Door not opening/unlatching from outside; failed door latching/locking mechanism?
 

OK, here's the situation:

"Unlocked" the doors using the remote.

I "hear" the latches unlock.

Passenger door opens using the outside handle.

Driver door does not open using the outside handle, though the window lowers a little when the handle is pulled (so the door sensor works?)

When I then insert key into the door lock and turn and hold it in the unlock position, the window rolls down and I can then open the door using the inside handle.

Anyone else ever seen this type of failure?

Is the mechanical linkage/cable from the outside door handle to the door latching/locking mechanism broken? (is there such a cable or is it a lever of some kind?)

Something else?

Any help would be most appreciated.

BTW, as this is the second issue I've had since getting the 986 (the first was the clock led backlight burning out, super easy fix, got lots of help from this forum), it's probably time to download a service manual pdf.

Anyone know where I can find one online?

Oh, and it's a 2000 Boxster, November 2000 build, with a dual row IMS (first thing I replaced, the late-in-year build proves that the VIN is meaningless in predicting whether a 2000 model year engine has a dual or single row IMS).

BTW, as this is the second issue I've had since getting the 986 (the first was the clock led backlight burning out, super easy fix, got lots of help from this forum), it's probably time to download a service manual pdf.

Anyone know where I can find one online?

Oh, and it's a 2000 Boxster, November 2000 build, with a dual row IMS (first thing I replaced, the late-in-year build proves that the VIN is meaningless in predicting whether a 2000 model year engine has a dual or single row IMS).

it sounds like the collar came off the rod that connects the handle to the latch inside the door. Easy fix once you remove the inside door panel

Collar?

I went to Pelican and found the following picture in the door latch "how to" tech article.

Do you mean the black plastic connector arm in this picture (green arrow)?

BTW, nice to know there's a Porsche recycler nearby in CenTex (I'm in Austin). I have four (4) 944s and I hope to get 2 complete cars out of them (one an auto to manual conversion and other an LS3 conversion), so maybe you'll be interested in the parts I don't need after I'm done (is there much of a market for 944 body parts: doors, glass, suspension, etc.?). FYI, I also have a 924S, 1973.5 911T and an '86 928S.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02/Pic51583880330.jpg

Yes to the black piece the green arrow is pointing to. I only sell 1997-2004 986 parts for now. The 924/944 market is horrible to deal with. I bought 2 944's once and quickly got rid of them after dealing with the clientele for a few months. 25% of them are cool, 50% waste your time and the other 25% want to haggle over a $10 part. That was a few years back so maybe the ratios have gotten better because at this point they're probably all hard core 924/944 owners. Racers will probably be interested in the body parts and I've never met a racer that wasn't great to deal with. Unfortunately you just missed them at COTA two weeks ago.