OK, SO I GO OUTSIDE ON A WHIM TO SEE IF THE DOOR WILL OPEN.... IT DID!

then it shut, so i think cool, i opened it and tried to close it again........ITS SCREWED!!!!! WONT CLOSE!!!!! NOW its stuck open, because being the *** that I am, I moved the mechanism in the door to the position where it would be if it was closed, AND IT WILL NOT ACTIVATE with EITHER handle!!!!!!

crap, im a fool, soooo the door is open all night now and the car is rendered undriveable until the door is fixed somehow.... i guess i will rin a hairdrier on it in the morning... i feel soooooo utterly stupid! if there is some trick to release the latch PLEASE let me know!!!!!!!

i did the same to the drivers side to see if i was out of my mind, and it works fine, it simply 'pops' open when i use either handle, but the pass side is now stuck, unfortunately OPEN, GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR




i washed my car do de salt it and mustve got lots of moisture in the latches... was 12 degrees f and the passenger door opened but wouldnt close! then when i got it to close, it WILL NOT OPEN from inside or out...

I drove home and the interior was warm, but no luck, at least its stuck closed [:@]


please help

Try putting a heating pad or keep rotating on hot towels to bring up the temp in the door. Just dont let the water refreeze if you use a hot towel.

thank you for getting back so quick good sir!! I will try after dinnder then in the morning if no luck...

do you think i "broke" anything??? i can 'feel' the lock mechanism activate in the latch area, and hear it.... I hope I did no damage

probably not. Locks and other stuff can get frozen, it just happens.

thanks again, I'll update when I get it working[X(]

heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelpppppppppppp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!


see first post update

well, you need to warm it up. Use a hair dryer, heat gun, radient heater, ect. Becareful you don't heat the paint too much tho. You can get lock de-icer from walmart or pretty much anywhere, but is sounds like the mechnisum.

I'd just buy a $40 radient heater (ie: mr. heater) and call it a day. You can use it when you work on your car too.

no luck yet, trying to heat the door w the hair drier and its 10 flippin degrees out....


is the mechanism to activate that latch electronic? it seems to be...at least partially

i have never had a car lock up on me like this in my life...stupid... doesnt it get cold in germany?[&:]

ok, i heated it up and it worked....


BUT of course it is still cold and will be for the whole winter.... does anyone know of a way to prevent this (please no 'build a heated garage' comments)

and also i noticed through this experience that the pass door has a bit of play when closed while the driv door has none, just 2-3mm but its there, any suggestions to tighten this up??? should I bring it to the stealer for adjustment?

thanks for your help folks

Barrett

As in the pass. door moves up and down?
Could be from the ice you had in there. First thing I'd do is make sure the hinges are clean.
Be prepared for this...


I've found it more frustrating to be at the gas station, and not be able to fuel up!
Even with the ice removed, the bastage of a gas flap likes to freeze shut. A hairdryer or flathead screw driver work well to get it open.