Door Latch Stuck in Closed Position with Door Open

Maintenance/Repairs
1

Hi,

When I went to close my rear passenger door this morning on my 2012 Dodge Journey, the door wouldn’t close. This has happened before in the cold. Usually after letting the engine run for a while, it closes. Today, I noticed that the latch is stuck in the closed position and won’t budge, even with holding the door handle open and trying to move it to the open position with a screwdriver. . Any ideas on how to fix this?

I left it in my closed garage and took an Uber to work. My wife is home now and says it’s still stuck. Could something be stuck preventing the latch from moving to the open position? If so, is there a way to get whatever it is out?

Thanks!

2

You might be able to spray everything with cleaning spray that is compatible with paint and plastic. These parts are often lubricated with white grease which MIGHT be affected by the temperature.
But it might be an internal linkage problem. You will need to remove the interior door covering to access the mechanism.

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