creative use of wobbles or REALLY stubby screwdrivers, etc

I have no experience with your vehicle but post up what you do!!

 

[vwmaniaman]

If you can get the rear part of the panel loose you maybe able to sneak your hand into the panel to operate the latch with seat all the way forward and working from the back seat floor.

 

[avacado11]

took out the two 7mm bolts hoping I could just pull the door panel back but didn’t have the leverage. Ended up pulling B pillar trim to stick a flat head behind the edge of the door panel to get it started. Unfortunately had to rip the door panel in half to access the door latch. As you can see the top of the door panel(runs along the bottom of the glass) is still on the door. I’ll either have to order a new one or try to plastic weld it back together.

Looking at the latch now there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with it per se. Door works perfectly fine. Looks latch got stuck half way. Too far latched to open, but not latched enough for the handle cables to disengage it. There’s water droplets inside the door but the lever and cables are dry inside, maybe it was frozen? Possibly a combination of both frozen and jammed up. The claw in the door does have some play in it.

Debating on whether I replace the latch unit while I have it apart or just chance it since I know how to get the door panel apart now.

 

[joekingcorvette]

I figured it was probably just cold and not working properly. I had a Plymouth Horizon TC3 that had both doors act up and not open but only when it was about 30 degrees below (wind chill factor). Since it was the passenger door I probably would have waited to re-evaluate it before going to extremes but at lease you know what is wrong with it. I am sure it's due to the extremely cold weather.