I removed the rear cover panel and tried to work the lock to open the door but no success. The door is closed and via the illustrations, the mounting screws are under the lock, not accessible when the door is closed. How do I get the door open to remove the latch mechanism?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

Let me confirm this from someone then I will confirm this after checking this....

 

Were you able to get the door open and fixed? If so, how did you do it? I have a similar problem with my 1996 E 150 van and would appreciate advice since I've tried everything I can think of! with no success so far.