Rear Door Latch

[dblkbn]

The bottom latches on both rear doors will not hold the doors securely when closed (2002 Ranger 2WD). This does not appear to be an issue of adjustment- if I use a screwdriver or pen and push into the open latch it will close as it should, but I am able to pull the latch back open without using the door handle. The upper latches work as they should. The lower latches are a bit rusty, but nothing extreme. Lubricant has not helped. Is anyone aware of a fix short of replacement?

 

[Explorin94]

If they are rusty and you have tried the lubricant you have 3 options the way I see it. You could go out and buy new latch assemblies from Ford and install them, hit the junkyard buy some used ones and hope them don't have the same problen as yours or keep working the ones you have. I know you said that you had sprayed lubricant into the mechanism, but what did you use? WD40 is ok, PB Blaster will probably work the best to free them and after they are free put some spray white lithium in there and keep up normal monthly maintenance on them once they are free.