Broken door lock?
Having a broken car door lock might not be the most serious situation your car's ever encountered, but it can make you feel "out of commission" nonetheless. After all, your car's lock is vital to feeling safe, and at least erasing the feeling that some one may steal one of your possessions or - worse yet - your car itself. If you need to fix your car door lock in a hurry, this article will be your guide.
First, you'll want to make sure that everything is working well - not just the car lock itself. If you're having trouble using your remote locking mechanism attached to your keychain, then you may want to check the batteries. Believe it or not, this can actually be a relatively common problem with an easy fix: simply replace the batteries in your remote mechanism and give it a test. If your car locks still aren't budging, it's time to move on to the next step.
What is that next step? You'll want to check all of the door locks in your car and see how they're working. If they're all not functioning, then you likely have a problem with a blown fuse. If only one car door lock isn't functioning, then the problem may be with that door lock's solenoid. Now you know where to go in order to fix your locking problem: the answer should lie either with the individual lock or the fuse that is connected to every power lock on your car.
If you're looking at a problem with an individual lock, you'll need to determine what the problem exactly is - it will most likely lie with the wires or the lock mechanism itself. If you can open the door and take a look at the lock, making sure to move it up and down if you can, you should try to see if the lock makes "attempts" at locking. If this is the case, then you're looking at a frozen lock mechanism. If not, you may want to look at the wiring of your lock; this will often call for a replacement.
The car door lock is an important and sometimes tricky thing to figure out. If you have too many doubts about what the problem is, simply contact a professional who can make the right diagnosis. At the very least, see if you can get in touch with a friend who's interested in cars.
Photo Credits: Paul Kehrer
Originally posted 2009-09-04 03:23:57.
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Posted by Fix Handyman on July 6, 2010 in
Car, How to Fix, Locks, Locksmith, Mechanic, doors
Stuck door lock?
Nothing's more frustrating than coming home from a tough day at work only to find that the key you use every day to get into your home isn't working like it should. If it's sticking in the door lock and you know your door knob is the culprit, this article will teach you how to lubricate your door lock to running more smoothly. If you've ever seen the Tin Man's appearance in "The Wizard of Oz," you're already halfway there!
First, understand how to diagnose a sticky lock that simply needs lubrication. A good way to conduct this test is simple: try turning the key in your door's lock even as the door is open. If there's still stickiness, then there's a good chance that you'll need to use the lubrication.
So what kind of lubrication do you use? First, remember that the lubrication you apply into the door lock will likely be staying there. For that reason, you'll want to use something that won't cause problems down the road. Graphite powder will work for you. Why not use a petroleum-based oil? You can, but remember that it could stay in there and collect dust, and even get on your key. If you've used a lubrication of a certain type in your doorknob before, try to use the same one, as you don't want to mix lubricants.
To use the graphite powder, insert the squeeze-tube pointing upwards into the door lock, squeezing the tube a few times to shoot the powder into the lock. Make sure that you apply the powder to the door bolt, as well, just to make sure you have your bases covered.
After applying the powder, use your key to insert into the lock and turn it over and over, moving the graphite powder around to as many areas as possible.
Once you've done this, you shouldn't have any more problems with your door lock, unless the problem isn't with the lubrication. There might be something wrong with the door knob itself, in which case you'll need to make more extensive repairs or even replace it. If you find yourself pushing or pulling the door in order to get the lock to work, then your door's alignment is the problem.
If the graphite powder did the trick, you should be ready to use your door lock easily again! Enjoy, and make sure to stay on top of your home improvement so that you never need to get frustrated after those tough days at work. Fixing your job is another story!
Photo Credits: René Ehrhardt
Originally posted 2009-12-19 03:20:15.
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Posted by Fix Handyman on May 17, 2010 in
Handyman, How to Fix, Locks, Locksmith, doors
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