removing a locked car door

[BrokenBiker]

so...my new focus is brilliant in every way really except the door i plan on repairing from rust has managed to jam in the locked position...

the car was stood up for 6 months before i bought it so im confident its just a gummed up lock that doesnt want to play...

problem is, how do i remedy this? i cant get the door card off as the screws are protected by the frame, i cant remove the door from the outside as when its unbolted it still wont pull out because of the hinge regulator thingamy and i have tried for about an hour of wigglinh and jiggling the handle but still no joy

i need to find a way to get it unlocked (it has the old ford push lever locks built into the interior handle, this lever will push to the unlocked position but springs back when you release it and doesnt unlock the door anyway)

 

[gordon stephenson]

try having somebody push hard on the outside of the door (where the latch is) while operating the inside lever, it might just take a bit of tension off the mechanism, Or pull on the lever while they push and release the door rapidly.

 

[ronan]

Can you get some wd40 in on the lock to free it up a bit ?

 

[cumbriasteve]

If all else fails and you have to ruin the card there are plenty of door cards in the scrap yards and on ebay,.

 

[Freddy0309]

Try getting someone to to push heavily on the out side the door whilst I pulled up the lock using pliers and pulling the handle at the same time, this worked last time

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Pop the fuse, should resort to a manual door lock system.
Then 2 people, One to hold the button and open from inside as some one pulls from out side.

 

[Parm]

so...my new focus is brilliant in every way really except the door i plan on repairing from rust has managed to jam in the locked position...

the car was stood up for 6 months before i bought it so im confident its just a gummed up lock that doesnt want to play...

problem is, how do i remedy this? i cant get the door card off as the screws are protected by the frame, i cant remove the door from the outside as when its unbolted it still wont pull out because of the hinge regulator thingamy and i have tried for about an hour of wigglinh and jiggling the handle but still no joy

i need to find a way to get it unlocked (it has the old ford push lever locks built into the interior handle, this lever will push to the unlocked position but springs back when you release it and doesnt unlock the door anyway)

How have you managed to undo any bolts with the door in the closed position ?

 

[CompoSimmonite]

When this happened to me I had to sacrifice the internal door trim.

 

[octo0072000]

buy another door first
then cut the old door skin from the outside to get to the lock, door is rotten so you say that will save the door card also make it easy to get to the lock from the outside
ive done it this way before ended up cutting off the locking pin in the door shut/rear wing
but doors are cheap or just live with it for a week keep trying the door it may free itself on it's own

 

[octo0072000]

Had to happen to you

Megane mk2?

 

[optima21]

cut a big hole in the doorskin so you have accesss to the mechanism, then sort the mechanism out so it works.......then go out and buy a mig welder so you can weld the section back that you removed from the door skin earlier....

...its no help, but its a good excuse to buy a mig welder

I did this many years ago on the outer wings on a car so I could patch up the inner wings

 

[Chris Stevens]

If it has manual locking system find someone who has old style car door opening kit (thin sheet metal tools, designed to catch on the operating rods), and they should be able to open it very easily. I have one of those kits, and will be listing it on for sale section soon if any use to anyone.

 

[Rocketman]

I think you can get the door cards off, just look on the focus forums. Sounds like some people have even done it without any damage to the door cards.

On a Peugeot it looked impossible initially I was doing but with moving the seat in various positions and using a fexi-driver it was possible in the end.

 

[Wedg1e]

If it has manual locking system find someone who has old style car door opening kit (thin sheet metal tools, designed to catch on the operating rods), and they should be able to open it very easily. I have one of those kits, and will be listing it on for sale section soon if any use to anyone.

I thought for a good few years the car makers had been designing their doors so the lock mechs, rods etc. are shrouded and not accessible via the window aperture? Or do they just rely on the ignition key fob reader to make sure it can't be driven away even if broken into?

 

[Wozzaaah]

Take the back door off, chop the B post out, open the jammed door, take off the door card, release the lock, weld the B post back in.

 

[BrokenBiker]

How have you managed to undo any bolts with the door in the closed position ?

the bolts for rear door hinges are accesible when front doors are opened




well im starting to think maybe sacrificing the door card is an option...can get one for a few quid quite easily...

i have had a look at taking it off but the screws that go into sides/bottom of the door card to secure it are all obscured by the door frame when closed

 

[BrokenBiker]

try having somebody push hard on the outside of the door (where the latch is) while operating the inside lever, it might just take a bit of tension off the mechanism, Or pull on the lever while they push and release the door rapidly.

just tried this...didnt do much

 

[BrokenBiker]

Take the back door off, chop the B post out, open the jammed door, take off the door card, release the lock, weld the B post back in.

the back door is the jammed door...lol

 

[Wozzaaah]

Ok, chop the rear 1/4 panel out then.

 

[Johnseat]

The solenoid inside the door locks like to go over themselves and jam up causing your issue.
Had the same fault on a focus I had last year but that eventually operated and unlocked after 2 weeks of attacking it with WD40.