Drivers door falling open

[daveydave10]

After closing the door today, it just fell open about an inch, still holding onto the latch slightly. I adjusted the latch all around as much as it would move but that never helped anything.
I then shut the door and held it closed, then locked it. I could still pull it open an inch and then pushing on the door handle button I was actually able to unlock the door!
Seems like something is completely loose or broken inside the door to allow the handle button to raise the lock button??
Anyone deal with this before?
‘67 Crown.

 

[1970FuryConv]

As I understand door latches, they have a mechanism that keeps the door from flying open if you don't shut it completely. Although that may be working, the part of the latch that holds the door fully shut does not sound like it's working. If lubricant isn't freeing up the latch to work correctly, I'd consider another latch.

 

[cbarge]

All my 68's and older C's (front doors on 4drs) have to be locked by key.
Locking it and shutting the door it will unlock.
They were built that way until 69? 70?
Somebody else can chime in to clarify.
I am guessing the door latch mechanism. You may have to pull the door panel to investigate.
A lot of times the guts are bone dry and willl work with some lube and elbow grease.. If that dooes not work replace the door latch mechanism.
As for the catch in the pillar, not uncommon for it to move inward after years of slamming the door causing the door not to close all the way.
Loosen the 3 screws and move it out ever so slightly and snug 1 screw close the door all the way very gently.
check the gapps. Use a rubber mallet to adjust the catch.
With the door handle button pressed in,close the door all the way to ensure there roller does not snag against the catch and plastic guide rides smoothly upp the catch. Any resistance adjust the catch accordingly.
Then tighten all 3 screws.
Door should close all the way effortlessly with one finger pushing the door.
They are finicky but once set properly worth the agravation.
Hope this helps.
I uploaded the pics for clarity and also it is important to keep the body lines straight when adjusting the door.

 

[cbarge]

 

[detmatt]

I agree that opening the door from the inside will automatically unlock it and if you end up needing a replacement mechanism I probably have it.

 

[CBODY67]

GM cars could be locked and closed by pushing the lock button down, pushing the outer button in, and then closing the door. Chryslers did not work that way, needing the KEY to lock the door, which ALSO meant you had the key in your hand when you did this, rather than still in the ignition cylinder. ONE of the little things that "Made Chrysler Products Chrysler Products", back then. Chrysler relented, it seemed, for whatever reason . . . possibly to attract more GM buyers?

Just some thoughts,
CBODY67

 

[daveydave10]

Thx all, @cbarge , I'll do some more adjusting today and see if it improves.
The odd part... I'm not locking and then closing, I know I have to lock the doors with the key. This is what I'm doing.
1) Close door.
2) lock door with key, test door handle button is locked/cannot depress.
3) pull on door handle. Door opens about an inch.
4) press the door handle button.
5) As I'm pressing the door handle button, the lock button starts moving up. So me using the handle button to open the door actually unlocks the car.

So I guess as long as I can keep the door completely closed, the unlocking issue would no longer be an issue because it doesn't get to that point of being reversible so maybe this a moot point.

 

[CBODY67]

If you can have the door shut and locked (with the key) and then pull on the handle and it pulls open a bit, then something is probably sticking/worn in the latch mechanism, I suspect. Once closed, it should stay closed no matter what, as expected.

Please keep us posted on what you might find,
Thanks,
CBODY67

 

[Camshaft]

Never had a drivers door fall open, but I have fallen out of an open drivers door, usually in the early morning hours.!

 

[daveydave10]

So, deeper issues here… everything inside the door is ok operationally. My torsion bar anchor is completely separated from the crossmember, isolaters cracked, I did tighten them the other day to raise the front a touch and that must have put enough stress onto the car to flex it just enough to tweak the door. Relaxing everything today and door works great again. And now I have a torsion bar isolater project.

 

[CBODY67]

Probably might check the body for structural issues (or stub frame attachment points) as just tweaking the torsion bar adjustment should not affect body alignment any at all. Even if you put the grille "in the clouds", so to speak. Especially considering that the cowl is supposed to be one of the strongest areas of the car body (where the front door hinges attach!). Keep us posted.

Just some thoughts,
CBODY67

 

[daveydave10]

Probably might check the body for structural issues (or stub frame attachment points) as just tweaking the torsion bar adjustment should not affect body alignment any at all. Even if you put the grille "in the clouds", so to speak. Especially considering that the cowl is supposed to be one of the strongest areas of the car body (where the front door hinges attach!). Keep us posted.

Just some thoughts,
CBODY67

i could be completely wrong here, and I’ll definitely give everything a once over, but I think the key here is that the isolaters are completely separated. So the torsion bar anchor bar is literally pressing up against the floor possibly….as I tighten since it’s not attached to the crossmember. The crossmember section is right about where the door latch is so my thought is it lifted ever so slightly to disrupt the latching, not the cowl, but the latch area.
The car is 100% rust free, but I’m sure the unibody design has some slight flex opportunity.

 

[CBODY67]

To be sure, there can be some designed-in flex opportunity in the body structure, BUT when the doors are hung on the car, prior to paint, the stub frame is not there, being installed later in the assy process. IF it is flexing in the center, rather than where the hinges are attached at the cowl, or anywhere else, then the doors could come open on a rough road, or when using the end of the rocker panel to jack the car up, I suspect? OR the striker plate might need to be adjusted a bit for better engagement with the latch? But if everything was good prior to your bar adjustment, which might make your observation/suspiciion a "coincidink"? At this point in time, don't take anything for granted on the body structure . . . to prove or dis-prove your observation, for good measure.

Just some respectful thoughts,
CBODY67

 

[detmatt]

I can’t imagine the 2 problems are related but they must be. Just enough twist from the stub mounts side to side to tweak that door latch.