Driver's Door Handle Won't Unlock from Outside

[bigkahunaaudio]

Hi All, our 1979 Pininfarina 2000 driver's door doesn't Unlock from the outside, but it will Lock. We have to use the inside handle from the passengers side to open it. Is this a Linkage Issue and is there a Link available showing how to fix this? How difficult is this repair? I have tried Graphite but it didn't help.

[spider2081]

driver's door doesn't Unlock from the outside, but it will Lock.

I think you need to remove the door handle and bring it with the key to an old time lock smith. Does the key rotate both directions? A physical inspection of the door handles mechanism from the back side might you isolate the problem. There is not a lot to the "lock" function with respect to the number of parts.
I'm guessing the key does not rotate to unlock the mechanism, most likely requiring a tumbler repair.

[aj81spider]

This is the second post on locks recently - and it leaves me curious as to how many people lock their Spiders.

I'm in the "never lock it" camp. I figure I'd rather have someone open the door and take what they want than slit the roof and take what they want. In the second case I've lost what's in the car and also have to replace an expensive roof.

Knowing that it's not locked also makes me much more conscious of what I leave in the car.

[RRoller123]

Wait, what? These cars have door locks? sorry, just being a twerp.

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Back to the original question: If the lock cylinder rotates in both directions, then my guess is the linkage between that cylinder and the lock mechanism (in the latch) needs adjustment. It's adjusted to lock the door OK, but not to unlock it. It should do both of course.

As for locking my car: I don't lock it, but that's because my two spiders are not daily drivers and are taken out only for pleasure drives on nice days. Preferably with the dog in the back seat. When I was driving them more often and leaving them in parking lots and the like, I left them unlocked with nothing of value inside. That being said, someone did once steal a well-used AAA paper map from the glovebox. Wonder how much they got for that on Ebay.....?

-Bryan

[bigkahunaaudio]

driver's door doesn't Unlock from the outside, but it will Lock.

I think you need to remove the door handle and bring it with the key to an old time lock smith.

Does the key rotate both directions?

A physical inspection of the door handles mechanism from the back side might you isolate the problem. There is not a lot to the "lock" function with respect to the number of parts.
I'm guessing the key does not rotate to unlock the mechanism, most likely requiring a tumbler repair.

Yes, the Key turns all the way in both directions. I don't want to Force it and Break the Key off. I guess the 1st thing to do is remove the panel and have a look? I know many Don't lock their doors, but this is about making EVERYTHING operational. Not a Security issue.

[RRoller123]

I bet that the earlier ideas were correct, it that it is probably out of rotational alignment, so it will actuate in one direction but not in the other? Pulling the door card is a good idea, it will probably make itself know pretty quickly.