Hello all,

I've got a 2000 A4 and the drivers side latch has broken to where I can't let myself out. I can get in from the outside, but I can't open the door from the inside. I'm not very proficient in repairing things, however if this is a fairly easy fix I'd love to do it myself if possible. If this is something that can be done without taking it to the shop, could someone give me some pointers on how to go about it? How to get into the door without breaking anything else, etc?

Thanks in advance...

 

It depends on what has happened inside the door. Removing the door panel is very easy though. You'll find two screws at the top corners of the door panel (one at the front, one at the back) to remove. Then, look at the pull handle (the one you use to shut the door) - you'll see a screw there facing rearward to remove - it holds the trim cover on (you'll see the cut lines of the piece - it lines the inside of the pull). When that's out, you slide that piece down and slightly toward you (it's in there pretty snugly - I have to pull like crazy and swear at mine to get it out of the door panel), and you'll uncover a couple screws inside. Remove them, and the door panel lifts up and off. Don't just yank it off though, because you have several wiring harness connectors in there for the locks, alarm LED at the top of the panel, switches, and the red courtesy light at the bottom rear of the panel.

You'll probably have the easiest time by unplugging the lock/mirror harnesses, and then just leaning the top of the door panel against your knees as you sit on the seat. You should see the latch mechanism when you pull back the foam door liner. There's a flexible rod that extends from the door handle rearward toward the latch assembly - this is clipped and pegged in place. Yours may simply have come undone - the snap piece that secures the pull rod to the handle can come undone and allow the rod to disconnect from the door handle. Just pop it back in place, snap to secure it, and reassemble your door panel. Be careful of the door lock stem that pokes up out of the mount where the LED is - that's kind of a pain to position just right when you drop the panel back into place on the door.

It may sound a little hard to envision while reading this but if you print it out and take it out to the car, it'll make sense when you're looking at the assembly. If you're not sure if what you're seeing in there is right, take off the passenger front door panel as well (it comes off the same way) and compare the two, and I bet you'll find the issue if it's in the door panel.