Door/Lock Issue *Please help

So my drivers door wont totally unlock. I can fiddle with the circle im pointing to in the picture and get it to unlock all the way to open it.

At one point i had to remove the door panel with the door closed to access that area to unlock it. Its been like that for a little while and i have been having trouble finding the problem. If dont lock it at all then the handles function as intended. Once you lock it it wont unlock til I push that round thing in the picture around.

Thoughts?

 

Could be a spring on outside handle. Have to remove to see though. It assists latch. Also a small spring on door latch. There are also a couple more plastic snap locks attaching lock mechanism to door latch. In your pic is the white plastic snap thing snapped over that rod?

 

The white was isnt there but is now. I have had the door handle and lock out to inspect and it seems okay. All plastic pieces are in place. Thinking I may have to pay someone.

 

I've had a similar problem with my door. Mine would'nt unlock with the key or the switch inside. What I finally discovered was that the tumbler was the culprit. It was not turning freely with the key and wouldn't allow the actuator to turn it either. I pulled the tumbler out, cleaned the crap out of it with brake cleaner, put a very light spritz of white lithium greas in it and cycled it a couple dozen times with the key. That was about a month ago and everything seems fine now. Hope that helps.

 

The tumbler is literally what u put the key into is my understanding. I have had that out and cleaned it up with wd40. I didnt cycle it a too much. I did notice as it got closer to the time the door wouldnt unlock I had to twist the key harder to the tight to get it to unlock.

 

Yeah Wd-40 stands for water displacement. Not a very good lube. Might try pb blaster lubricant. Might try that, and cycle lock until it feels loose. I also would lube everything else that moves.GL

 

This happened to me back in the day

 

If you have power door locks than it could be your actuators. Or, you may have a seized tumbler. PB Blaster is good for initially freeing a seized tumbler, but graphite lube is what's recommended for general lock maintenance.

 

There are power door locks. But unlocking still doesn't work when the key is used to unlock the door.

 

So did you figure it out? Of course I am having that problem now. The dealer want $699.00 to replace the handle and "assembly". I'll crawl out the passenger door until I find someone that can help me out before I pay that much.