# Car door will not open

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-door-will-not-open/39134>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** pontiac\
**Created:** [November 7, 2009, 3:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-door-will-not-open/39134 "2009-11-07T15:26:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ease111](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@ease111](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ease111)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2009, 3:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-door-will-not-open/39134/1 "2009-11-07T15:26:15Z")

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The drivers door on my 1994 Grand Prix coupe will not open.I’ve loosened the inside door panel and both the inside and outside handles are moving the lever on the lock mechanism to it’s upper limit.I’ve tried pushing with my shoulder from the inside and a pry bar from the outside.Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2009, 3:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-door-will-not-open/39134/2 "2009-11-07T15:35:02Z")

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I would bring it to a local auto body shop. Once they get into it, I would guess the catch is out of alignment.

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**Author:** ![ease111](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@ease111](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ease111)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2009, 3:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-door-will-not-open/39134/3 "2009-11-07T15:45:19Z")

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Thanks Joe,you confirmed my diagnosis.And yes I was careful not to damage the paint using the pry bar.

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**Author:** ![wentwest](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wentwest/32/6073_2.png) [@wentwest](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wentwest)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2009, 4:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-door-will-not-open/39134/4 "2009-11-07T16:07:13Z")

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Try pulling it closed and operating the handle at the same time. You may have slammed something in the door and the latch is jammed because the door is not fully closed. If you either pull it closed from the inside, or push it closed from the outside, and operate the handle, it might release. Maybe. It’s worth a try.

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**Author:** ![ease111](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@ease111](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ease111)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2009, 4:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-door-will-not-open/39134/5 "2009-11-07T16:35:30Z")

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Good idea wentwest,thanks.I just went out and tried that,but no luck.Up to the time it didn’t open it was working fine.Now there is at least a quarter inch of play at the lock mechanism,where there was none before it locked up.(meaning I can push in on the door at least one quarter inch,and when releasing pressure from outside car,the door comes back out one quarter inch)