Front doors won't open from inside

[Mike850]

OK...here's a weird one: For a while now, my driver's side door no longer will open from the inside using the inside handle. Instead, I have to let the window down each time and reach outside the car with my hand and open the door with the outside handle. (A BIG hassle, especially if it's raining hard!)

Then recently, it started doing that on the passenger side. So now both the driver and front passenger have to roll down their windows to open their door. The back seat doors still operate normally and open from inside.

Is it possible that my alarm had been tripped while I was in the car and it moved some internal lever in the door designed to detain a would-be "carjacker" ? OR did some plastic piece maybe come loose? I know the back seat doors have a "childlock" lever you can move so that they won't open from inside (kind of like a cop car) but there's no visible lever on the front. Anybody got any ideas?? Thanks much!

[mikeori]

The inner handle is connected to the latch by a cable. While the cables don't general break, a plastic mounting tab on one end does, and when that happens, the doors don't open from the inside. I've replaced 3 out of the 4 on my V70.

[Mike850]

Thanks mikeori. I'll need to remove my door panels to find the broken piece. Did you get your replacement part from the dealer? I usually order everything from FCP Groton.

Thanks again for taking the time to help me on this!

[Snarkhunter]

I was able to jury-rig a little wooden block to take the place of the plastic tab on my V70. Not very pretty, but it works. Once you remove the door panel the problem is easy to spot.