Rear Door Won't Unlock?

I went to take my son to pre-school this morning and the rear driver's side door won't unlock. I tried the remote, the key in the door, the switch on the driver's door, and the switch on the rear door that is stuck. Nothing worked. Also, the switch on the rear door won't budge. Anyone else experience this at all? It is only the one rear door that won't unlock or open.

 

I wanted to check for any super secret "cheat codes" before I call the dealer.

haven't see that. I assume you already messed with the child lockout thing that prevents the door from being opened? I think that somehow disengages the assembly and could be causing the problem.

 

but.. I'm really theorizing with that.

haven't see that. I assume you already messed with the child lockout thing that prevents the door from being opened? I think that somehow disengages the assembly and could be causing the problem.

 

but.. I'm really theorizing with that.

I do have the child locks engaged on both rear doors. It could be related, but I don't know. Since I can't open the stuck door, I can only guess. Even though the parts are all internal, is it possible for the rear locks to freeze? My garage isn't heated and temps were in the single digits last night.

Sounds like the same problem as these:

 

http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=104533

http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76222

 

Hopefully your dealer won't have to get as rough on the door as the second link there.

Sounds like the same problem as these:

 

http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=104533

http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76222

 

Hopefully your dealer won't have to get as rough on the door as the second link there.

I don't know why those didn't come up when I searched or when I titled a new thread:confused:....oh well. Thanks for the links. Later in the day I tried it and it worked just fine. I'll just have to wait and see if it happens again. I'm at +33k miles, so hopefully sooner rather than later.

I don't know why those didn't come up when I searched or when I titled a new thread:confused:....oh well. Thanks for the links. Later in the day I tried it and it worked just fine. I'll just have to wait and see if it happens again. I'm at +33k miles, so hopefully sooner rather than later.

 

Before 3 years / 36 K miles...

Successful: Technique to open rear child door lock (LOCK-FREE button)

2008 Subaru Legacy - Open the Child Safety rear door lock w/o opening the door. (Exterior door handle broken)

 

1. Insert a large plastic electrical tie-wrap, thinner end, between the locked door and the door jamb, at the same height of the he manual child lock tab. The LOCK tab it closer to you. To unlock push it away.

2. Push it in and to the back of the vehicle, it will got into the lock tab hole. Then you know you are in the right location.

3. Work the tie wrap in and out, pushing it toward the back of the car at the same time.

4. Push the tab back with the tie wrap and keep trying the door from the inside.

5. When it trips you can't hear it.

6. You do not damage the paint it's a plastic tie wrap.

7. You don't have to take the door panel off now

8. The door interior, can be opened from the inside again.

to bad you werent here 3 years ago with that tip

10-21-12 Solution slowed by a Dealer's statement: "there is no solution to the child lock issue, you must remove the door panel".

 

I called them right back and corrected them. "Please do not tell their customers that story any more, there is a solution for the late model legacys.

 

I listened to them, thought about it for a minute, and then tried the solution.

Sub has to have a solution, I thought, they open themselves up to a financial hit, if a door handle fails and you can't get out or open the door w/o breaking the window.

Just solved this same problem on my 06 lgt, rear door lock stuck and door shut. Rolled down the window, removed the 3 screws from behind inside handle and armrest, popped the top of the door skin off with a screwdriver carefully then removed pannel fairly easily from there. Then reached inside the door towards the lock mechinism and felt around for the locking arm for a couple mins and flipped it toward the outside of the door. Opened door then found the door handle cable was not moving freely and ended up replacing the whole handle due to a faulty spring, the cable was not fully repeating causing the lever by the locking mech to not line up properly. Hope this helps bc there is not much info on this topc and it is very easy to remove door pannel with door closed. I have a spec b so I wasn't going to destroy my brick red inserts or drill through the door like I saw as some suguest.

Have this same problem with BOTH rear doors. First it was the driver side rear then about a month after was the passenger side. Also my drivers door will be very finicky and sometimes won't close unless I lock it then it won't open unless I drive around a bit and let the car warm up.... I think a lot of this is due the ridiculously cold temperatures we have been having in northern Vermont this year every thing is supper dry and frozen. Will try you method once things warm up a bit.

I have a little different problem today. Had L rear door open, tried to close it and it bounced off the locking mechanism. I tried to pry the lock open with a screwdriver but it may have gotten more stuck after that. I tried all of the remote controls, etc. nothing moves this. I can't close the door, which is what is the difference with other posts in this thread. I can get at the lock mechanism, but I can't move it. I am using a rope to hold the door close to the chassis, but it doesn't close with the lock stuck. Any ideas?

 

Thanks for any help!!

Hi

I discovered that interior rear left door handle when you pull it fully, moves a small tab in the lock mechanism which allows the plastic parts to move with a screwdriver to the open position. Took some WD40 and some patience but the interior handle seems to do something more than the exterior handle. Worked it a few times and now it works fine.

Ok folks here another quick way to get that safety switch back to open and get your door open again. From the inside with broken ouside handle.

 

Basically practice your angles and site on the passenger door first.

Your going to have to do some prying and mold pull in with FLAT HEAD screwdriver and some bending.

Pics included below

In the end it wont look to bad and i doubt your old lady will ever notice.

 

http://s816.photobucket.com/user/BryanTruxell/media/Mobile%20Uploads/LEGACY%20GT%20DOOR%20OPEN%20PICS/20150809_161724.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1

 

http://s816.photobucket.com/user/BryanTruxell/media/Mobile%20Uploads/LEGACY%20GT%20DOOR%20OPEN%20PICS/20150809_161605.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2

 

http://s816.photobucket.com/user/BryanTruxell/media/Mobile%20Uploads/LEGACY%20GT%20DOOR%20OPEN%20PICS/20150809_161745.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

the rear passenger door on my 2005 legacy had the child lock on and the outside handle malfunctioned.

from the inside, I took a credit card and slowly inserted it between the rubber seals of the door and the jam. I used it to push the child lock lever back to the open position. of course I knew where the switch was because the other door opened and I used it as a model. once the door is opened, the inside trim panel will come off easier.