If you're like me, and think you should be able to open the front door from the inside using the lever - even when the door is locked, you can fix it with just a little time, and some simple hardware.
First remove the lever assembly - take off the cover plate, remove the screw, pull out the assembly, unclip the electrical connection. Then push the two cable guides out of their seating positions, and unclip the cable ends from the lever assembly. (this all works much easier if you take off the door panel, but it's not necessary)
Have a look at the back of the lever assembly, and you'll see that the door lever and lock lever are separate, but are close together. The goal is to make the door lever push on the lock lever so they move as a pair, but the lock lever must be able to move independantly also, and the door lever must be able to move wider than the lock lever when necessary.
I next removed the small circlip just below the lock lever, and removed the silver pin. Then removed the lock lever by opening it fully, inserting one screwdriver above the top pivot, and one below the bottom one and carefully prying them and wiggling them out. The door lever comes out much easier, reduce the spring tension by sliding the spring down the channel, about 1 cm, then open the lever fully, insert a screwdriver under the bottom pivot (which lifts up a spring clip) and lift up the top pivot by prying, then push out the lever. I did not damage the levers much, just a few scratches on the hidden surface.
I then made two small drill holes in the door lever, screwed in a short piece of medium hard rubber (a sliced curved portion of a black rubber airline), and put a screw in the lock lever to stop the rubber from getting shoved underneath. It all makes sense when it's put back together.
Now the door lever will start to push the lock lever as soon as it moves, thus unlocking and opening the door at the same time (they must touch right away or it will not work right). The rubber allows the door lever to continue to travel its full distance. Also the door lock lever can move on its own.
Assembly is not too bad, getting the cables back in is much easier if the door panel is off.
First remove the lever assembly - take off the cover plate, remove the screw, pull out the assembly, unclip the electrical connection. Then push the two cable guides out of their seating positions, and unclip the cable ends from the lever assembly. (this all works much easier if you take off the door panel, but it's not necessary)
Have a look at the back of the lever assembly, and you'll see that the door lever and lock lever are separate, but are close together. The goal is to make the door lever push on the lock lever so they move as a pair, but the lock lever must be able to move independantly also, and the door lever must be able to move wider than the lock lever when necessary.
I next removed the small circlip just below the lock lever, and removed the silver pin. Then removed the lock lever by opening it fully, inserting one screwdriver above the top pivot, and one below the bottom one and carefully prying them and wiggling them out. The door lever comes out much easier, reduce the spring tension by sliding the spring down the channel, about 1 cm, then open the lever fully, insert a screwdriver under the bottom pivot (which lifts up a spring clip) and lift up the top pivot by prying, then push out the lever. I did not damage the levers much, just a few scratches on the hidden surface.
I then made two small drill holes in the door lever, screwed in a short piece of medium hard rubber (a sliced curved portion of a black rubber airline), and put a screw in the lock lever to stop the rubber from getting shoved underneath. It all makes sense when it's put back together.
Now the door lever will start to push the lock lever as soon as it moves, thus unlocking and opening the door at the same time (they must touch right away or it will not work right). The rubber allows the door lever to continue to travel its full distance. Also the door lock lever can move on its own.
Assembly is not too bad, getting the cables back in is much easier if the door panel is off.
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