Lock cylinder stopped working - lock rod disconnected

Had an interesting issue recently where I went to unlock the doors with the (factory) keyless remote and the doors didn't unlock. Tried again, thinking that I must have forgotten to lock the car earlier, so it just now locked. Nothing. Tried the key in the cylinder. Nope.

Turns out the rod connecting the driver's side key cylinder to the lock assembly was hanging loose (luckily pass side lock cylinder still worked...). So I bought a new plastic clip to reattach it (#9 in the diagram below - P/N 72137-SS0-003). Easy, right?

Well, I can't figure out exactly how it's supposed to be attached. There are two parts to the clip - they can be folded relative to each other but are connected by plastic. The end with round ends obviously clips into the lock assy. But I'm not sure what to do with the back end. I thought it should be slid past the 90 degree angle in the lock rod, to keep the rod from pulling out of the clip (as pictured below). But when I do that, this back part of the piece seems to contact the part of the lock assy that the front part is supposed to plug into and prevents it from being able to be fully seated.

What am I missing? Couldn't find anything specific in the service manual on this.

Thanks,

Dave

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There is a metal washer and the plastic clip. Stick the rod through the plastic clip with the prongs facing the lock assembly hole. Slide the rod into the lock assembly and make sure the prongs go through as well. Now reach back there and give yourself arthritis trying to work the washer over the prongs. It is doable and BOTH my lock rods came out at the same time one day. There is a thread about it titled "Driver door won't open" or something like that. Good luck

Got it! It was supposed to go on as I expected. Had to get it set up just right and weasel something in there to seat it (used a small c-clamp). @syndicate not sure what washer you are referring to. Maybe we weren't talking about the same connection point?

Maybe not. My issue was that the outside door handles didn't work