David, thank you so much for your reply. I am a relative newcomer to this board and I am overwhelmed at the level of support that people have been giving me!

One of the first things I tried when the problem first happened was to look at the door latch on the B pillar. It is indeed a little black latch but I could not see anything unusual about it. The door (appears as though it) closes normally and the drivers latch seems to behave just like the passenger side. (sigh) I guess I am forced to consult my extorter -- I mean dealer. :-)