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- Palindrome
February 7, 2009, 8:09 am
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My Vectra estate rear offside (closed!) passenger door won't unlock,
either using the pull up button or the central locking. I guess that the
solenoid has gone (apparently a common occurrence).
I've managed to get the door panel off and confirm that the mechanical
linkages to button and internal and external handles are working - but,
what now? I cant remove the lock with the door closed.
A google search mentions two possibilities - "break the lock apart"
until the internal workings are exposed and then pull a few linkages
until the door unlocks. Or, apparently, call a locksmith/mechanic who
can open the car door, as it is.
Can anyone confirm the latter? Ideally, can anyone suggest how I can
unlock the door myself - without smashing the lock up? Or tell me which
bit of the lock (the bit with the locking cable going into it, or the
main bit) I need to break into?
Many thanks,
Sue
Re: Passenger door won't unlock..
It isn't just frozen shut is it?
If not then spray some oil into it, leave it a few days and then try again,
pulling the door handle linkage should free the mechanism and a good shove
on the door should release it. Then just replace the lock assembly, I
haven't come across any that need breaking up in situ to get the door open,
IIRC there is a plastic cover over the mechanism that can be prised off to
gain access to much of the mechanism.
Re: Passenger door won't unlock..
Mrcheerful wrote:
Exactly, that happened to my car monday morning. The door couldn't close
properly as the finger mechanism was already in shut position. I could
only drive while snow entered the gap and onto the driver. However, it
all went back to normal when temperature increased. I dosed it with
WD40 to prevent it happening again.
Re: Passenger door won't unlock..
Thanks guys, but no, it isn't frozen. It's in a fairly warm (16C)
boatshed (DNP planners wouldn't let me have a garage but approved a boat
shed and the Building Control Officer approved keeping vehicles, in
addition to boats, in it..go figure). Also, unfortunately, I couldn't
see anything that looked as if it was a cover that would prise off.
I might try drilling a small hole or three and topping it up with WD40.
Thanks for reminding me that there is an engineering alternative to a
big hammer!
I'll have another look tomorrow, for that cover.
--
Sue
Re: Passenger door won't unlock..
It's OK - I have the door panel off and so it was the plastic of the
lock case itself that I was intending drilling into.
Although, if it was possible to drill a tiny hole through the door
itself, right at the spot where the lock could be disengaged, I'd
"happily" do that, in preference to breaking the lock apart via the hole
behind the door panel.
I think maybe a trip to the scrappie is in order, to see if I can get
hold of a lock to practice on.
--
Sue
Re: Passenger door won't unlock..
Someone sent this to me accidentally:
"Try one more thing if you can get a small hammer in the door try
tapping the mech. GENTLY while working the door handle and lock button
(not the power lock) remove the cylinoid"
magic.man.joe
Incidentally Sue, they are asking for you on uk.legal
Mrcheerful
Re: Passenger door won't unlock..
I have experienced this many times in the past. Not sure why it always
happens to the O/S/R door though!
Now you have the door panel off, you need to drill a hole in the plastic
body of the lock, so you operate the catch with a screwdriver and release
the door. You will need a drill with a 10mm drill bit, and a flat blade
screwdriver.
If you look at the visible exterior part of the latch on another door, you
will see there is a 'U' shaped fork that latches around the pin mounted on
the car body. At the bottom of the recess containing the fork, there is a
small catch that can be seen to move if you operate the internal or external
door handle. This is the catch you need to operate to release the door.
You can take approximate measurments from the other rear door as to where to
drill to access the release catch.
HTH
Anthony
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