The door to the spare tire storage on my Criterion is stuck shut. My guess is that, because of sitting for 13 years, the door moulding has stuck to the frame. Before I get too hard-core with it, does anyone have any ideas?
Stuck door
- Thread starter Doug House
- Start date
Check to make sure it's not locked! 
I'm serious!
I'm serious!
Ya, ya. I know, I know. Funny guys! Reminds me of the moron who locked his keys in his car. It took him two hours to get his wife and kids out!
I've tried the lock in both directions. Unless it's broken inside, that's not the problem.
Richard, what direction do you turn the key in yours to UNLOCK....clock-wise or counter-clock-wise?
Reminds me of the moron who locked his keys in his car. It took him two hours to get his wife and kids out! I've tried the lock in both directions. Unless it's broken inside, that's not the problem.
Richard, what direction do you turn the key in yours to UNLOCK....clock-wise or counter-clock-wise?
Counter clockwise. Tough pickle to be in because unless you are willing to take part of the interior apart, you may have to seek the expertise of a locksmith. :thumbsup:
believe it or not now I have to think and the smoke may be thick in here. if you remove the panel that is about wast high just in front of the cabinet. I don;t remember is it a piece of interior trim but remember it as being a tin panel with 4 screws. it faces to the rear. you can reach in and work the lock knob from the inside. that's about all you can do. they really have a set up there. when pulling up the knob from the inside.try working it up and down as quick as you can. if that does not shock it into working then make sure it is up and you'll have to pull the door open with the handle. the only thing that can stick the door short of the lock not coming up all the way is it's just rusty or gummed up from not being used. but normally the lock drops down and it's to dirty to move all the way. you can't get into the door from the inside even if you cut the panel out. if noting else works you will have to cut around the door handle and lock leave it hinged at the pinch weld. just make a cut around the handle and lock then lift it out. reach in and work the latch and then patch your door back up. I did not say it will be easy to reach in from the inside either i just said you can do it.
Attachments
Dito make sure it is not locked, second if all else fails, wash around the door the best you can, and take a plastic cooking spatula and go around the door gasket, I found on my 62 the gasket had adheared itself to both sides of the car. If that doesn't work, remove the interior panel and manually operate the linkage. The linkage may be worn and sloppy, not allowing a complete release of the lock.
the problem with this door is there is no interior panel and no access to it from the inside. other then the hole to reach in a unlock it. all the panels are steel and spot welded in place. to remove the latch you have a 4 x 4 in access panel with about 8 screws top to bottom. they will be covered on one side buy the sill. the bottom, to far down to reach threw the access hole. now then all the lock rod does is kick the lever that opens the latch aside. then when you push in the plunger it will bypasses the trip. there is enough slack in the rods and joints that dirt will build up on latch and they will just not quite reset. letting the trip still bypass. if you push in the plunger in the outer handle and stick in the tube from the wd-40 can you may, just may be able to get enough in there that it runs down the latch and lubes the lock. that's a dumb luck scenario but worth trying. you have to push in the plunger as it has a O ring seal on it. me I never lock a door on a car that I'm not using a lot. to much trouble can come of it for nothing. but then as the case in my Seville that one locked it's self because they never had the inside rod on it. then the key would not let it drop back. but I could get into it enough to remove the handle then reach in and trip the lock.
Thanks for the info, folks. Ed, I REALLY appreciate the pictures!
When the ambulance arrives here in about a week, I'll let you know of my progress.
Thanks again!
When the ambulance arrives here in about a week, I'll let you know of my progress.
Thanks again!
If all else fails, then I would use a cut off wheel and cut the door handle off the car before cutting around the door handle. The door handle is a standard part, and easily replaced without welding. Once you have the door handle off, you can then activate the lock mechanism, and do what is necessary to fix this problem. There is no right or wrong way to attack a problem, just use the one that works for you the best. Not all problems are created equally, nor does the same solution always work. Don't force it......... get a bigger hammer..
Tony Karsnia - Deceased - 1971-2020
September 12, 1971 - November 2, 2020
Deep Creep
If you can somehow get in there, or even if you can't, I'd suggest trying a liberal amount of Seafoam Deep Creep. I always have that stuff on hand and it works wonders. Like the name implies, it is designed to get into places and free up sticky or stuck mechanisms. Might be an inexpensive attempt.
http://www.seafoamsales.com/
If you can somehow get in there, or even if you can't, I'd suggest trying a liberal amount of Seafoam Deep Creep. I always have that stuff on hand and it works wonders. Like the name implies, it is designed to get into places and free up sticky or stuck mechanisms. Might be an inexpensive attempt.
http://www.seafoamsales.com/