driver side door latch issues

[99 GMC Suburban 2500]

I got on the web to see if I could find a schematic for a driver door that is not opening, and ran across this page. Great, another pain in the ass repair that has been engineered by GM!
Does anyone know:
1.If their is a schematic you can download?
2.Who to lobby to get a recall made by GM?(this is a safety issue, I would hate to be in a major accident and loose power to my electric windows)
3.Who to bitch too at GM?
and they wonder why Toyota is now #1

[capecarpentry]

I just hope i can fix this door it seems this really has given most americans a problem just to leave thier chevys, maybe they can get automatic opening doors on the next models lol, or just install them on 99 suburbans..

[r dodds]

I had to pull the handle wat to hard to get the door open from the inside. I gat a replacement handle from zbra.com and put it in and they both work as good as new. Soomething must wear out in the plastic linkage. Drill out the rivit and put in a new one. If you replace it with a screw it could come loose then your back to taking your door panel back off. A rivit gun is only 15 bucks at Home Depot.

[Karen]

Hello folks, I own a 98 Suburban with the same problem. Can someone give me step by step instructions? I see that I might need a putty knife, rivet gun, replacement handle and latch, replacement panel clips, etc. but, and don't laugh, I am a 53 year old woman remodeling contractor and not afraid to take this on but I do want to do it the right way.

A question though, has anyone taken their vehicle to a shop to do this and if so, what has it cost? Just curious as I can just as easily go get an estimate. Sounds like Bob from Springfield has the bushings replaced somewhere which cost $128.00.

[EDM]

I am having similar problem with my 98 Park Avenue. I now cannot open the door from inside OR outside. I hear the clunk from the electric lock actuator, but the door latch does not open.
I have had the door panel off a few times, most recently to repair the outside door handle. Read on a different site that there is a plastic or rubber piece in the door lock actuator that tends to fail in the GM cars, and suspect this is the problem
Now, How do I get the door open? I cannot pull the panel off because the door is closed and there is no clearance? Slim Jim?

[Maury]

I just replaced the hinge pins adn bushings on my 99 Suburban. Quite easy actually - my wife held the door on the jack while I tapped out the pins and bushings. The spring was tough however and I recommend getting the little spring compressor made for this job. About 45 minutes total. BUT, the door still won't open from the inside well so I've ordered the handle. If that doesn't fix it the only thing else is the latch. That will be the last resort.
Maury

[96 Sub]

My barn doors are closed and won't unlatch. I can hear the lock unlocking, but the handle seems to stay locked. I cant take it apart when closed, and can't open it.Any thoughts??

[Grant]

I have a related part failure with my 96 Cavalier. My two door, drivers side door latch would not keep the door shut. I took the panel off. That required tricky use of a putty knife and patience to get the window crank off. Next, getting the linkage disconnected from the latch assembly was fun. I cut the rods from the inside door handle and the inside lock. I will fasten them with a inline pressure splice later. I found that the outer door handle can be disengaged by popping the plastic joint on the back bracket of the door latch assembly. Don't let the threaded rod fool you. It does not need to be unscrewed. Then, pop the 'c' clip off the lock to release that rod. Fish out the assembly and you will problably find a rusted broken spring that is designed to keep the latch shut when the door is shut. Buy a new one. These seem to fail often after years. You don't want to go through this twice.