My passenger side door will not unlock anymore. I can barely get the key to turn in the door and I can't get the manual lock up manually. I'm guessing something inside the door panel is jamming up. I was trying to take the panel off last night (with the door still stuck closed). I removed a screw from the arm rest and one up near the front corner behind the mirror. I can't see if there are anymore. But for some reason I cannot for the life of me get the manual window crank off. I tried a flat head screwdriver and an upholstery removal tool but no luck. Does anyone know a technique to get this hand crank off?

 

Stick a small wrench, I use 5/8th in between the door and the crank and then reef it a bit. You should see a hog ring chilling out. Take a flathead or small other screwdriver and put it on the front of the hog ring and push it until it pops off. It is not fun but it works. Try not to lose the ring when it Flys off

 

I just did this on my '92 Dakota. I had to replace the handle. The handle that you turn to make the window go up and down (just to be specific) is held on by a single self taping bolt. To get at it you will need to pop off the cover at the center of the handle. You will need something sharp because it's a snug fit. I used a sharp utility knife blade. Be sure to line up the notch in the cover with the plastic key inside the handle when you're pushing the cover back in.

If you have the other type of handle held on with a clip and don't want to buy the special tool (I seem to meet more "special tools" all the time), Take a shop rag, the longer the better, and twist it up tight pull it over regulator arm between the door panel and the handle. Now just pull down tight and around, the rag should snag the end of the clip and pull it off the handle. Rinse and repeat if necessary.

 

Very clever. Wish I knew that 25 years ago I can't even remember the car I was trying to take the door panel off of. Now the real trick is installing it without destroying the door panel finish.

 

Well I ended up getting the window crank handle off the other day. Now I'm fighting with the upper part of the door panel up near the window. Remember I'm trying to remove this panel with the door stuck closed.

 

did you pop out all the keepers on the bottom and sides. that will be a bit of a challenge with the door closed. they need to be popped out so the door card will lift up over and off the top part of the door
.

 

Ok. No I started by trying to pull the top away first lol. I'm trying to wait til I get a warmer day because I don't want to crack the panel since its still so darn cold here. I think if I tried popping the clips out now that plastic would crack in this cold.

 

unbolt the passenger seat! not bad if ext. cab but gives you all the room you would need!

 

I hope by "away" you mean "up." I'm not sure about the 95, but on the 92, once all the other two million pieces of hardware securing the door panel have been removed, you need to lift up and then away because of the sill at the top for the window. And, if you've got manual locks, up and over the lock rod, which should be bare, because you've unscrewed the **** from the top.

 

These are from my 1995 Dodge Dakota 3.9 V6 SLT package. The sides and bottom have push in metal hooks and I think there are a couple of screws in there, of course the door lock, so be careful. I don't know a source for new replacement door panels. The push in hooks will slide a little bit on their plastic attachment points and are easily mashed out of shape and broken.


My advice, find all the screws, remove them, and slowly pull the panel off from the bottom and sides, you are pulling the metal hooks out of holes in the door, and lift up.










Be very nice removing the window and lock controls. The plastic was very brittle on mine.





Window mechanism behind door panel