Removing driver's door card while door locked

[clockworkfrog]

Hi,

Can anyone help me, I wish I had read the forum before this happened! My central locking has been making the occasional clicking/grinding noise when I locked it but all seemed to be fine, that was until this morning. If I had read the topics I wouldn't have used superlocking.
You can probably guess what the next line will be. Yep, I locked the car when I came back to it I couldn't get in. I locked it, unlocked it but nothing happening on the driver's side, luckily the passenger side still works so I clambered over the transmission tunnel and drove home.
The trouble is, the driver's door is still superlocked. Has anyone managed to get the door open without destroying a door card - i'm not too sure how easy a Cool Blue card is to replace.

Thanks

[adrianclifford]

Door cards are all the same, and easy to get, it's the blue alcantara that's the difference. I don't know how to do it with the door card on, but if you have to wreck it to get in, don't damage the alcantara and the replacement will be easy.

[clockworkfrog]

Thanks for that information Adrian, I don't feel quite so scared of attacking the door knowing I can get a new card if it all goes wrong.
BTW is the door card for the F the same as the TF?

[Mykel]

MGTF door cards are the same as MGF ones from MY2000 onwards, so you shouldn't have problems to find one.

[clockworkfrog]

Thanks, I am still trying to find a way of opening the driver's door without destroying the card.

[clockworkfrog]

News update, I've managed to remove the door card. First I removed the cover behind the release handle and then the plastic door pull. It was then a case of brute force with a flat chisle to "pop" off the bottom lugs and then attack the plastic fixings that the door card screws into next to the lock. The plastic fixings might have been broken but I'm hoping they are cheaper tha a door card.
All I need to do now is find a way to remove the locking mechanism, any ideas?

[Geoff.F]

Have you tried to disconnect the battery before using the key ??
Geoff F.
Too Late !!!!

[clockworkfrog]

Hi Geoff, I tried that. In fact I tried everything I could think of before attacking the trim lol.

The drivers door mechaniam is just dead, passenger side works a treat. I reconnected the power and set and unset the locks with the fob then with battery disconnected again, key still doesn't work. All the linkages seem to move, just wont disengage the lock.
No more superlocking for me!

Cheers

[clockworkfrog]

Door is open!!!!!!

I resorted to my trusty hammer to break off the RCL part of the lock. This enabled me to get at the black plastic slider that operates the actual locking mechanism and unlock the door - result!
Amazingly the lock still works but only with the key.
Time to source a new RCL for the driver's side. At least it was a nice way to spend a few hours on a sunny Sunday

[redarrow]

Did you ever get any machine gun noise, form the mechanism ever on the door.

weird usually that the offending noise, then it dead locks after a while.

what was the price of the new mechanism?

[clockworkfrog]

I never had any noise while just locking the car, only the occasional clicking when dead locking. I just never gave it any thought - I will now!

I could have got a used mechanism for around the £50 mark but decided on getting a brand new one as don't want the hassle of replacing it again in a few months time.
Found one at Howard's Honda in Weston Super Mare for £159 inc vat. They used to be MG Rover dealers and still stock all the parts. Rimmer Brothers wanted £180 plus delivery, so didn't think it was too bad. They also had the blue grommets in stock that I broke removing the door card.

[Charless]

When you get the old one out, you may well find that you can get it going again just by cleaning off the microswitches. I think there was quite a good step by step photo 'how-to' on .org but Dieter and Rob also explain.
I may be telling you stuff you already know, but these 4 sites contain just about all you ever need to know about looking after an F or TF:
http://www.mgfcar.de/index.htm
http://www.apttony.co.uk/
http://mgf.ultimatemg.com/
http://www.mgf-tf-central.co.uk
Good luck, and let us know how you get on.

[talkingcars]

Door cards are all the same, and easy to get, it's the blue alcantara that's the difference. I don't know how to do it with the door card on, but if you have to wreck it to get in, don't damage the alcantara and the replacement will be easy.

Are you sure, I've seen plain, plain with tweeter, with capping and with capping with tweeter.

Also how do you actually get the fabric pad off, it appears to be glued on.