Driver door locked me out.

[mytrplseven]

Had the car A/C converted over and now It's feeling habitable. On the way home, I stopped for lunch and locked the doors using my ignition key. when I came back I couldn't get in. I had to crawl in via the rear hatch and finally got the lock pin to pull up on the passenger door but no amount of pulling would get the driver side door to unlock. The car has the Central Locking System and you can hear and see the door pin move about 1/8 inch when activated using the door key or the security switch on the console. But, no amount of pulling, switching or button pushing will release the door lock. The inner door lever moves full travel but doesn't do anything. I deactivated the system pulling the fuse, disconnecting the battery and cussing, but to no avail. Anyone know how I can get the door lock to release? If I can get the door open, I can fix whatever is broke but I can't get in.

[kdjones2000]

Usually if you disconnect the battery, the key on the outside should work mechanically to unlock the door.

Try that if you haven't already, but if the inside door handle didn't open it either, then I am not sure, short of removing the inside door panel.

[irish44j]

give the door a bit of bump on the outside while turning the key. Maybe it got out of adjustment somehow and there's too much pressure on the latch for the key? IDK if this happens on these cars, but I know it happens on my e30.....

[mytrplseven]

Didn't help. I'm thinking of calling a locksmith to see if he can get it open with a "slim Jim" or something. Otherwise I may have to open the door panel the ugly way just to get it open.

[drkshdw]

What year is your car? If it's a late car there is a theft plate inside the door that covers the rods to prevent someone from using a slimjim to open the door. If that's the case you may have to go the cut-a-hole-in-the-door-panel route which is more common than necessary to get the door open.

[mytrplseven]

I guess an 86 turbo is an early car. We'll know pretty soon. The locksmith's coming over today.

[thomasryan]

Bend a thin screw driver and try to hook the lock arm.

[thom4782]

Just a suggestion...when you do get the door open, lubricate the locking mechanism on the door itself.

Strangely, after reading this post, I found my driver's side door almost impossible to open. After a few jiggles, locks and unlocks, it did open. I gave it a quick shot of spray lubricant and it now opens as smooth as butter. T

his may be a coincidence and it may not hold up, but for now things are working as expected once again.

[mytrplseven]

I wish it was something that easy but this is something electro-mechanical and I hope I can resolve it before I'm forced to start cutting a hole in the door card.

[grendiers]

Your car hates you!

[Bradical]

There is an electrical bug that can prevent the door from being opened from the outside AND inside? That's horrifying.

[thomasryan]

if the lock rod hasn't fallen off, try holding the key and pulling either release. you should be able to peek down inside with the window down.

[mytrplseven]

I have a good view of the mechanisms but just don't have a clear idea of what is going on to release this thing. When the electrics are on, the key or the inside console Central locking switch moves the lock pin on the top of the door about 1/8 inch and then it locks it back down. I watch the actuator move the mechanisms but it does the same thing. It also doesn't move far enough to release the door lock. With the power off, I still can't get it to release and haven't a clue what I should be pulling up to release it. The locksmith showed up but said he didn't bring the proper tools to affect a release. It's like doing brain surgery from the INSIDE. Some days it's just like that.

[thom4782]

Hi

When you mention power off, does this mean you disconnected the battery so there is no power anywhere in the car?

If you did this, does turning the key result in the pin at the top of the door moving just an 1/8th of in inch still. If so, then this sounds like an actuator problem to me or a mechanical problem with the connection between the actuator and the lock itself. The re-locking sounds like a bad actuator. I had just this behavior on my 986 with a bad micro switch in the unit.

Never seen inside a 944 door so I'm just guessing here in the hope it helps.

[mytrplseven]

Based on what you're saying I can see the actuator and it has nylon fittings coming out of it. Perhaps if I just unhook them (realizing I may damage them) perhaps I can get the rest of the mechanism to work. Hmmm. that bears serious consideration. Although nothing moves in the mechanism with the battery removed.

[mytrplseven]

Got it open. I had to unhook the nylon arm from the actuator and then using my special tool (pictured) and a little hammer tap, I forced the mechanism beyond the bind to release the lock. Now I can get the door panel off and find out why it was jammed. Thanks everyone for your offerings and opinions. Without which there would likely be a cereal bowl sized hole in the door card by now.

[jtehfreaks]

The solenoid on the actuator probably failed; it happened to my car but I was lucky enough to be able to force the lock open and still use my doors until I figured it out. Part number is 928-624-211-00.

[thomasryan]

when the alarm switch wasn't aligned properly with the lock tumbler, my car would relock itself immediately after unlocking it.

[thom4782]

I am going to make a promise to myself to stop reading 944 posts. Right after I first read this thread, my driver's side door became hard, but not impossible, to open. I thought a little lubricant fixed the problem, but it did not. Several times today, I could not open the door from either the outside or inside. In fact, I had to crawl out the passenger side at one point.

It turns out the mostly likely culprit is the door lock actuator. If I use the alarm system button to open the lock, I notice the the door button opens fully and then drops back down about 10%. If I press the inside or outside handle before the drop, the door opens easily. If I'm not fast enough, then the door partially re-locks and then game over. I can't open the door. So I push the alarm fob button again and open it if I'm fast enough.

Oh well, the car goes to the shop Friday to have the actuator serviced. Hoping this will take care of the problem and its not some weird electrical problem like a misaligned sensor.

[irish44j]

Just a thought: why not just delete the central locking? It's a 2-door car, not like you need to unlock back doors for the kids or anything.....

(spoken like someone with a 924S that doesn't have power locks!)