i have a 1995 ford windstar GL

the interior light would not shut off so i attempted to remove the door sensers on the rear hatch and the sliding door i got the rear hatch fine and

i got the sliding door disassembled i removed the door panel and unbolted the lock actuator leaving the lock assembly and actuater in the door i just unbolted them
the lock assembley is unbolted from the door jam part of the sliding door

i was attempting to reach the senser with my hand but i couldnt fit myself through the hole

after fighting with it for way to long i had to pick my wife up at work

i shut the door thinking it would open very easy becouse everything is unbolted and the lock assembly CAN NOT keep the door shut becouse its just sitting in the door

well i was wrong as soon as i shut the door it would not open and now i can not get it open i have been trying for two days and i can not figure it out
i would bring it to a shop and have them fix my mistake but were broke

if anyone has any real solutions i would appreciate it

 

Two things:
1. Hopefully this will help you getting the door open:
1996 ford windstar: my inside door latch..van..latch assembly - JustAnswer

2. When the interior lights flicker or don't turn off there is a simple work around: Turn the interior lights of at the dashboard.: turn the dimmer wheel all the way down.
(I can hear it: ouch! that hurts)

 

yeah till the battery goes dead wtf

im trying to get the door open i shut it while trying to remove door senser removing door senser STOPS THE INTERIOR LIGHTS from staying on SO I DONT HAVE A DEAD BATTERY ive been disconnecting the battery and im trying to fix this

 

i got the sliding door disassembled i removed the door panel and unbolted the lock actuator leaving the lock assembly and actuater in the door i just unbolted them
the lock assembly is unbolted from the door jam part of the sliding door

i was attempting to reach the senser with my hand but i couldn't fit myself through the hole

after fighting with it for way to long i had to pick my wife up at work

i shut the door thinking it would open very easy becouse everything is unbolted and the lock assembly CAN NOT keep the door shut becouse its just sitting in the door



now the sliding door WILL NOT OPEN their is NO DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY hooked up its still in the door but i unhooked it before i shut the door
THEIR FORE THEIR IS NOTHING HOLDING THE DOOR SHUT

but it still will not open i can not figure out why

this is the problem-- getting the door open WHEN THEIR IS NO LATCH ASSEMBLY HOOKED UP

THEIR IS NOTHING HOLDING THE DOOR AS FAR AS NORMAL FUNCTION AS IN DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLEY ACTUATER NOTHING

THE SLIDING DOOR SHOULD OPEN BUT ITS STUCK SHUT HARDER THAN CONCRETE

 

the door is stuck shut i can not figure out what is holding it shut i have inspected everything i have everything exposed even the floor sill all the way down to the front lower door rollers nothing i can see is restricting it fromn opening yet it will not open

 

TURNING THE DIMMER ALL THE WAY DOWN JUST DIMMS THEM DOWN IT DOES NOT SHUT THEM OFF -- IT WILL STILL COUSE A DEAD BATTERY

I did not know that. In my 03 model I can turn the inner lights off at the dimmer.

Opening the door: I have to guess, because it did not happen to me. Forgive me if you tried my suggestion already: The same latches are used at all doors including the hatch back. I once tooled around at the rear hatch and by accident put the c-shaped latch in the locked position. I was able to unlock it by prying it back with a screw driver. Obvioulsy, you can't insert a screw driver when the door is locked. But: try to repeat my "mistake" and see if you can make a hook that gets in there when the door is closed.
Consider drilling a hole in the door frame where it could give you access to the latch with a hook or a push rod.

here you see the "c"-shaped recess just below the left oriented arrow. That's where the latch sits. Practice on another door how to unlock it. It wouldn't hurt to look at another Windstar for orientation (junk yard?). Also: the sliding door latches at the front and at the back at the same time. You probably need a helper to unlock both at the same time.

I try to help, but that's my best shot. You still may go to a body shop and beg for a favor. I once had to do that with a VW beetle trunk lid.

Wishing you the best sincerely!

 

I just read through your OP again and this might be the crux: you worked on the front lock all the time and because it is all loose it shouldn't hold the door. It 's the rear lock that has latched.
Am I right?

 

the back door the hatch of the van -- i already disconnected the senser from the hatch the hatch is not the problem

the sliding door -- the sliding door on the 1995 ford windstar GL the sliding door is the problem

the latch -- the latch assembly ON THE SLIDING DOOR is NOT functoinal becouse before i shut the door i removed it

when i removed the latch assembly
(wich includes the actuator and rods everything used to hold the door shut)
when i removed the latch assembly --- when i removed the latch assembley i left it hanging inside the door its still in the door but it is NOT holding the door shut and the latch is NOT functional

the door latch assembley has nothing to do with the problem becouse it is NOT holding the door shut

WHAT IS HOLDING THE DOOR SHUT? THIS IS THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION I DONT HAVE A CLUE

i shut the door when i had to pick up my wife in the middle of removing the senser i figured i would have to bungie cord the door shut boy was i wrong

as soon as i shut the door it stayed shut it will not open and their is nothing holding it shut i tried to force it open by pushing my body against the inside of the van and pushing with my feet but it looks like i might break it if i continue that path i have tried everything the past 2 days to open it and it still will not open

in 2 hours i have a mechanic shop that is trying to fit me in to their schedule so they can look at it

thank you bluewind for trying to help

 

the sliding door -- the sliding door on the 1995 ford windstar GL the sliding door is the problem

the latch -- the latch assembly ON THE SLIDING DOOR is NOT functoinal becouse before i shut the door i removed it

when i removed the latch assembly
(wich includes the actuator and rods everything used to hold the door shut)
when i removed the latch assembly --- when i removed the latch assembley i left it hanging inside the door its still in the door but it is NOT holding the door shut and the latch is NOT functional

What I am saying is this: the sliding door has a latch assembly at the forward door jamb and another one at the rearward door jamb.



While this is not exactly addressing your problem I am sure it can be of help.
1996 windstar: the sliding doors.It is not fastening closed - JustAnswer

Best of luck.

 

Something to think about and maybe overlooked, the plugs and rods are not there to latch the door, the strikers do that. They are for opening the door.
If the latches are still hanging in the area they are designated, it is possible the strikers have made contact and have closed on them. If this be the case I would first attempt to reconnect the actuators both front and rear and open the door manually.
It is possible you will need to hold them in place with wooden dowels or long screw drivers since the bolts are out. They could be moving back and forth rather than unlatching.

Sorry if this has been thought of before but many times seeing first hand and reading in a forum are completely different views. Just trying to help with a different perspective.