82 door locked, will not open
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 31,497
Likes: 1,313
From: Huntsville AL
82 door locked, will not open
I am working on a 1982 Corvette. The power door locks do NOT work. The drivers door was locked with the key on the outside, and now it will not unlock.
The passenger door works fine; it locks and unlocks from the outside lock.
Any suggestions for resolving this locked drivers door would be greatly appreciated.
I am planning on removing the drivers door panel with the door closed and locked, which will be a challenge.
All ideas greatly appreciated.
Ed
emccomas57@gmail.com
The passenger door works fine; it locks and unlocks from the outside lock.
Any suggestions for resolving this locked drivers door would be greatly appreciated.
I am planning on removing the drivers door panel with the door closed and locked, which will be a challenge.
All ideas greatly appreciated.
Ed
emccomas57@gmail.com
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2012
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From: Summerville SC
Maybe lower the window on the DS and take a look inside. If you are lucky the black plastic cover is gone and you can see all of the components. Squirt some PB Blsster into all of the parts of thew lock, let it set, then try moving the key or the lock ****.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 31,497
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From: Huntsville AL
Great idea, thanks.
Le Mans Master
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From: mount holly NC
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From: Summerville SC
Those 2 screws hold the black plastic ANTI THEFT or whatever it is called plastic cover in place over the locking mechanism. It covers the parts the Mr Peterbuilt showed in his pic.And yes the door needs to be open to reach them. Like I said, if you were lucky the last guy didn't replace those covers the last time the door was off.
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Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 31,497
Likes: 1,313
From: Huntsville AL
I was in the door a while back and i did NOT see the black plastic covers. I am assuming they were removed by a previous owner.
Thanks for all of the advice, I believe that going through the lowered window opening and moving the locking mechanism will allow me to open the door.
Stay tuned.
Thanks for all of the advice, I believe that going through the lowered window opening and moving the locking mechanism will allow me to open the door.
Stay tuned.
2026 Loser of the Year
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From: New Or-leens Loo-z-anna
I don't know if your car has the small horizontal wedge above the striker, but I closed my door after remving the rotted weatherstrip and the door wedge slid past the pillar wedge. The door was "locked solid". I had to use a flat-tip long skinny screwdriver to get the door wedge to slip over the pillar wedge which allowed the door to open.
Call me "Rookie".
Call me "Rookie".
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 31,497
Likes: 1,313
From: Huntsville AL
I have tried everything that was suggested in this thread. No luck! The door is still locked closed. The black plastic cover is in place, which makes access difficult.
I am prepared to cut the black plastic cover out of the way, but I prefer not to.
Any other suggestions for getting the door either unlocked or opened. Once opened I can remove the door panel and work with the lock mechanism. The car is a power lock car, and the power lock switches do not work.
Suggestions greatly appreciated.
I am prepared to cut the black plastic cover out of the way, but I prefer not to.
Any other suggestions for getting the door either unlocked or opened. Once opened I can remove the door panel and work with the lock mechanism. The car is a power lock car, and the power lock switches do not work.
Suggestions greatly appreciated.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 31,497
Likes: 1,313
From: Huntsville AL
The problem is that I locked the door with the key and cannot unlock it with the key. The passenger door locks and unlocks with the key just fine. The drivers door is still locked, and I cannot get it unlocked or opened. The mechanism is well lubricated.
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From: Summerville SC
One last thought. Can you move the door in or out, just a little. On my 78 when I was trying to adjust the stryker if I had it positioned in too far the door handles would not open the door even when it was unlocked and I had no in or out movement of the door. Any chance that got messed up? That is all I got to contribute. And my crossed fingers. 
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 31,497
Likes: 1,313
From: Huntsville AL
One last thought. Can you move the door in or out, just a little. On my 78 when I was trying to adjust the stryker if I had it positioned in too far the door handles would not open the door even when it was unlocked and I had no in or out movement of the door. Any chance that got messed up? That is all I got to contribute. And my crossed fingers.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 31,497
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From: Huntsville AL
I am still fighting with the 82 drivers door. It is locked and will not unlock.
I have a few questions:
Referring to the above pictures of moving the "door latch" and the "door lock mechanism" with a screwdriver through the window opening:
1. Can the door latch be pushed to open the door if the door lock mechanism is in the locked position?
2. Does the rod that is originally connected to the door lock mechanism have to be connected when moving the door lock mechanism?
3. Is there anything else that I need to move / push / pull to get the door open?
Thanks for your help on this.
I have a few questions:
Referring to the above pictures of moving the "door latch" and the "door lock mechanism" with a screwdriver through the window opening:
1. Can the door latch be pushed to open the door if the door lock mechanism is in the locked position?
2. Does the rod that is originally connected to the door lock mechanism have to be connected when moving the door lock mechanism?
3. Is there anything else that I need to move / push / pull to get the door open?
Thanks for your help on this.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 4,782
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From: Lebanon Pa
When you use a screwdriver on the door lock mechanism, give the screwdriver a quick slap down, it should release. Mine was caked with hardened grease mixed with dirt, I ended up taking the mechanism off and giving them a good cleaning and new grease. Good luck.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 31,497
Likes: 1,313
From: Huntsville AL
I did finally manage to get the door opened using the suggestions above in this thread.
I cleaned and lubricated the door latch mechanism and all is now fine.
Many thanks all.
I cleaned and lubricated the door latch mechanism and all is now fine.
Many thanks all.