Driver side power door lock will not open anymore.
It slowly happened then kapoot!
Help!!
Now, because you said it slowly’ died, tells me you’ll have to pull the door panel off and check the voltage at the door lock actuator and also check for linkage wear or binding causing the slowdown.
If this lock has never been serviced, it’s likely the culprit given the vehicles’ age.
I have a 95 Previa that I service myself. Maybe you could be more descriptive so I can help you out? Is it the door lock or the handle to get into the van? The driver side door lock is not power operated on the first key turn but rather it is a mechanical operation. The second key turn activates the power locks and opens all the other doors. Is this what is broken? Is it only happening when you lock the van?
If it is the door handle that is non-operable (and this is a common problem on these vans) then it is usually repairable by removing the door handle, lubing, reconnecting the spring to the post, and reinstalling.
Let me know if I can help.
Yes, the first key turn of the driver’s lock won’t turn all the way, so the door doesn’t unlock, and I can’t open the door. It feels mechanically stuck, like it’s in a bad place and is hung up. At this point, I crawl in through the passenger side door. The buttons on the insides of doors which lock/unlock the power door locks work fine.
Sometimes I can jiggle the key around, and pull on the outside door lever, and get it to unlock. This usually works eventually, sometimes days later 
at which point I’m pretty tired of climbing through the car to get in.
Minor clarification. The inside buttons lock/unlock the power doors, except for the driver’s door. The driver’s door is stuck, and cannot be opened until at some point (maybe days later) my jiggling key and pulling outside door lever at same time gets it open.
We have a 95 Previa that had just developed the same problem…the driver’s door won’t open. We can hear the electrical clicking sounds, but no action from the handle. I was thinking some internal hook-up has failed. How do I get into the door when it won’t open? (This happened all at once, not “slowly”.) We too are getting tired of going through the passenger door and getting stabbed by the seat belt holders as we slide over to the driver’s seat! How do I remove the handle??? HELP!