door latch mech..

[quote:22a7821496="techman1"]This is going to be fun. Outside door handles are often plastic, but I assure you that open and unlock linkage rods are all steel. I would say to bust out the body of the outside door handle frame (without scratching or damaging the metal painted part of the door) and reach in there with whatever it takes to trip the rod that opens the door. I had teenage daughters that would force plastic door handles in frozen weather. Been here many times.[/quote:22a7821496]

That interior door handle is important and it usually is the drivers side that goes.
I fixed mine with a rubber bungee cord(commonly found with 2 "S" hooks.)
I removed the interior housing that had the broken latch, put one end of the b.cord through to the door mechanism and hooked it where the connector rod hole is.
The other end is simply looped after it's left dangling out the opening where the broken handle used to be. It's lasted years of daily use and I only had to replace it once due to heat and friction caused by rubbing. It looks odd but hey it's inside, beside the driver. It's an improvement I can live with! It easily passes the safety check.
The same applies to the [u:63300ba0c1]exterior[/u:63300ba0c1] handles if you don't mind a rather "broken appearance". But its a good reason to get pulled over by the authorities.
I would smile if I saw cars with bungee cords hanging
out their door handle openings. It's my contribution to a world in need.
95 Astro SE
315000kms or 200 and something [u:63300ba0c1]miles[/u:63300ba0c1]