Door lock failure (central locking)

[slowpoloauto]

Drivers door lock refused to return to the normal position until it was persuaded. If the key is turned to the lock position (left), it doesn't like going back to vertical.

What is wrong with it, how easy is it to fix and is it something I can do myself?
Has something broken/come loose inside the door?
Also, are these locks motorized? I have never known central locking to have such resistance when you turn the key?

Thanks.
R

[NotRich]

This is just a case of popping the handle off via the screw in the door.

Pop it off, have a look and if it falls apart either :

Buy a rebuild kit off the bay.

Get a 62 five door rear handle, put it on the passenger side delocking it and just stick the passenger side on the drivers.

[slowpoloauto]

After some looking on ebay, I am guessing that a lock paddle might be the culprit and not the locking solenoid.
Has anybody else had any issues with central locking like this before?

[Verity]

I had issues with my old SE. the Passenger side door caused me a load of grief. ( Mainly the locking mech went a week before the MOT, jamming the door shut *urgh*)
If i remember rightly the barrel was doing the same as the problem your having.
i would turn the key, and then wouldnt turn itself automatically back to verticle.
eventually it just broke. turned the key, and snap. could turn it around completely then.
took it all apart and found the little paddle had snapped in half. I ended up buy one of those little kits off eBay (the one you mentioned). took a bit of fiddling but it fixed it

[slowpoloauto]

Thanks for that Verity. It seems to be the same as what is happening with the other halfs car.

Key return to vertical was resistant or just not happening at times. I do think it is the paddle as the solenoid does work for locking and unlocking.
For a 'premium' car, our old Corsa was built much better.

[NotRich]

locking/ unlocking the central locking is the actual mech inside the car.

If the key's difficult to turn then it's likely to be the lock in the handle as I said above.

[nick6n2]

you'll feel fair bit of resistance cuz it's operate by air, which is why there's pipes running around to the pump in the drivers side rear apartment in the boot.