How To Fix A Car Door That Won’t Open

Cars are quite expensive. And some individuals subscribe to the philosophy of nocarnofun. Therefore, to ensure your car serves you right for an extended period of time, you need to cater for it. We understand how frustrating it is trying to exit or enter a car whose door won’t open. If you want to know how you can easily get a car door latch unstuck, we have comprehensively covered various tips and tricks proven effective. Without further ado, let’s dive in!

Checking for an easy fix

First, you need to confirm whether the locks are open. Some people struggle with opening the doors only to realize they didn’t unlock the latch.

Also, check and confirm whether the child locks are not activated since they could be causing the problem.

The other issue could be the safety belt. At times the safety belt could be blocking the door, making it jam.

Some car models come with a feature known as the deadlock. Therefore, you’ll need to check the deadlock. The feature is activated from the key remote.

You can activate the deadlock safety feature without knowing by pressing the key on your remote.

Connection problem

If your car doors are unable to open, you can check all internal and external connections. In this case, you can check the door lock and the locking switch which is located in the interior.

The connection problem could have been caused by slamming the door several times, making the door latch get stuck.

Another connection problem is when the core structure is damaged. This could happen after an accident. At this point, the latch might be disconnected from the lock assembly, causing the not-opening problem.

Solution: using an emergency unlocking tool and opening the inside part.

If the latch is stuck as a result of the above problems, the solution is getting an emergency tool used to unlock it. Next, take the emergency tool and try to pull the stuck latch. Apart from the emergency tool, a hanger can also be used. But when using a hanger, you need to be keen to avoid scratching the door or even the window.

If there is a broken part or the latch is disconnected, the solution is to remove the door’s inside part and connect the latch back or replace the damaged piece for the door to work again.

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Rust and Dirt Accumulation

Driving your car results in dirt accumulating on the surfaces that you don’t regularly clean. When this dirt accumulates coupling up with rust, the doors of your car get jammed.

Rust will gather over time in your car’s lock assembly. The door latch will then jam due to the dust accumulation in the door lock assembly. In some cases, this problem is usually because of interior parts being broken by hitting objects or small accidents.

Solution: The Lubrication Method

You will notice that your key fails to turn when it is in the lock. At times the key will have difficulties going into the lock due to the accumulated dirt and rust. The solution to this challenge is lubrication.

Use graphite powder or dry spray to lubricate the car door lock. Alternatively, if you have WD40, spray it directly into the door lock, and it will free the lock. Be warned, however, that WD40 is a temporary solution. You need to apply a dry lubricant for longer-lasting effects.

Broken Lock

Whenever you have a broken lock, your car’s door will not open from either the inside or outside. You don’t have to panic if this happens since there is an easy fix. A broken lock is also an indicator that you have some weak parts in your car that demand your attention.

Solution: Repair

For this repair method, you have to remove your door’s inside panel to do a thorough check. Investigate whether you have any broken parts.

Use a screwdriver to detach the screws that adhere to the door panel. Start with the screws at the bottom of the panel as you work your way up. Be sure to remember where each screw goes so that you will have an easy time when screwing them back.

Be very careful as you disconnect the electrical connections in the door panel. After you have unscrewed every screw, carefully detach the panel. If it does not come off with ease, slightly lift the panel upwards as you shake.

If your car has a plastic cover in the inner part of the panel, be sure to remove it as well as you master how it aligns itself. Now you have a clear vision of the panel’s interior.

Repair bent parts that you see without applying too much force that would break them. You will also be able to observe the reaction when you pull the door handle.

If the problem is your door is failing to open from the outside, check the metal rods in the panel’s interior. Fix the rods that are not working correctly. Fix the panel back to its original position with the help of the screws. And just like that, voilà, you can now comfortably open the doors.

Wrapping Up

Your car’s door may fail to open due to easy fix problems such as a stuck safety belt, child lock, or a deadlock safety feature. You may also have a broken lock, connection problems, or accumulated rust and dirt. Use the techniques in this article to deal with each problem individually.

FAQ

1. How can I fix a car door that can’t open from the interior?

If your car is failing to open from inside, check whether it’s automatically locked. Also examine whether the door handle is in good condition.

2. My car is failing to open from the outside, what would be the problem?

There are several reasons for a car failing to open from the outside. For example, there might be deadlock problems, broken locks, problems with handles, dirt, rust, automatic locking.

3. What do I do if I forget my keys in the vehicle?

There are multiple ways of fixing the problem. You can use an inflatable tool to open it or use a tow truck tool.