GM 13597534 Front Side Door Latch Assembly

On average every 3000 miles or every 3 months the hinges and latch assemblies on the doors, the hood and the trunk should be lubricated with few drops of light oil or lock lubricants. Also, the door latch strikers should be lubricated minimally with a thin layer of grease or white lithium lubricant so as to reduce wear and increase the ease with which it slides. It is also recommended that the door and the trunk locks be lubricated using the spray on graphite lubricant.

Taking the door latch first, raise the window to its fullest extent, then, taking attention not to tear the watershield along with the door trim panel. It is possible to get at the door latch connections by removing the actuator rods from the lock cylinder, and the rear window guide track; if required the rear window regulator track needs to be unbolted and shifted aside. Subsequently, use the three Torx-head mounting screws to pull out the latch from the door, and unfuss any rods and the electrical connectors, disengage the inside release lever cable, and fully extract the latch out. The lock cylinder requires removal of the door panel and watershield and also the outside handle will conceal a small screw. Remove the outside latch assembly and push the particular lock cylinder retainer and then take out the lock cylinder from the latch assembly. The process of installation is the reverse of the removal process that has been discussed above. To remove the outside handle, you should first open the door, pop off the plastic protective cap which unveals a screw, and then twist of the end cap. Push the rear portion of the handle upwards and move it to the right or snap the front hook out before pulling the handle out. The installation process also goes in the opposite direction: To the inside release handle, you need to strip the door by taking out the door trim panel and electrical connectors, then by unbolting the handle from the door panel by the five screws, you remove the actuator rod, and finally the inside handle assembly. Any switches or other components which may be attached to the old handle should be transferred to the new one with installation working in the opposite manner to the removal. Based on misaligned latch strikers, one need to release bolts around the striker, place the striker to the right position and fix it in a manner that it is lined up with latch and fixed tightly. Care must be taken at the striker mounting plate which can drop off if both screws are loosened at a time. If after making the adjustment the door is not opened in the right way, it may be due to the hinges are worn out, or the door is misaligned. There are two latches/strikers on access doors; the upper latch striker is fixed to the car roof and involves the removal of the trim to get an access. One problem with doors is that they may sag, which results in misalignment; original equipment manufacturers of tools for door realignment exist, but such tools are costly.

Take out the anti-theft shield fasteners from the door jamb, remove the push-pin for the door handle fastener, and take out the shield if present.

It is advisable to use spray-on graphite lubricant for the door and trunk locks.