Locked out

[Morris]

Either my door handle is froze open, and is causing me to not be able to fully unlock my door, or the handle is broken. On the passenger side, the lock bar must've bent, cause recently the only way to unlock it is to open it from the inside, and lock it with the key on the outside (odd, I know. My problem now, is that I can't get in, cause I can't unlock the passenger door, and I can't get in through the drivers side.

Any ideas?

[DarkKnight]

Go inside get a pot. Put a few cups of water in said pot. Put pot on stove Eye. Turn stove on :P Bring to boil. Go out side. Gentley and slowly poor some over the handle lock area. If this dosent work. ( To unfreez ) Try once more. If still Unefective come back and will try to figure something else out

[Morris]

Go inside get a pot. Put a few cups of water in said pot. Put pot on stove Eye. Turn stove on :P Bring to boil. Go out side. Gentley and slowly poor some over the handle lock area. If this dosent work. ( To unfreez ) Try once more. If still Unefective come back and will try to figure something else out

Well, my internet isn't working at home, so I was hoping to get a round of ideas before I leave work.

[1990LTD]

That stuff is basically isopropyl alcohol, btw. If you have rubbing alcohol handy it will probably do just as well. Eye dropper or turkey baster to put it on/in the lock

[grandpaslincoln]

What he said. Pouring hot water on a frozen lock is just going to make it freeze again when it gets cold. Like trying to put a fire out with gasoline.

[1990LTD]

It'll work but not for long

[johnunit]

if you really, really can't do it, after trying everything, you might have to get it opened by a tow truck driver. I tried pretty much everything, and just shelled out the 50 bucks because it wasn't gonna go above freezing for another week or so.

Obviously, if it goes above freezing, get out there and try your best to get it open so you know if it's frozen (temporary) or broken (needs repairs).

[86GmLsCoupe]

You can always try warming a key with a lighter and giving it a couple tries in the cylinder. That has worked for me a few time in the past. Once you get in, perhaps you should rig a string to the inner handle and leave it hanging just slightly outside the over the top of the car door (by the b pillar). That way, at least until its fixed you can pull the string which will automatically pop the door open from inside. The locksmiths I've seen just tend to wedge the top of the door open in that same area (the weakest spot) and catch the handle from the inside with a hook.

[gadget73]

usually its the lock motor down in the door, not the key cylinder. If thats the case, once you get into the car, pull the lock solenoid out so your door locks work.

[MarC-MarQ]

LOL @ picture

usually its the lock motor down in the door, not the key cylinder. If thats the case, once you get into the car, pull the lock solenoid out so your door locks work.

yeap, the lock solinoinds where bad in my merc when i got it, so i pulled them, now i only have rear power locks, i like to think it a custom option, lol.

[Morris]

You can always try warming a key with a lighter and giving it a couple tries in the cylinder. That has worked for me a few time in the past. Once you get in, perhaps you should rig a string to the inner handle and leave it hanging just slightly outside the over the top of the car door (by the b pillar). That way, at least until its fixed you can pull the string which will automatically pop the door open from inside. The locksmiths I've seen just tend to wedge the top of the door open in that same area (the weakest spot) and catch the handle from the inside with a hook.

It's impossible to wedge the door open, it's inset.

[Morris]

anybody ever used a slim jim on one of these models?

[DarkKnight]

Be carefull with the sluimjim man. If you can offored it call a lock smith... SHoldent set u back but maybey 50 bucks and u wont bust ure lock. or something else.

[yucatecd]

Dear Panthers,
Here in Highland County (pop 2000), the cops will open your door for you. I'd think they'd be pretty friendly in ND too.

Donald McCaig

[johnunit]

Cop or tow truck driver.

I did it on a busy and cold day for 50 bucks Canadian from a Newfie with a mullet to slim jim the rear door, and he offered to give me a boost for free if the battery had died. Took all of 3 minute.