Sunday before last I drove my Sportage to church and when I got ready to go home the door on the driver's side wouldn't open. Turning the key seems to unlock it, but neither the inside nor outside door handle will open it. Can't get panel off, because driver's seat is in the way. It's got 188,000 miles so no warranty.

Any suggestions?

Remove the front seats. That's all I can think of. Maybe if you are lucky you can get the door panel off this way. Good luck, sounds like a horrible problem to have.

Why dont you go to a proffecional "thief" (sorry but my english are poor on how this proffecion is called) and maybe he can open it from the outside in some way. It will cost you something but it seems far more better than to remove the seats, that anyway maynot be possible to remove since the door will be in the way to reach the seat screws!!!!!!!

I was going to recomend cutting the striker... That is until I went to look if was accessable from the inside. It's not. I'm tapped for ideas. time to call that professional. Is it possible to pull the lock core from the outside with minimal damage? Or probably you going to have to cut into the door paneling to access the latching mechinisms. Good news though! KIA sells replacement door panelings <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/ignore.gif" alt="" />

Fokion, most of the professional thieves around here just smash a window and break whatever they have to to get in the car. I might be able to take it to a lock smith, getting my forty-something rearend in there is something of a humorous sight (or so I'm told).

Thanks Calappoyas, I was wondering if I would be able to buy a panel if I had to sacrifice that one.

All other ideas gratefully accepted.

Hay,

I had this problem in my other Sportage. What has happened is a spring has broke in the door locking assembly.

Here is what you do. Get in it and pull the left top side out. You will need to pop the plastic inserts loose. While holding it out, reach down into the door. There will be plastic covering the hole. Break it. Now the tricky part. Find the assembly. It will be a tight fit but I am a big guy and did it. On the back side there is a piece of metal the sticks out. I do not know how to describe it. It is about 1/4 inch wide and rounded on the end. Push it down. It will slide down about 1/4 inch. This will unlock the door.

The things that sucks is you can not buy just the spring that could not cost more than $1 from Kia. You have do buy the whole assembly.

The important thing is do not lock the door. If you do you will have to do it again. Advice, watch your left elbow. I had this happen on both front doors.

I am in Bham. If you can not figure it out and want to come down I will do it for you.

Keith

Kinda sounds like a problem I have had several times... I can hear the locks click and the little knob on the door will even go up and down but when you try to open the door you can't. I have tried several things but the best one is this:

with one hand pull up real hard on the door lock knob while at the same time work the door open lever in and out. I always have had to use the inside handle to do this but after a minute or 2 of doing this I can feel the lock knob kinda moving and then it will sorta give a little and then the door will open. I do not know why it does it and I can't reproduce the problem reliably - it is some kind of binding happening on the inside.

Good luck,

Mark <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" />

Don't dismiss a plasma cutter and a sawzall. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" />

Yup, I gave serious thought to the gull wing option, but it seemed a little drastic.

Thank youm thats the word!!!