Help! Car door locked shut!

[Kram]

I have a problem!
TLDR: My drivers door is stuck locked shut, the other doors central looking work as normal.

Since I bought the car, the car alarm was going off randomly. The door open light often flashes up, hinting that the sensor is bad. The sensor is a pair of electrical contacts hidden inside the lock actuator unit.

Today I got the door apart, lock actuator unit out, opened up, cleaned, reassembled and back together. I did a basic test that it all worked with it off the door, all good.

I put it back in the door and started testing it. At first all good, but soon not reliable locking or unlocking, but putting the key in would work. Then the keystopped working and its now stuck in the locked position, with the door shut.

Any ideas how I can non destructively open the door to have another try at it? Perhaps I'll need to cut the door and replace it.

 

[Anguz]

ask Michael Caine

 

[Guineafowl]

I did this recently on the Freelander 1 used as a farm runabout. Wooden wedge in the top of the door, then piece of fence wire, suitably bent, to press the unlock button inside. Some variant of that might help you.

 

[Hotstuff]

What car is it?

Are you locked out of the car or is it just the one door that is now locked and won’t open with a key?

 

[Bornfree]

Did you watch the Dukes of Hazard ?

 

[Migmac]

Is the key stuck in the lock ? If it’s not I’d try squirting lub in and turn the key back and forth

 

[Nomad]

Hi. What car?
Does the key work in the other front door or the tailgate / hatch?
Is it something that you could open if you were inside the car or is it deadlocked?

It wasn't unusual for mechanics to get locked out of Landrovers (early Freelander?) as the car locked and deadlocked the doors if the battery was disconnected then reconnected
Advice was to always leave a window down or a door open when swapping batteries.

 

[Morrisman]

Guy on a Mazda forum reckons he can’t unlock his car as the battery is totally dead. Someone suggested pulling the number plate light out and connected a charger to the wires, to charge the battery.

I pointed out that unless that light is on all the time, 24/7, or the lights were on when the car was locked, it won’t have a connection to the battery. The guy swears he has done the same trick on several different makes of cars.

 

[Guineafowl]

Guy on a Mazda forum reckons he can’t unlock his car as the battery is totally dead. Someone suggested pulling the number plate light out and connected a charger to the wires, to charge the battery.

I pointed out that unless that light is on all the time, 24/7, or the lights were on when the car was locked, it won’t have a connection to the battery. The guy swears he has done the same trick on several different makes of cars.

Might work if the lights are earth-side switched, and you can provide a chassis earth. Never seen that, mind.

 

[Cobbler]

I’ve just had this problem on our mk1 Mx5, door wouldn’t unlock, felt different when you tried the key as if something was stuck, getting in via the passenger side & trying to climb over the centre console in a sports car should have been video’d. I couldn't get the door panel off with the door shut, so kept trying the lock while thumping the door in the lock area & eventually it unlocked. I oiled the lock, all worked fine, closed the door & locked it& it jammed shut again, much thumping again & a second hand lock & all is well.

 

[Farside]

Guy on a Mazda forum reckons he can’t unlock his car as the battery is totally dead. Someone suggested pulling the number plate light out and connected a charger to the wires, to charge the battery.

I pointed out that unless that light is on all the time, 24/7, or the lights were on when the car was locked, it won’t have a connection to the battery. The guy swears he has done the same trick on several different makes of cars.

Might be peculiar to canbus. A permanent live circuit, tapped into by local appliances on command, essentially.

 

[Guineafowl]

Might be peculiar to canbus. A permanent live circuit, tapped into by local appliances on command, essentially.

Yes, the modern way. Instead of a simple switch and fuse to the light: a permanent supply, and a network connection to the ‘Numberplate Light Control Module’ (NLCM). Remove boot interior to access.

 

[Kram]

Door trim and window motor panel is off. The lock unit is securely bolted to the door.

Currently the actuator rods that go to the external handle and key barrel are disconnected and I have tried pushing and pulling them. Same with the interior handle and lock cables.

I've worked out the cause, to get at the actuator rods to originally remove the lock unit, I removed a steel plate that may be a window guide or anti theft device (to stop a wire hook from pulling the actuator rods). When refitting, it has about 45 degrees range of fitment a d I must have had it wrong. After the lock became stuck, the key barrel actuator rod became jammed on the steel plate.

 

[Morrisman]

Yes, the modern way. Instead of a simple switch and fuse to the light: a permanent supply, and a network connection to the ‘Numberplate Light Control Module’ (NLCM). Remove boot interior to access.

Having seen the electronic fiasco that’s replaced switches (and common sense) on my Mondeo, I’d believe anything.
There’s still 20+ fuses on this board, and it controls lights, wipers and a couple of other things. What the hell was wrong with simple relays and switches?

 

[gaz1]

in theory the front passenger door should open up from the inside

so if drivers side door is disconnected then access can be gained from the passenger side door

so wedge on that side if the drivers side is playing up as that should give you access back into the car

 

[Guineafowl]

I’m getting the impression that he can get into the car, but the driver’s door won’t open from either side. @Kram is that right?

 

[Kram]

Correct.

So far it appears I could cut into the plastic lock unit to release it and then buy a new lock, unfortunately might take a week for a lock unit to arrive.

Another option may be drill some accurate holes into the car door inner frame to give access to the lock unit screws to undo it, tho I dont think that would allow it to come apart.
Photo from web this is the lock unit.

 

[ukracer]

I have a problem!
TLDR: My drivers door is stuck locked shut.

Since I bought the car, the car alarm was going off randomly. The door open light often flashes up, hinting that the sensor is bad. The sensor is a pair of electrical contacts hidden inside the lock actuator unit.

Today I got the door apart, lock actuator unit out, opened up, cleaned, reassembled and back together. I did a basic test that it all worked with it off the door, all good.

I put it back in the door and started testing it. At first all good, but soon not reliable locking or unlocking, but putting the key in would work. Then the keystopped working and its now stuck in the locked position, with the door shut.

Any ideas how I can non destructively open the door to have another try at it? Perhaps I'll need to cut the door and replace it.

What the hell is TLDR. I even googled it and can't find out.

 

[Morrisman]

What the hell is TLDR. I even googled it and can't find out.

Glad it’s not just me then.

 

[rhubarb7]

Too Long Didn't Read???