I'm curently experiencing exactly the same issue with my rear passenger door! Today I've been working all day trying to fix my door handle that wont open from outside as described above, but unfortunately I discovered one of the 2nd. hex screw from outside is broken from the previous owner. The top of the screw is completely off and left the rest of the body inside the hole, which left me in such difficult job and unable to remove the broken assembly inside and replace it.