Re: [DML] Door Locks Locking Up?

[Todd Nelson <tan5732@xxxxxxx>]

Robert,

Sounds like you have the problem fixed.  However I have heard of issues 
revolving around the fact that the car has two striker posts and therefore 
LATCHES twice and LOCKS twice, the issue is that either one of the locking 
arms will get out of sync and fail to lock/unlock.  A solution that I have 
seen is to disable the LOCKING portion of the system on one of the striker 
posts, this prevents the whole system from getting out of sync and failing 
to lock/unlock.  Keep in mind you are only disabling the locking portion on 
ONE post, both posts will still latch closed for safety but only one will 
lock.  This is a simple fix and allows you to keep using the original system 
instead of buying an expensive ZILLA system.  That is unless you have 
damaged your solenoids beyond repair by allowing them to receive constant 
power.

Todd


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert Moseley" <videobob@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2004 9:31 PM
Subject: [DML] Door Locks Locking Up?


> Your door seals have you locked in.
> Read more to find out what I mean......
>
> Many of us have suffered from frozen door locks.
> My drivers side door has always worked fine, but the passenger door
> from time to time would sometimes lock, and would need to be flipped
> back and forth a few times before you could get it.
> I thought that $440 on a Lock-ZILLA with a remote would have solved
> the problem but it had no effect.
> All it did was lock me out from remote!
>
> This time it locked up good.
> I haven't been able to get in the passenger side for weeks.
> Today I had to do something about it.
> So from the inside I began to rip the door apart.
> After messing with for a while it magicly opened.
>
> I assumed, like most of you that the problem was the solonoid,
> so I took it out to clean it...but it seemed fine, operated smooth
> and seemed to be strong.
> It worked strong and quick LOCKING, but UNlocking it sometimes
> it would not budge. Even if you dissconnected the ZILLA box and tried
> to push it with your thumb it was stuck and would not move.
>
> Well I am here to tell you that after I pulled the solonoid, all the
> rods and linkages, and the door latches out and cleaned them with WD40
> and then relubed them with silicone and put everything back
> together....... NOTHING HAPPENED. It was still doing the same crap!
>
> So I did some major investigation on the door latches and figured out
> how they work. I notived that unless the latch was all the way in the
> closed position that the mechanism would not allow itself to move
> into the UNLOCKED position, or rather allow the door handle rod
> linkage to catch the latch release.
> With this knowledge being truth, it MUST mean that the reason the door
> locks are malfunctioning is because my door is not closed all the way
> or at least the latch has not been forced all the way inside by the
> striker and the door is being held tight my the rubber door seals just
> enough to keep it closed.
>
> Long story short, after making some adjustments to move the striker
> pins UP and OUT (about the 10:00 position) the door latches TIGHTER
> than it did before and the locks work smoothly in either direction.
>
> YEEAAAAHHHH!!!!
>
> But how did this happen in the first place?
> Ok, all of us know what it is like to give someone a ride for the
> first time... when they first attepmt to close the door from the
> inside they pull it down a little and it catches but doesn't close all
> the way. Usually the front latch catches and the back is hanging
> becuase of the position of the door handle.
> (this problem was solved with the addition of the pull straps in the
> doors) ...now you need to explain to them how to open the door and to
> close it harder. This time they turn into the Incredible HULK and slam
> it down! Same thing when they get out of the car.
> Over time the stricker pins get pushed down a little at a time if they
> are tightend down as much as they should be.
> The pin is too far down to catch inside the latch all the way.
> Another scenerio is that the bone head who owns the car, (that would
> be me) decides to make some adjustments to the strikers because the
> door is rattling. Why would the door rattle?
> Because my cheap ass has not replaced my leaky shredded door seals
> and now they are flat and not giving pressure to the door making a
> good seal, so the door rattles.... so I just assumed that moving the
> pins down a notch would make the door close MORE - WRONG.
>
> So I hope this information will help someone having the same problem.
> Sometimes the solution is not to replace parts, but to simply adjust
> them. 20 something years can do wonders to a car.
>
> If you have some simular experience with this subject I would love to
> hear your thoughts.
>
> Hope this helps!
> - Videobob
> VIN#5278
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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