Help! Car door locked shut!

[Other Daniel]

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

Glad it’s not just me then.

TLDR = Too Long ; Didn't Read

 

[Nomad]

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

Absolute worst case - break one of the easy-to-replace widows, it might take time to replace it but will be alot easier (and impossible to tell when it's done) rather that trying to match paintwork on a new door etc..

 

[Guineafowl]

TLDR = Too Long ; Didn't Read

Quicker than writing ‘summary’. Other than the time you spend explaining what it means…

 

[ukracer]

TLDR = Too Long ; Didn't Read

? But it was the OP who posted on a brand new thread. I just assumed it was a type/model of car. Lol

 

[MetalMonkey]

@Kram I'd suggest if you can edit your original post it might be worth sticking a disclaimer at the top in bold saying you are not actually locked out of the car and still have access - otherwise I can see most of the replies being about how to get into the car rather than fix the issue you are having.

As for the problem, I’d say you are in the best possible situation to resolve it. Most of the time when these things fail the biggest job is trying to remove the door trim with the door stuck shut.
To have the trim off and access to the actuator rods is half the battle won.

As for actually freeing it off, it’s probably going to be one of those unique situations you are going to have to figure out - I doubt too many people have had exactly this specific issue.
If one of the bars is stuck on the metal shield, then that's probably the first thing to attack and see if you can free it off.

 

[Farside]

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

Taxicabs in London Don't Reverse.

 

[Keithmac]

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

My Mitsubishi GTO-TT uses ground side switching for some lights so it's a possibility.

Saying that I can't seen positive feed being live when the ignition is off.

 

[redlig]

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.

Possible case for a Slim Jim.

 

[Kram]

TLDR is a brief summary for those who are not going to read a long page of details just for the fun of it, and one of these people may have the answer.

@Kram I'd suggest if you can edit your original post it might be worth sticking a disclaimer at the top in bold saying you are not actually locked out of the car and still have access - otherwise I can see most of the replies being about how to get into the car rather than fix the issue you are having.

As for the problem, I’d say you are in the best possible situation to resolve it. Most of the time when these things fail the biggest job is trying to remove the door trim with the door stuck shut.
To have the trim off and access to the actuator rods is half the battle won.

As for actually freeing it off, it’s probably going to be one of those unique situations you are going to have to figure out - I doubt too many people have had exactly this specific issue.
If one of the bars is stuck on the metal shield, then that's probably the first thing to attack and see if you can free it off.

I will ask for my summary to be appended tho I thought it was clear enough. Thanks.

The actuator rods currently do nothing.
I have removed the metal shield and freed off the jammed rod which has not resolved the problem.

I suspect the plastic gears have jumped out of position, stripped, or the computer has lost where they are. If I could map the connector pinout I may be able to power the motor directly, its a tiny DC thing and spins a worm gear.


Thanks for the ideas.

 

[JOEPRO]

@Kram This is a truly bizarre thread you have created. Why are you not saying what car make and model you are referring to? Should have been in post 1 to point out the obvious and several people trying to assist have asked the same thing.

 

[MetalMonkey]

Have you got access to a workshop manual, you can often work out the likely pinout by tracing back the wiring.

It sounds like it could already by knackered, so you don't have much to lose even if you disconnect the wiring and try jumping the pins to see what happens. I guess some will be contacts which you could tone out.

Depends how easy it is to reach the connector, or if you can break into it from another point in the harness.

 

[gaz1]

its a mazda front door lock

unit apears to be ackward to take apart even if you was too take out those screws on the plastic

 

[Morrisman]

TLDR = Too Long ; Didn't Read

But what does it possibly refer to right at the start of an opening message?

 

[MetalMonkey]

Think of it as saying "long story short"

 

[500e]

Undoing screws Won't release the lock from striker

 

[500e]

Undoing screws from lock won't release the striker /door
Had a Fiat Doblo with rear door like that, lock was solenoid driven though

 

[Kram]

Its my Mazda 6 2009, sorry I didnt make that clear earlier.

Door trim is off, have access to connector and the actuator rods but they do nothing. The door is locked so I dont have access to the catch, lock mounting screws or the door hinge.

I would happily drill into the inner door skin in the lock area if that would help things.

 

[minimutly]

Jeez, how to make a hard job harder. Stop inserting short cut acronyms nobody understands...

I had a similar issue with Mrs mms MG6. I decided to try to get at it from the inside, pointless exercise...
Asked a mate whos'e a techy fitter, he said try everything to get it to unlock, otherwise its a tin opener job.
So we unlocked, hit it, rinse repeat. After a very short while it opened. I bought a used lock.
These things are designed to stop thieves getting in, when they fail don't be suprised they lock you out.
Sh1t I know, but there you are...

 

[caprinut]

If op had given us the long story instead of a summary half these posts wouldn't be here. Never driven an MX6, driven a Ford Probe which was based on them, designed to replace the Ford Capri. designed by a woman who she claims for women she succeeded however women have a short attention span for cars with exceptions of course it lasted half long as the Capri and 1/6 the numbers and was never a GT racer apart from those taken by Zakspeed heavily rebuilt with midengined, rear wheel drive armed with a Cosworth BDA pity they didn't homologate that for the road, would have been worth owning.

 

[Kram]

The 6 and MX6 are very different cars! I did give the long story below the summary, your choice if you read it...
This, a couple weeks ago when I washed it..