<p>Well I finally bit the bullet and removed the inner from my drivers door after not only the internal door opening didn't work intermittently but also the outside handle getting to its maximum movement but still not opening the door. I reseated the cable to the inner release handle which for the moment at least seems to have resolved the inside handle problem. However the link from outside handle was not visible there was instead a brass looking cover running from the top of the door down past the lock mechanism towards the bottom of the door. It looked like it was held in place by plastic fixings. I was loathe to risk breaking things so reassembled my door. I am mobile so can't upload pics but will do later but am wondering if this is because my jag is an early one and if it actually needs the cover?? I will upload pics later but meanwhile many thanks to the online FAQs for panel removal and sorting the inner locking issue :-) without them I wouldn't have got even this far. Incidentally so far the door panel mounting pins seem to be surviving ok :-) which is a plus</p>

 

If anyone has any thoughts I would be grateful as I honestly do not know how far I can safely go without breaking anything or getting to a stage where it cant be reassembled.. also the internal link is still intermittent so might I be looking at a problem with the actuator in the door lock?
Many many thanks

 

You can use the shaft of a screwdriver to simulate closing your door. Then, when you pull the outside handle, does the latch unlock or move at all? Could be that the wire itself is broken.

 

The outside handle works intermittently - sometimes close to the top of travel sometimes not quite there and nearer where it is on the other door handles, and other times you lift up as far as it travels and it doesn't engage.. The inside handle/lock intermittently does not release the central locking.. The cable from the inner handle to the lock mech seems in good condition, but other than than that I don't know more :-( I did try rotating the lock mech with a screwdriver to simulate closing but it was the same issue with the outside handle, although with central locking off the inner handle was releasing the door lock mech every time.. It is as if something(s) on this door is borderline between being in a position where it works or not.... and despite this being just one door out of four, and everything else worling faultlessly it's driving me up the wall lol :-)

 

When I last took my driver's door panel off, I forgot to push the wire back into it's bracket next to the inner door handle, which produced this same symptom, as I couldn't reliably open the door from the inside. So I think you are on the right track and it's just a matter of adjusting or tightening the outside handle's wire/bracket. Hope you can get to the bottom of it.

 

i am sure there is a how to fix in the x type FAQ stickied thread on this

 

The problem is the FAQ seems to be based on an X-type without the brass looking boxing from behind the lock up to the outside door handle.. and I am loathe to get too carried away unless I know what I am doing :-) And that is in addition to the interior central locking tab on the driver side door not always releasing the central locking. I did check and reseat the cable going from the inner handle to the lock but it has since been playing up again.. lol.. everyone can get in and out the car easily but me the driver :-) I am not that good mechanically (which probably isn't helping as I tend to stop before risking breaking things), but if I know what to do quite happy to take pics and do a FAQ as I go for others with the same door layout as me :-) so any help appreciated please

 

Any luck on fixing your door handle? Mine does it from the outside... it only opens if i push hard on the door while I'm trying to open it.. Any solutions?

Thanks!

 

Grin. I'm a coward so not yet.. I have been holding off until I get a few days off and warm dry weather. Basically tou can lubricate the cable from the inside door handle and check the clip connecting the outside door handle to the actuator is correctly positioned.. you can use wd40 or any light oil to help ease it but ultimately the actuator module needs replacing. Its not that expensive a part but when I looked in last summer there was a large metal cover which I could barely move to one side because of the window cabling let alone get the module out and swapped. It is possible others have done it but the threads dont mention the shielding and that complicates it for me. In the summer I will have to go for it as takes three goes to open from outside currently and sometimes will only unlock with the alarm fob button not the interior handle. Yes family gets out I can get stuck lol when I do it I will photograph fully for everyone as the driver side actuator is known to pack up. Saying that I still have yet to change my plugs lol. Oil and all filters yes but yep very worried at taking top off engine so to speak as I tend to break other things when doing simple repairs grin. Saying that I managed to actually repair a speaker which most wouldnt do..

Steve Sheldon
2002 X-Type 2.5 Manual Classic 96,500m
purchased Sept 2012
(using mobile app :-( so apologies for typo's etc)

 

In the meantime, and until you get an actual fix, others have noted that if you give the door a firm push in towards the cabin and then lift the handle, it often will help open it with the full travel required.