Door Lock Mechanism Keeps Sticking- Help!

I've got an issue with my door latch getting stuck in the lock position, and I can't seem to find out what is causing it. One day when I was unlocking the tacoma, I heard a plastic "snap" with a piece falling inside the door panel:

After that, the only way I could get it to unlock was to pull the panel and manually flip the lock mechanism to unlock the door. Because I thought the plastic piece was part of the latch system, I bought the whole oem system (part# 69320-04010) and replaced it.

However- I'm still having the same problem- 20 times it will unlock/lock and the 21st time it gets stuck and I have to reach back into the latch system to unlock the truck manually.

Any idea of the cause or what this black piece is (or the part#)? I assume its some sort of bumper to keep the lock from going too far down- although I replaced everything in the latch system.

Please help!

 

That looks like one of the clips that holds one of the actuator rods in place. If it was already broke when you looked at then you wouldn't know it was there when you put the new one in. Might have to look at the other door (assuming it works properly) to see how it's supposed to be.

 

@BartMaster1234 would likely know. He's adept in our locking system.

 

This could be it- the piece snapped when I unlocked the door so it could be tied to the lock arm. Would this part come attached with the whole latch system? When the arm does stick, it's like its traveling down too far- but it doesn't happen every unlock/lock

 

I don't recall exactly what it all looks like but I do know there are several that keep the rods in place and/or straight. Could be that it's keeping straight most of the time but every once in awhile the rod is bending/flexing and therefore not working correctly. I think you can get the clips at auto parts stores like O'Reilly, etc... Not part of the latch assembly.

 

Thanks- that makes sense. I'm just having difficulty finding that part on a diagram. Is this the right one? https://parts.longotoyota.com/v-2002-toyota-tacoma--base--2-4l-l4-gas/body--lock-and-hardware

 

I don't know if this pertains to what's going on with you, but, I had the same problem on my 02 about 5 or more years ago. However, I did not have any broken plastic parts at the time. What I finally found to be the problem was the lock tumbler itself. If I disconnected everything from it and then just locked, unlocked it for a dozen times all of a sudden on the next try it would not unlock. Had to unlock it manually. Then the same thing would happen again. I was told to replace the tumbler but I'd have to have a different key for that door. I didn't like that. Too many keys as it is. I ended up taking apart the tumbler, (which was actually simple), and finding one of the pawls to be the problem when engaging with the key. I took the pawl out, sanded off the lobe, and put it back in. Been trouble free ever sense. I approached it with the attitude of, what the hell, I got nothing to lose. If this doesn't work or I can't get it back together, then I will just get a new tumbler. Just got lucky.
John

 

In my case, I don't think the tumbler is the issue and I still can't seem to find where that broken piece lived in the system. It could be a rod guide as 04TRDV6 suggested- although the diagrams I've seen don't have one listed other than one for the interior handle rod (and it's white with a smaller circumference)