Door lock issues

I've been driving the 94 XJ and locked the drivers door last night. When I came back and tried to unlock it using the key, it wouldn't unlock. I entered the passenger side and tried to unlock it. The button rocks back, but not enough to disengage the lock. No amount of rocking it back and forth, trying the key, and pushing the outside and inside door handles seemed to do anything.

This is so frustrating. Any ideas how to get the door open so I can repair the latch/locking mechanism? The door latch isn't nice and smooth like they should be so I figure something is jammed up or worn to the point that it's stuck.

This thing got power locks? If so, maybe the lock solenoid is stuck.

I had that happen once on my RF door, ended up pulling the trim panel off the door and disconnecting the lock linkage so I could get the door open.

It does have power locks but the switch acts like it's dead. No clicking or anything.

I've had to get in through the back window before. They are fairly easy to remove without breaking the glass. Then crawl up and unlock the door from inside.
I've had the bends in the lock rods stretch a bit and not move the lock all the way, and re-bent them to regain full range of motion, and lubed the mechanism at the lock cylinder and lock lever to achieve easy movement.
I don't currently even have a door key for my xj....

PacificEd said:

It does have power locks but the switch acts like it's dead. No clicking or anything.

Click to expand...

Does the passenger side switch act like it tries to unlock it, or is it dead too?

I'd still pull the trim panel off the door and disconnect the linkage between the solenoid and the latch (should be a separate rod from the one to the manual rocker switch, like on my '92). Once I did that on mine, the latch/manual lock button worked fine, and I was able to open the door again. Was a bit tough to wrestle the panel off with the door closed, but not impossible.

If doing that to your door allows you to actuate the lock and open the door, then it's probably the solenoid acting up and binding the whole thing up.

In my case, I thought my solenoid was done (it got submerged at NACFest when I kinda swamped the truck slightly), and ordered a replacement from Quadratec. Weirdly, when I went to install the new one I found it worked backwards to my original (which started working again and has been perfectly behaved ever since), so I ended up returning it.

Mark and messed with it a bit and I was able to open the door and get it functioning again. I still need to take the door panel apart so I can disconnect the auto door lock actuator. Something has happened to the switch as it doesn't actuate the locks.