Using the key, lock pull goes up and down door does not open. Inside or outside! With the key fob the door lock mechanism clicks and the door pull goes up and down, but the door does not open inside or outside still. Start the car put the car in drive and the door locks, (door pull does down)automatically. When I put the car in park, and turn off the car, the door pull rises (automatically), but the door does not open. Again, Inside or outside. Using the key does nothing. Screws that hold the door lock actuator are inside the door between the column and the door. How do you open the door for servicing. This is a Safety Issue, and needs to be address. I can take a video if needed and submit.

 

sounds like the door lever linkage is broken. post a video ...can't offer much at this point without knowing the build...different gens use different linkage and trim panels.

 

I pulled the door panel off from the inside enough to get to the actuator. All the linkage is connected and good. Everything moves as it should. ( no dropped rods) The Actuator(internally) won't retract to let the door open. It's stuck. I purchased a new actuator to verify how it works. Moved the new actuator in all different positions, no luck. Actuator receives power, and the levers all move electrically, lock internal to the actuator does not. The only thing I can think of is drill a hole on the inside of the door panel to smash the hell out of it so I can get to the gears inside to release it from the latch. Would like to take out and submit to the NHTSA. Recall is in order I feel. I am looking for a pin hole or a way to move the mechanism manually.

 

Well, after taking the door panel off from inside the car, and verifying that we could not find and broken rod pull handles, or any electrical issues with the lock actuator, we had determined that dirt and grime in the door lock latch was holding the door latch from dropping and opening the door. I had ordered a new actuator hoping to see if there is a bypass on the outside of the mechanism, that maybe you could poke with a screwdriver or something to release it, but could not find anything of the sort. So after studying the operation of the actuator, I found that the 2010 Chevy Malibu with the lock pull **** (Newer models don’t have this lock pull ****) Steps performed. 1.) Pull the manual pull **** to the unlock position (UP-key to make it work). Inside door lever must be up.2.) Pull up on the outside door handle while pulling on the inside door release lever(the one normally used to open the door) at the same time, while pulling out on the door. ( Might have to tug back and forth,)We found success in opening the door this way! Once the door was open we were able to change the lock actuator. Maybe dumb luck, but it worked to get the door open for me. Once the lock actuator was changed no further problems. I feel this is a safety issue and the design is bad. I feel When one pulls the door lock pull the door should unlock manually. This design does not work well and fails. The metal plate were the latch moves was cover in dirt and rusted. The spring was very week also to allow the latch to open. Good Luck and hope this helps other.
Please advise if this helps. Best regards.

 

And still the OP has chosen not to tell us the year/make/model. Very informative.