door handle help, anyone?
 

ok guys, i cannot open my driver's door from the outside. i took the door panel off, and I notice that I can see the rod move when I pull on the exterior door handle. it would appear that there is a missing piece right where the two rods connect.....can anyone tell me what that piece might be? Where can I get a replacement, and how do you install it? If there are any pics floating around, I would appreciate someone popping them up. i tried searching, but did not find anything. it opens normally from the inside, and I dont want to keep crawling through the passenger door!

hit up a local junkyard for the pieces. i had to do this on my pass side. i was lucky enough to find one the same color as mine! most of the time its the cheap pot metal mazda used on the handle it self, its like a hammer on a revolver is the best way i can describe it. is there any pieces of metal or plastic down in the door anywhere?

does the rod going from the outer handle to the latch ACTUALLY attach to the latch? if not then get either a new rod or a new latch depending on what piece is broke....

It saves a lot of guess work if you post a pic of your problem BTW

any parts like that should be able to be located at either a scrap yard or on the classified secitons of this site.

I am at work right now, so I will try to describe it te best I can.

There is a rod that is attached to the door handle. This rod is there. There is also a rod that connects to that first rod. It is there. It looks as if the second rod I mentioned has an oval-shaped loop on the end of it that the door handle rod attaches to. The handle itself is not broken, I dont think, because when you pull on it the rod attached to it moves accordingly. My first thoght was that there was some screw or bolt that was holding the two rods securely together. AS it is right now, when the door handle is pulled, the rod moves, but the end of it is just sitting in that loop on the other one--nothing is holding it on there. This is why I think there is a missing piece. Sorry for the long description--best I can do until I can get to the car this weekend.

Any thoughts?

the arm on the latch might be worn....but by the sounds of it everything is a little worn.... but its hard to say from this vantage point

I will try to get a pic for you so we can get a better idea.

There should be a plastic (maybe nylon) latch that fits on the bent tip of the rod, and fits through the lever hole & snaps on. Many Jap cars use them.
There are 2 or 3 of these connectors in each door.
Take a good one to the parts store.
They should have generic replacements.