Jammed door handle

[Carpo]

I've been having problems with the front LHS door lock mechanism and need help! I had the classic signs of the faulty internal motors and decided to purchase these, do a lock removal/repair, and re-install. I haven't got very far, removal of the door trim, and loosening of the external door handle and barrel lock. I was really struggling to get past this point and remove the lock mechanism (attached with the 3 screws on the inside of the door).
Long story short I started to re-assemble thinking I'd get it done later and hopefully by someone who knows the system well. I really battled to align and re-install the barrel lock and handle, and unfortunately during my manoeuvring, the handle is now well jammed and will not come out. I don't want to force things more than necessary. I suspect the ribbon cable has come out of it's retainer and that its preventing movement.
I'm in France and dealer labour prices are horrendously high, besides I'm not confident anyone here would have the skills. I'll be making a trip to visit the mother-in-law in Harrogate early new year, all things going well, and wonder if anyone has recommendations of anyone around there (or down near Portsmouth, where we get the ferry) who would be best placed to sort out my problems.
Right now its not a nice feeling, always done my own regular maintenance from Hillman Avenger bottom end overhaul to window replacement on a Disco 2, and it has really scared me away from all the work I thought I could do. Need some help and recommendations please.

 

[idrobbo]

Talk to the Jag Specialist in Armthorpe, Doncaster. Has a 1st class reputation, if I lived up that way would use without doubt. I believe there is also another recommended specialist in Leeds but sorry don’t know the name.

have you tried any YouTube videos?

 

[jberks]

Tasker and Lacy are the main Leeds Jag specialist.

 

[MrKis]

Posting pictures up here as you go might get a resolution. With a decent image of what you are looking at, other members can possibly direct you a bit more clearly.

 

[Carpo]

So I couldn't wait and took it to the local Jag dealer in Caen. I was pleasantly surprised after explaining (as best I could!) that I'd removed the door card, somehow got the handle jammed, and lost a couple of door clips.
They charged me 1 hr labour and the door lock (Jaguar pricing, ouch), and all back together as good as ever.
I learned a lesson. I think Jaguar (and others) go out of their way to make things like this quite difficult to re-assemble to encourage you to use their dealer service.
No matter, for all the worry this has caused me it was a small price to pay for peace of mind.

 

[jberks]

Good to hear it got resolved.
To be fair, I replaced the door lock in my Dads 2004 E class a year or so ago after it developed "Mercedes bouncing door lock" disease. Took several hours of fiddling, swearing and grazed arms to get the old one out and the new one in and working. The job required us to drill out rivets and move some of the window mechanism out of the way (and then rebuild after) to gain access and even then it took a lot of head scratching and trial and error before we could get the locks in and out of the small aperture in the door.
Door locks are one of those things I try to avoid as they're wedged up high in the inaccessible top corner of the door, with lots of things attached to them in a way you can't actually see until you've broken them.
Best left to the professionals ;-)

 

[Carpo]

I can sympathise with that one from experience now
And very often you need to have special tools, like on my door lock, I had to buy a long handled T20 screwdriver. I'll probably never use it anywhere else. Same with brakes where you need to find non standard 7 or 9mm hex keys.