“What to do when your car door lock is stuck in locked position?” is a popular question that many people do not know the answer to. It starts with figuring out the problem, then you can open the car door to handle your broken door lock.
Solving this issue depends on whether this locked car door does not close or does not open. In this article, we will discuss how to unlock a car door when it cannot open. It might sound complicated at first, but you will make it through with our guide.
Table of Contents
Determine Why Car Door Locks Stuck in Locked Position
The first step to deal with this kind of situation is to determine why your car door lock is stuck in a locked position. After you are all clear about the diagnosis, it is easier to find a specific method to troubleshoot this locked car door.
Broken Connections
If you find the car door latch stuck in locked position, there is a high chance it is a problem between one, some, or probably all of the internal and external connections to this door latch.
When one of the following parts has a poor connection to the door latch: the lock cylinder, the handle, or the internal lock switch/post, your car door will be locked. Although it may look like something is wrong with your car key, this is just an assumption.
Repairing those broken connections is the best way to fix such an issue. You have to open the door, then troubleshoot the overall lock assembly. It is ideal for you to prepare a means of replacement or to put these broken parts back together.
Grime, Rusting, And Jamming
Small particles can easily build up inside the internal system of your car door lock and cause a car door lock jammed. These things are mainly dirt and rust, or maybe broken door parts that detach, then jam the interior lock assembly. The keyway might contain incorrectly placed foreign objects as well.
We advise you to begin with giving the keyway a check. A clear sign of blockage would be you not being able to insert the whole car key in its keyhole. But if the car is in a locked position, the trouble is much more than this keyway.
First of all, open the door panel, so you can move the door assembly and examine the blockage reason. Try lubricating the assembly and move it. Once you detect rust or grime keeping the door lock in a locked position, remove them.
Damages In Structure
In rare cases, a door latch might have some damages after an accident and result in the car door latch stuck closed. There are many possible reasons for this: a crash, fender bender, or an aggressive door slam.
Such accidents will cause the dysfunction of your door latch, either bending it or disconnecting it from the rest of your lock assembly.
Although it is quite difficult to have a detailed overview for solving this problem, the basics is trying to open your car door and replace broken components. We suggest you hire an auto locksmith to have the car door open without extra damage.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Below are fundamental steps to unlock the car door lock stuck and detect and solve the existing cause of this issue:
- Examine all possible ways you can open the car door, including car keys, handles, remote, and interior locks.
- In case no method works to help you open the door, try to remove components of the internal door panel. Find the set screws on the door panel and remove them.
- If you are unable to open this door wide enough to reach in and take a look at the lock assembly, find a method for partial disassembly.
- Once you have access to the door lock assembly, manipulate this assembly and your interior car door lock at the same time.
- Look for a temporary method for door opening and latch moving.
For the last step, you have to know the cause of the current problem. That is when you can figure out the best temporary measure to open the door. Take a look at the following solutions for your car door lock being stuck in locked position, so you can complete step 5:
Step 1: Lubricate And Clean
Lubrication is one of the most effective ways to handle things that are stuck and cannot move. We recommend using dry lubricants because eventually, oil-based ones may attract dirt and dust, resulting in the re-occurrence of this issue.
You should clean everything and not only the stuck components inside the lock assembly, since there might be more grime or rust build-up than expected.
After you have cleaned and removed rusting from the old car door lock, lubricate to ensure all parts work smoothly. Make sure you apply proper cleaning and lubrication to the lock for this fix to last over time.
Step 2: Repair
It is highly likely that you have to work on rejoining broken connections when a car door lock is stuck in a locked position. Note that you need to select the correct binding substance to glue together the materials you are having, such as one for metal and plastic but a different agent to bind plastic to metal.
Step 3: Replace
When you aim to replace certain parts to fix a driver side door lock jammed, remember to get compatible components first. You may find them online, but in most cases, you will have to buy more than the parts you wish to replace.
Step 4: Hire A Locksmith
Most people think that getting a locksmith is the last thing you should do when encountering such an issue. The truth is a professional car locksmith is really helpful with enough knowledge and skills to handle any aspects of the problem.
If you have concerns about the cost of hiring a locksmith, compare that to the amount of time you will need to spend on your own and the high risk of making a mistake during the process.
Having a locksmith will help you diagnose the issue much better than handling it alone. There are many possible causes that lead to your car door lock stuck in lock position. Thus, it is best to reach out to someone professional for help.
Summary
What to do when your car door lock is stuck in locked position? Any car doors wont unlock can be repaired, so you would not want to diminish the car value by ignoring the problem. The fixes are quite simple as described, and you can consult an auto locksmith to solve the issue if required.
What is your opinion on this article on how to repair your car door lock stuck in a locked position? If you find it helpful, share the article with friends and family on social media to spread the word further.
Thank you for reading.
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