89 crown victoria, door handle will not open from the outside

From the description of your issue it sounds as though if the door handle rod has come off inside the door. If so, in this you would have to pull the door panel to access it. Door won't open from either inside or out handle? That's going to be a bit of a trick getting it off. It couldn't be a handle broken because if it was, one handle or the other would open it but it's the rod has com off the latch assembly. If you can gain access to the inside the door at the latch side, you should be able to manually move to latch by hand to open it and replace the broken retainer clip. I hope this helps in your repair. Jesus loves you, John 3:16-17 (KJV)

Are you saying the inside door handle isnt snapped,but the door wont open by pulling on the inside door handle or is it the outside door handle thats not working??Both the inside and outside door handle has a spring and other components on the backside of the handle which cant really be seen unless you remove the whole door handle assembly.One of these components are most likely broken or the rod that attaches between each handle and the locking mechanism(part that locks into the door striker to keep the door closed and releases it too)might have come loose from the back of the handle.The outside handle is usually mounted to the door by pop rivets or bolts/nuts.The inside handle is usually mounted with screws,but it really depends on what kind of car youre driving.Youll probably have to remove the handle to inspect it for damage.Open the door and watch the locking mechanism for movement while youre pulling on the door handle.If it doesnt move when you pull on the handle,the handle is definitely broke or the rod has come loose from the back of the handle.

Hi my name is Peter, Is there any resistance on the door handle or does it move more freely than before? A lot of the time when something like this happens the door handle or a piece of he linkage inside the door has broken or come loose for the mechanical portion but the electrical is still functional. If the handle moves freely you may want to take the door panel off and get a better look but be careful where you put your fingers because if the electrical can still get voltage back there you may accidently activate it with you disconnect the positive side of the battery to be safe might be good idea. Depending on how popular the vehicle is and the age of it you may be able to get a replacement handle if you need one at a local parts store. If not then of course u could check online or hit the dealers parts counter.. I just replace a handle on my sons extended cab truck because the handle broke inside but I was lucky and only had two bolts to take loose lifted it out of the frame and installed the new one from Advanced auto in about 10-15 minutes. Good luck let me know what you find.

Hi Paul, I'm glad to help! Most problems with door handles that won't open the door is broken parts inside the door. Pull the door panel off and move the handle while watching inside the door to see what is broken. Once you've found the broken part, simply replace it. Hope this helps and have an awesome day Paul.

There are some linkage pieces that go from the indoor handle to the release clasp that latches onto the car body. There are another set of linkage bars that will connect the outside handle to do the same thing. These rods will sometimes connect together and work on a common part to release the clasping device.
The other part of the door opening system incorporates the actual key lock and the pin inside the vehicle. These both will have more linkage parts that will catch on the release linkage and keep it from moving the clasping device. These linkage parts can become worn or even bend over time . They will then twist slightly and not stay in the groves or holes provided. This will cause them to slip past the moving parts and not push or pull on the clasping device.
The door will have to have the interior cover removed to observe the parts that move inside the door. They may need a new plastic bushing to keep the parts in line with each other or may need to be bent back into the proper shape if deformed. If the car was in an accident these parts may not have been fixed properly or the bushings may have simply fallen out of place due to slamming the doors.
This is usually a problem found on most older cars that have simply been worn or the bushings have broken in cold weather etc.
The hardest part of this repair is just getting the panel off without ruining it or yanking on the wires.
I would find a service manual that shows the removing of the interior and also details the door assembly before even thinking of starting on this.

door handle broke depends on what door handle it is.if door cant be open on out side out side door handle broke.if cant open door on inside inside door handle broke.door handle clip that connects to latch rod broken.when you try open door handle not engage to latch rod.door not going open.have to replace door handle with new clip holds latch rod in place.

take the panel off the other side door and have a look and compair the two, though there is a small part between the two mechanisms that maybe missing

There are one of 2 things wrong here. Either the outside handle is broken, and you'll need another one, or it is out of adjustment and can be repaired. It's a little work to find out either way, the inside door panel must be removed. This is lots of screws, you'll see as you start removing them. The black triangle plastic near the rear view must be taken off, pry the little round plug out and then remove the nut. Finally the panel lifts up, give the bottom a smack upward with your hand, it WILL come up.

Now is the tricky part, you need to see whats wrong. There is a rod connecting the door handle to the door release. If the rod looks like it moves up and down when you move the outside door handle up and down then it needs adjusting.
See the picture of the door handle...the white nylon clip on the right must be separated from where it attaches to the rod, then the rod is positioned higher so the handle can pull it up enough to open the door.

If the rod does NOT move when you move the handle, either the rod is completely loose, or the handle is broken. Remove 2 nuts from the inside and the handle comes out, and put back in a junk yard or ebay replacement. Good luck...Chris

Sounds like the door latch mechanism is worn out.

The door latch mechanism for your door is operated by rods, from the inside door handle, and the outside door handle.
It is highly unlikely, (Though not impossible), that all those two rods have fallen off. (Spring clips hold the rods in place. Opening Rod Control Clip. In the link below they are shown as Item E)

With the window all the way down, carefully use a long flat tip screwdriver, to push down on the lever for the door latch mechanism, to open the door. Make sure the lever for the door lock, in the door latch mechanism, is in the fully unlock position.

This link may help show you the inner door hardware, I'm referring to above,

http://www.mamotorworks.com/corvette-c3-door-hardware+1968+1982-inner-1-106-9491.html

You can see that when you pull out on the inner door handle, it pulls a rod forward. This rod is attached to a Bellcrank. The Bellcrank in turn pulls down on another rod, which pulls down on a small lever in the door latch mechanism, to release the door latch.

When you push down on the outside door handle, it pushes a small rod that is attached to that same lever as the inner door handle. Looking down through the window opening in the door, it is that lever that you're trying to push down, to open the door.

Viewing down through the window opening, try to operate the outside door latch a little. Watch to see what lever it tries to move. That's the lever you have to move Down, with the flat tip screwdriver.

With the door open, it is a matter to check out,

1.The Inside Door Opening Control, (The inside door handle is attached to it), to see if the locking part of it is functioning correctly. Make sure that it goes to the full Unlocked position.

2.The Door Latch Mechanism. Make sure it is functioning correctly. It, along with the various door hardware parts inside the door, needs to be lubricated at specific intervals. The more it's used, the higher the interval rate goes up. (I find that owners seem to Skip this task a lot! I use Lubriplate White Lithium spray)

To replace the door latch mechanism, I suggest you buy a manual for your car, so you can view all of the door hardware to remove, to remove the door panel. Then view how the spring clips come off of the rods, and the three screws come out of the door latch mechanism.

purchase a paint roller tool where the roller part is only about 4" or so long. tear off the soft roller. bend the bar another 45 degrees so the angle from the handle to the part that had the roller on it is about 135 degrees. make sure all 4 doors are unlocked.
get on your knees and look on the right side of the handle where it goes into the door. you will see where you will insert the paint roller. now stand up. facing the door hold the paint rollerhandle in your right hand so it is sticking straight out from the door horizontally . insert the business end into that hole vertically. you will then feel for the "pad" which you are going to depress inside the door. when you feel it, turn the handle you are holding to the right slightly because you are now gong to push on that pad towards the front of the car. in order to do that, you need more clearance and that is why you are moving the handle. use your left hand to stablize your tool at the bend. at the same time put some of your weight on the door as if you were pushing it closed. you will hear it unlatch. lift the door as if the door handle worked. voila. the door is open.