Rear door lock stuck

[Pavel14]

The vehicle is a '94 Sidekick 4 door. The rear cargo bay door lock seems to be jammed - worked fine up to a month ago. The key will turn the lock mechanism from closed to open, but the horizontal handle will not push up. I've removed the internal plastic door cover and monkeyed around trying to push or pull anything associated with the mechanism... with not luck. It's a bugger to get inside and because of my body acreage and inflexability, so far, I can't get a decent look inside the door. I hope cutting a hatch to access the mechanism isn't in the future....

I removed and got 3 of the main doors working last year. 2 of them were also jammed due to rusted out springs in the workings. Suspect, but don't know, if this is a similar problem.

Thanks for any advice. Pavel14

ps: I notice with some trepidation that there's no internal lever/handle to open the cargo door from the inside - amazing! There is a small square hole near the lock where such a safety handle should be, but it is absent! To borrow a Down-under phrase, "Stone the crows!"

[fixkick]

yes , and is illegal in usa , the kids landed on the freeway many times, with such a lock (law suits endless, and gee suzuki went CHAPTER 11 here, for things just like this)

and making fancy 5 way, kids lock out , is super expensive, my jeep 2010 has that but cost new, 2 times any sidekick made.
the jeep has electric locks. there, and are computer controlled over a CAN network.
for 94 car suzuki would have to run a flex cable from driver to rear door, and trained monkey to pull it at 100psi. (not aunt 80lb skinning Bertha friendly)
the side doors do have kids locks, (lockouts)

ok , you are not the first to have this problem.
The suzuki is not water tight, in fact all seals this old are now busted. cracked or crumble to dust. and now rust happens.
the only way to fix this is from inside
you could remove the door and drop it off at any good shop and they'd fix it.
finding parts is not easy on this car, ever for sure body parts. but oddly GM is stepping in now with parts, in 2008 they say what is GEO. but check out my last below link, to this part.
what you need to do is attack the clock from inside (there is no other way , unless destroy the door.
what happens is it is now rust seized.

try real penetrating oil on it, not useless wd40 (try generic cheap walmart brand)
soak it for 24hrs, and repeat. and then work the lever. (work it , spray, work it ,spray) or wait 24hrs for it to Penetrate. (no heat here or plastics will be wrecked)
then try to turn the unlock lever. (only 1 lever there)
below is photo of a door lock ,side door.
it is close to the same.
it has locking level just like this, it's just a metal level but as you can see the plastic breaks or the lever seizes with rust. there is open close lever and one lock lever, the rear open lever likes to break on this car, and cant get to the lock.
The rear lock has one lever for the lock not 2. as seen below.

the older the car the more time it takes to fix them, due mostly from RUST.
hint, turn screw, and it snaps and out comes the crying towel.








here is the door drawings at GM, (suzuki has worse web site now)
part ID 4 is the lock. and must be unlocked to open, or the latch is 100% locked, and very secure for obvious reasons.

https://www.wholesalegmpartsonline.com/s...gory=19550

[fixkick]

both parts in side the lock can seize
the lock lever
and the operate lever.
the are just a pin lever, that is steel, and when the plating is gone rust fast.
i think that is zinc plated, or some plating thin, that does not last 24 year parked outdoors.

[Pavel14]

Thanks for yet more advice Fixkick!

I've done the spray-with-lubricant once so far. I used "Deep Creep"... will repeat multiple times. Part of the problem is that I can only work on the vehicle for 15 minutes at a time (once every few weeks) and there are no "mechanics" anywhere near.
When a side door did the same thing, access was easier and I just pushed and pulled parts of the mechanism until it let go - with the window down you can get at the external handle.... not so with the cargo bay door... and I have no helper so far.

Cheers, Pavel14.

[fixkick]

yes , and the door must be unlocked to open then the lock comes off with door open only.
same with side doors really the screws are in the door sides.
the lock must be defeated
an is not easy if rusted solid,
one could with spare lock new. for over $100
grind the lock out, or attack its pivot pins, drilled out.
but as you say they made access here very hard, unlike side doors.

for sure the lock pivots must go lose or drilled or cut out ground out.

so sorry for your grief, i too know, what off grid is like.
cheers,

Thanks for yet more advice Fixkick!

I've done the spray-with-lubricant once so far. I used "Deep Creep"... will repeat multiple times. Part of the problem is that I can only work on the vehicle for 15 minutes at a time (once every few weeks) and there are no "mechanics" anywhere near.
When a side door did the same thing, access was easier and I just pushed and pulled parts of the mechanism until it let go - with the window down you can get at the external handle.... not so with the cargo bay door... and I have no helper so far.

Cheers, Pavel14.