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On my 98 XJ8 VDP the key wont unlock the drivers door. It will lock it.
The fob (now only one working!) ..... works fine as do all other locking controls
Basically it feels as though something has given way as there is no resistance when turning the key to unlock, but there is the "normal" resistance in the lock direction.
I haven't pulled the panel yet to look at the assembly as I wanted to see if there was advice on what I might look for when I do. I have tried to find a schematic or description on line that can give me an idea if there is anything I can look for, but not with any real luck
The closest I have come is a couple of posts about a similar issue with the trunk (boot) locking mechanism that indicate there may be some kind of connecting clip that sits over the rods that form the locking mechanism used to manual actuate the lock/unlock and it may have given way
Here's a shot from mine when I did my handle seals. the cylinder is not visible, but will give you and idea of what you'll see when removing the card. Its roughly behind the blister where the manual lock post goes into the cavity on top. The card is really the hard part because the plastic card retaining grommets and alignment guide are probably sun hardened. But you won't know until you get there, just be patient.
It quite a simple setup once you see it, its just a PITA to get your hands in there, and adjust the window rail, to get to the nuts. Once you get the window rail set, I highly recommend you disconnect power to the window motor (fuse is easiest) because I was surprised when I was getting a little loose working on it and apparently applied pressure on an activation point and the window started moving.
But even once you get it to the point you see here, you can function it to see what your cylinder is or isn't doing.
I also recommend using Loctite on the cylinder screw when reapplying it so it doesn't back out and you have to do this again just for a screw.
It is possible that your plastic clip on the link (rod) between the lock cylinder and the lock assembly has deteriorated and has too much play which does not affect the locking too much but affects the unlocking movement. If you can lock the door from inside by the push button-knob, the plastic clip for the mentioned rod is most probably the problem. The plastic clips are available separately but you need to remove the locking assembly to be able to identify which clip it is. There 2 or 3 different clips for the lock rods. The white plastic clip seen on the pic above is not for the lock cylinder but for the push-knob.
Thx for the inputs. That really helps. I can lock / unlock from inside, so expect it is that clip on the connecting rod. I'll try to search out parts but may look to see if it would be easy enough to kluge something together.
I've also just taken a leap on an aftermarket fob that was recommended by another member as I'm now down to one fully functional Fob. The rubber lock and unlock buttons have torn on the other and no longer make contact reliably - it seems that the rubber part can't be ordered and I'm leery of getting a 20 year old replacement as I expect those buttons, even if still OK, wouldn't be long for the world. Looking at the fobs I have it seems like, in addition to the tearing, the contact surfaces take a beating and are very worn on those 2 buttons, which I expect explains why getting the lock / unlock function on either remote to work can be finicky at times. I've often blamed it on the batteries, but think its more likely that degraded / dirty contacts are making a poor or higher resistance contact that causes the issues, as I usually find the headlight button or trunk unlock works reliably......
One gets pretty nervous thinking about locking their car when they have only one way to get in ��
On taking things apart I found all the linkages to be OK and working properly, so I took the handle / lock assembly off the car to have a look.
The lock / unlock function works by raising / lowering a linkage arm that connects at the end of the nylon arm that mounts to the shaft on the lock cylinder as shown in the 1st pic below (nb the photo is a view of the bottom of the assembly).
The nylon arm has a spring on it that is captured by a protrusion from the cylinder (similar to the one visible, that acts as a motion stop). It's held in place on the shaft from the lock cylinder by a circlip. The spring holds the link arm in a neutral position when the key isn't being used and gives the resistance you feel when turning the key.
I found the problem was that the "tumblers" in the lock cylinder (visible in the centre of the cylinder in the top photo) would only rotate in the lock direction, not in the unlock direction.
Repair was simply a matter of cleaning the tumblers and lubricating them. I wasn't able to find any reason the key would only operate in the lock direction and suspect that some debris had got into the mechanism, preventing rotation in the unlock direction.
On reassembly all works OK, but there is some "lag" before I can feel the spring acting on the turning motion that I think is due to a 20 year old spring getting tired, but that is a minor issue.
I did find that the gasket behind the bezel was shot. Its EPDM and was hard as a rock, but still sealing, so I left it. As FYI the handle assembly is held to the door by two 7mm bolts and is easy to remove (once the door panel is off the car).
Total job took a couple of hours going slow to make sure that none of the nylon clips holding the door panel or the wood insert broke. I may look for a source for a new gasket or make one (it would be easy enough to cut one from a sheet of EPDM), but for now see no reason it won't continue to be OK as is
View of lock cylinder off car. Nylon link connector mounts on square shaft at end of lock cylinder & uses a spring to maintain a neutral position when key is not in use. Cylinder rotates ~45 degrees left and right as key is turned, raising and lowering linkage connector that, in turn, operates a microswitch to lock/unlock door. The tumblers in the cylinder had frozen and would only operate in the lock direction.
Glad you got it worked out, it really is easy to get to, then figuring out the issue.
Here's where I got my gaskets, though the price is a bit higher 7 yrs later... https://xks.com/i-23896734-door-hand...yABEgJqoPD_BwE
03-21-2019, 08:20 PM
98 VVP Key won't unlock drivers door
