Driver door not locking

[anonymous-user]

Hi everyone,

After gaining entry via the super secret way in, the drivers door now wont lock. Ive moved the seals over the glass edge as that of course wont drop, and when I push the door hard, I can hear the lock click as the door meets the lock, but it wont engage.

Can some kind soul PM me if there's something I have to do to "rest" the entry method. The battery is out for long terms cleaning/upgrading, I could pop it back in to just close her up I guess.

TIA
SteveC

[Tanguero]

YHM

[anonymous-user]

Unfortunately Peters advice doesn't seem to have worked, so I reconnected the battery and the mechanism works ok, mirror button activates the mechanism, but there's no resistance to the catch, so the door pops open.

If I "lock" the catch I can still use the other method to open the door, so that seems ok and Ive not broken anything there!!

Any further suggestions by PM?

S

[JensenA]

I might be mis-understanding the problem, but the doors should 'pop' open when you press the button. When the door is closed can you push it open from the inside without pressing the button? If you can't open it, then the mechanism would appear to be working OK.
If your having problems with the window not dropping, then that is a separate issue. Drop the windows fully, close the door and plip the remote, the windows should rise and close.

[anonymous-user]

Sorry if I've not explained, the battery is out as I'm taking the car off road to do some longer term cleaning and upgrading, so I used the secret way in. Now the driver door will not lock even with the battery in or out, the actuator works as normal, the window drops when the battery is in and the mirror button is pressed..

I can still use the secret way in to unlock the car however, so I don't think I've broken the unlock method.

[Tanguero]

I believer that there is some adjustment on the solenoid actuator rod in the door latch, if its too tight it might stop the latch from engaging. It might be worth having a fiddle with that.

If you are careful you can ease the trim panel behind the door out of the door seal and reach a hand in. You can even get the whole catch mechanism out that way but it is very very fiddly to get it back again!

[JensenA]

I'm still confused!! So wether the battery is In or Out, you are unable to lock the door, but you are still able to unlock the door by the secret method? Implying that the door is locked?? If it's locked, your problem is solved, the door IS locking.
The solenoid doesn't lock or unlock the car, it simply replicates the action of a normal manual, 'pull to open' handle.

[anonymous-user]

JensenA said:

I'm still confused!! So wether the battery is In or Out, you are unable to lock the door, but you are still able to unlock the door by the secret method? Implying that the door is locked?? If it's locked, your problem is solved, the door IS locking.
The solenoid doesn't lock or unlock the car, it simply replicates the action of a normal manual, 'pull to open' handle.

Yes that's what is confusing me too!!

I can move the lock finger into the locked position with a screw driver, but I can also "unlock" just by flicking it with my fingers, ie there's no resistance when in the "locked" position. So its not holding the door shut when I close it. But if I move the lock in to the "locked" position, I can still unlock it with the secret method and with the handle in the drivers floor.

In retrospect I should have just reconnected the battery in the first place and suffered the alarm going mental instead!!

[Tanguero]

Sounds like the catch is knackered!

[anonymous-user]

Tanguero said:

Sounds like the catch is knackered!

Never been any problem prior to yesterday...that would be a bit strange no?

[Tanguero]

Well things do break...

It might be worth trying to get your hand into the back of the latch mechanism in case something is stuck. Failing that you will probably have to take it out so see what is wrong.

[Humsing]

At the risk of sounding really stupid, it's not because one of the manual releases inside the car is in the 'pulled out' position? I know the first time I used the secret method that the door exhibited these symptoms.

Am happy to be shot down in flames as a complete buffoon

[tejr]

I tried the emergency release from inside the cabin once and the door wouldn't stay closed after that when I tried to close it again.. I think I either had to pull on the manual release a few times again or click the internal and/or external door open buttons a few times and it 'synch'ed itself back up again..

It was as though the door catch was stuck in the closed position..

[anonymous-user]

Tanguero said:

Well things do break...

Bang on....cable snapped....got it closed now, thanks for your help mate.

And all to just put a bag of silica gel in the cabin to keep her dry.

[Tanguero]

Glad you got her sorted!!!

The trouble with the cables is they get used so infrequently that they rot away. There isn't even a good way of greasing them that I can think of. I hope its not too much of a nightmare to replace.

Edited by Tanguero on Monday 5th December 23:56

[anonymous-user]

Tanguero said:

Glad you got her sorted!!!

The trouble with the cables is they get used so infrequently that they rot away. There isn't even a good way of greasing them that I can think of. I hope its not too much of a nightmare to replace.

Edited by Tanguero on Monday 5th December 23:56

I'm sure replacing it will be a Royal PITA and not cheap either having just seen the cable replacement....£34.38 + VAT....jeez.

Strangely what I could see of the cable it looked in perfect condition, it is/was quite a thin cable tho and appears to have frayed/snapped where it goes through the rear of the pillar space towards the boot. The aperture it routes through was quite tight and looked a bit rough. It would be good to open that out a touch and put a sleeve inside to help the movement in some way....if thats possible in any way at all.

Edited by djstevec on Tuesday 6th December 12:26