Door Key Lock doesnt work, advice?
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
Door Key Lock doesnt work, advice?
Hi, my passenger door lock stoped working, I have to unlock/lock the door from the inside. The driverside door lock still works but sometimes it wont unlock from the outside and I am stuck for like 5 min trying to get the door to unlock, turning the key back and forth until it finally unlocks. Do I need to get a locksmith to fix this or is there any tricks I can do to fix this? would puting grease or wd40 in the key hole do anything? or do I need to take the door appart and see if something is loose? this is on my 69 and you can see the lock move on the inside of the door when I move the key on the outside but sometimes when it wont unlock you can see the lever/dial on the inside of the door doesnt look like it is moving all the way to the open position. Any advice would help thanks
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,652
Likes: 80
From: Lakeland Florida
You will need to take the door apart. There are a couple of things that can be wrong with this. The part of the keylock that is on the inside of the door has an oval shaped metal shim that has a hole in it where the rod that leads to the door lock is.
If the metal shim is worn down it will not stop against a small tab on the lock, and that is why the key will keep turning.
A second reason may be one of the two rods that connect the key lock to the door lock on the arm rest. The rod from the key lock goes down to a hinged bracket, and then a horizontal rod goes from this bracket to the door lock. These may either be out of adjustment, or the tabs that hold them in place or loose.
If it is the key lock itself you can either order it online, or go to a parts store and buy a new set. But your door locks and your ignition lock will not be the same.
If it is a rod adjustment, you have to find the special lock tabs to keep the rods in place.
kdf
If the metal shim is worn down it will not stop against a small tab on the lock, and that is why the key will keep turning.
A second reason may be one of the two rods that connect the key lock to the door lock on the arm rest. The rod from the key lock goes down to a hinged bracket, and then a horizontal rod goes from this bracket to the door lock. These may either be out of adjustment, or the tabs that hold them in place or loose.
If it is the key lock itself you can either order it online, or go to a parts store and buy a new set. But your door locks and your ignition lock will not be the same.
If it is a rod adjustment, you have to find the special lock tabs to keep the rods in place.
kdf
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Wildboar: purchase the assembly instruction manual (AIM) and GM chassis service manual for your model year. Both will be helpful when working on your car, including door lock rods.
If you do not have an owner's manual with the car, order a reproduction. There is a lot of valuable information in the owner's manual.
If you do not have an owner's manual with the car, order a reproduction. There is a lot of valuable information in the owner's manual.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
Wildboar: purchase the assembly instruction manual (AIM) and GM chassis service manual for your model year. Both will be helpful when working on your car, including door lock rods.
If you do not have an owner's manual with the car, order a reproduction. There is a lot of valuable information in the owner's manual.
If you do not have an owner's manual with the car, order a reproduction. There is a lot of valuable information in the owner's manual.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,142
Likes: 54
From: Taylor Michigan
if the key turns the lock cylinder the answer is inside the door ....don't go out and buy the key and cylinder...inside its pretty much straight forward with a couple of long rods and throttle type 'clips available at most parts stores or hardware's
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
All the aftermarket providers carry the AIMs, service manuals, and owner's manuals. Pick a vendor you like.
You might want to consider looking for a copy of this while you're at it:
You might want to consider looking for a copy of this while you're at it:
Last edited by Easy Mike; Nov 25, 2011 at 09:13 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,114
From: Crossville TN
The cylinder could be gummed up inside. Shoot some graphite or white lithium lube into the lock cylinder (via small tube pushed into the key 'flap'); then work the key back and forth a few times and try it again. If the lock pins are stuck in an "UP" position, it still won't open.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 539
Likes: 3
From: Twin Cities Minnesota
Is your key really worn out? they are made of brass and wear out, do you have a spare (you should) does it work any better?
A new key can be cut by code to get back to original depths. You can drive to a locksmith and they can check it out and tell you what is wrong before you take things apart. Make sure you go to a reputable locksmith, dont just call a phone number.
You can put in a different cylinder and have it keyed to the original so you dont have different keys for the glove box/alarm.
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