Miata door lock. :-(

[AutobahnSHO]

MIL borrowed the Miata yesterday- I told her to be careful with the trunk, I bent a key trying to open it one time. It opens fine if you wiggle a bit and make sure it's turning..

So instead she locks the doors. I never have- I figure I don't keep anything valuable and I don't want someone slashing the top...
Well, the passenger side won't unlock.

At first the key didn't turn. I messed with the latch, pushing on the door to relieve pressure, whatever. I try from inside and the slider only goes halfway, I go back outside and now the key turns all the way both directions but isn't unlocking. It only moves the slider a tiny bit too (not even as much as I can do manually.)

Any ideas without taking the door apart? (from inside)
I can't get the door open at all right now.

[Rupert]

You could try the 'ole graphic lubricant in the lock cylinder trick, but I don't think that'll work.

Might help with the trunk, though. :P

[MX793]

Sounds like the lock rods detached from the key cylinder.  You may want to call a locksmith.  Not sure if a slim jim will work if the rods are detached.

[hotrodalex]

Sounds like the lock rods detached from the key cylinder.  You may want to call a locksmith.  Not sure if a slim jim will work if the rods are detached.

Those are fun to reattach...

[VTEC_Inside]

I pulled a smooth move once. My brother had a '94 Corolla with a busted rear door handle.

At some point I flipped the child lock on, oops... Now neither door handle worked.

On that car I was able to get the door panel off with the door closed and finish the job. I don't know how feasible that is on the Miata, but you have limited options so...

[Onslaught]

Try lube in the lock.


If that won't work you can get a miata interior door panel off without the door open. It will take some work and you'll be calling God different names at times but it can be down. From there you can get to everything you need when that's off.

[Secret Chimp]

The locking mechanism itself holds on to a rod with a single plastic clip that loops around the rod and snaps shut (rod is hooked on one end to keep from sliding out). It sounds like you may have broken that clip.

An easier thing than taking the whole door off may be to just take the back of the interior door handle off. If the clip on the doorhandle end broke (vs the actual lock end) you might be able to get it open by just manually pulling on the rod.

[AutobahnSHO]

Thanks guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll start with the interior door handle. If that fails, then I'll take the door apart. I assume I would have to- in order to repair it anyway..

I'm too cheap for a locksmith, that's last resort.

[Onslaught]

If all you need is the rod clip then I could have one at the shop someplace.

[Byteme]

Thanks guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll start with the interior door handle. If that fails, then I'll take the door apart. I assume I would have to- in order to repair it anyway..

I'm too cheap for a locksmith, that's last resort.

If you do have to resort to a locksmith drive the car to them.  Cheaper than a housecall. 

FWIW, the locksmith I've used doesn't recommend graphite.  He says just give each keyhole a shot of WD40 every 6 months or so.  Doing that made a world of difference on the used F150 we bought.

[Rupert]

WD40? That's not really a lubricant, as I'm sure you know. What's his reasoning?

[MX793]

WD40? That's not really a lubricant, as I'm sure you know. What's his reasoning?

Actually, it does have some lubricating properties.  It's not its primary function, but it does leave a water-repelling, corrosion inhibiting layer on parts that is semi-lubricious.  I've had good luck in the past smoothing out car door locks with WD40.  Zep 45 (which is Teflon infused) works pretty well too.

[Byteme]

WD40? That's not really a lubricant, as I'm sure you know. What's his reasoning?

He recommended it, I tried it, it works.  I didn't press for details. 

[Rupert]

Actually, it does have some lubricating properties.  It's not its primary function, but it does leave a water-repelling, corrosion inhibiting layer on parts that is semi-lubricious.  I've had good luck in the past smoothing out car door locks with WD40.  Zep 45 (which is Teflon infused) works pretty well too.

Lubricating properties /= lubricant.

[Secret Chimp]

Oh stop being all booty bothered about semantics.

[hotrodalex]

WD-40 does anything you want it to do. Kinda like duct tape.

[MX793]

Lubricating properties /= lubricant.

According to WD40, it is a lubricant.

http://www.wd40.com/faqs/#a97

[Onslaught]

WD40 is almost as magical as marvel mystery oil. And it says mild lubricant on the back of the can.

[AutobahnSHO]

UPDATE

So the door actually wasn't at all bad to get off. Three screws to take the armrest/handle off, one for the door latch back. Lucky I have those tools to get the plastic whatever you call pin/fasteners off but I only used that for the speaker cover.

Then I started at the bottom and went speaker towards the back of the car pulling the fasteners out- fingers worked fine. Then lift the whole panel up towards the back of the window, I was worried about the fasteners behind the dash but it all came off pretty easy.
-More gross is that black goopy glue that keeps the plastic covering the metal inside the door. I tore the plastic accidentally.

ANYWAY

There is a little half-inch spring which was dangling off the mechanism and missing the other end.  Manually I can push the lock assembly and get it to unlock (and door open) and it locks back up easy. But the slide inside and the key mechanism don't push the whole assembly far enough without that little spring to unlock it.

I'll have to get a spring (not too crazy) but harder is getting a diagram of where it goes and getting it attached to wherever it's supposed to go- there isn't much clearance to get your hands into the door and do work there.

For now I'm leaving the rod disconnected so the kids can't lock it from the inside- and I know not to use the key outside. I'll put the panel back on and have to tackle it some other time..   Sigh.

[Onslaught]

UPDATE




-More gross is that black goopy glue that keeps the plastic covering the metal inside the door. I tore the plastic accidentally.

Try working on that shit in the summer when it's melted and gets all over EVERY FUCKING THING including you. The good news is most manufactures have gone away from that shit. Honda still likes to put it all over everything they can however.

[AutobahnSHO]

Try working on that shit in the summer when it's melted and gets all over EVERY FUCKING THING including you. The good news is most manufactures have gone away from that shit. Honda still likes to put it all over everything they can however.

One more reason I'm not a professional mechanic.
(except reason #1 is I'm a total klutz.)

[Rupert]

According to WD40, it is a lubricant.

http://www.wd40.com/faqs/#a97

Not on my lubricatable parts!

[AutobahnSHO]

problem with wd-40 is it also has solvents in it. Which wash away lubricants.

"The long-term active ingredient is a non-volatile, viscous oil which remains on the surface, providing lubrication and protection from moisture.[4] This is diluted with a volatile hydrocarbon to give a low viscosity fluid which can be sprayed and thus penetrate crevices. The volatile hydrocarbon then evaporates, leaving the oil behind. A propellant (originally a low-molecular weight hydrocarbon, now carbon dioxide) provides gas pressure in the can to force the liquid through the spray nozzle, then evaporates away."

but
WD-40's main ingredients, according to U.S. Material Safety Data Sheet information, are:
51% Stoddard solvent
25% liquefied petroleum gas (presumably as a propellant; carbon dioxide is now used instead to reduce WD-40's considerable flammability)
15+% mineral oil (light lubricating oil)
10-% inert ingredients

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WD-40

[Rupert]

I use it for stuff like the Annual Loosening of Hi-Lift Jacks.

[sparkplug]

youtube miata lock actuator... maybe you'll find something.

[TurboDan]

PB Blaster owns all in lubrication/loosening... 

[Eye of the Tiger]

PB Blaster owns all in lubrication/loosening... 

It also moisturizes and protects your skin, while giving you a pleasant scent!

[Rupert]

PB is also not a lubricant.

[J86]

It also moisturizes and protects your skin, while giving you a pleasant scent!

 

That's how I feel about Gojo

[Rupert]

Gojo makes a great axle grease.