06 SS/SC....

the driver side door will not open from inside or outside whether I use the button lock or use the actual key

it has something to do with the locking mechanism

it started the other day.... drove to work and got out of the car and went to shut the door and it just bounced off the frame, it wouldn't latch shut.... I hit the unlock/lock buttons on the key fob and then it shut.... but then when I went to leave work the door wouldn't open... I had to crawl in through the passenger side....

i got home and alternated pressing the unlock/lock buttons on the door handle and after a couple times I heard the locking mechanism activate and then the door opened.... then it was fine for a couple times....

but now its not opening no matter how many times I do it....

The little lock knob thing by the window goes up and down perfectly fine.... but the locking mechanism isn't catching for whatever reason

When you pull on the door handle from either side... you know how you normally pull it a little bit and then it catches and then you pull the rest of the way and it opens..... now it's not catching the handle is just coming all the way out without catching

 

I don't know a way to manually override the latch but obviously if you get your door open again, don't close it and pop off that door panel and see what is worn/disconnected.

 

typical cobalt thing. my old G5 used to do it in winter a lot. just keep pressing lock/unlock and it will eventually catch.

 

if you lock and unlock manually really fast at the same time as you keep pulling the handle it will catch, but sometimes you have to pull the inside handle at this point. Then it won’t latch but if you lock then unlock the door it will. Frustrating but it works. I’ve had the door panel off and the lock mechanism in my hand but never seems to stick when the panel is off. They don’t come remotely close to one another so don’t get it?!! Let me know if you find a fix

 

I don't know a way to manually override the latch but obviously if you get your door open again, don't close it and pop off that door panel and see what is worn/disconnected.