Our article today, will look at why car door won’t open from the inside. If you have experienced this problem, we will discus what causes it and how to get it resolved.
Apart from the ease of movement being the function of a car, there are other aspects of a car that’s based on ease of operation. The extent to how difficult it is to operate a car will determine how comfortable a car is. The car is modelled by every manufacturer to be as comfortable as possible to both the rider and the passengers. This is because how comfortable a car is in every aspect will determine the price of the car. And every manufacturer hopes to make high profit.
However, there are some components of a car that become difficult to operate over time. Such difficulties could be due to wear and tear. A good example of a malfunction that may arise at times is a car door not opening when using the inner door knob. This is a very big problem in any situation as it causes undue stress and delay to the owner.
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How the Car door Lock Works
The car door consists of the internal side and the external side. The external side blends with the entire surface of the car to form a continuum with the whole external surface of the vehicle while the internal side consists of the door panel. The door panel covers the electrical and mechanical components of the Car lock.
The car lock is made up of a latch connected with a rod to the inner and external door knob. The latch is a locking mechanism that extends and regresses when controlled. Control of the latch is effected through mechanical power (when an operator applies pressure on either the internal or external door knob) or remote control (in which a remote activates an electric switch that directs the latch).
The rod links the latch to the door knob of the vehicle. Attached to the rod is/are rubber(s) (the amount of rubbers present depends on the car brand) connected to a metallic plating. The rubbers serve to regulate the movement of the rods. The rods are then activated when pressure is applied to the knob (internal or external) and the knob in turn release or retract the latch. It is important to reiterate here that most vehicle doors have an electrical component that can also control the latch apart from the rod.
What causes Malfunction
- When Child Lock is Turned on
Child Lock is a recent innovation in modern vehicles. It serves to prevent unexpected and unwanted opening of doors most especially by children. Children are highly prone to making such mistakes hence the need for such features. When turned on, child lock deactivates the opening mechanisms of the door and prevents the door from opening through the electrical switch connected to the latch.
- Problem with the Latch.
The latch which is the main locking engine can become faulty over time during the course of it’s usage. Opening the door from the inside then becomes a problem. The latch rarely becomes faulty most times because of the new recent innovation. But as common with most mechanical components, error is inevitable, especially due to wear and tear.
- Problem with the Electromagnetic Switch
The electrical switch attached to the latch can sometimes fail. Failure most times become evident when Child Lock is activated. If after child lock is activated and failure of the switch occurs, there will be no response when the child lock is deactivated. This will then lead to the door not opening from the inside.
- Problem with the Attachment Rubbers.
This is the commonest problem that causes the door not to be able to be opened from inside. The rubber, which is elastic, loses its elasticity over time due to wear and tear. Because of this loss of elasticity, the rubber will be unable to return the rod to normal position after constant usage. This problem will then be magnified in the form of the door not being able to open from the inside
Practical Solutions to problems associated with Car Doors
- Disable the Child Lock
At times, Activities may be carried out without proper mindfulness. For example, there are people who have been report to be searching for objects they themselves put in their pockets. Such attention to details become lost due to the hassles of everyday life. With this in mind, it is possible to switch on the child Lock and the forget to switch it off. The occupants of the vehicle then start to wonder what’s causing the door not to open from inside. It is imperative of the rider to check if the Child Lock is on so as to correct the problem by switching off the Lock.
- Do it yourself
Mechanical errors that develop as a result of wear and tear can be corrected by the owner of the vehicle. Such errors include: problem with the latch, problem with the switch and problem with the attachment rubbers. Tools needed to correct the errors include screw driver, flat-head Iron file and a plier.
At first, the operator needs to open the door panel. This can be achieved by carrying out the following practical steps (note here that this steps cannot substitute a professional advice). Here are the steps to take to open the panel
Step 1
Locate the points that have attached screws and open the screws using the screw driver. The points where screws are attached are located in discrete positions. To be precise, in most cars, a screw is located at the region of the door knob and two others are located at the region of the panel adjacent to the car seat when the door is closed. However, there are different screw positions in different car brands. With intent and perseverance, screw positions can be found in the door panel. The screws should be kept intentionally by the operator so as not to lose the screw due to the small size of the screw.
Step 2
After removing all screws, use the file to gently separate all attachments of the panel to the metallic surface of the door. The panel should not be forcefully opened at any point separating the attachments of the panel to the door. Rather, it should be opened with with patience, persistence and gentleness. Any force beyond moderation might break the panel. When the operator notices an area not responding to a moderate force, check should be carried out to see if a screw is actually the means of attachment in such an area. If not such an area should be abandoned. It may not be an attachment point but rather a component of the door panel.
Step 3
Gently remove the panel from the entire door structure. To do this, you have to be gentle with the panel and gradually detach from point to point along the entire surface. Gradual opening of the panel with prevent the panel from breaking. After removal of the panel, the panel should be observed to see if there is any linkage between the panel and the metallic door before placement of the panel on a surface. Linkage between the panel and the door differ from car brands.
After removing the panel, test the door knob and try to see where it is faulty. Do the rods respond? Do the latch respond to the rod? Are the rubbers still responding? Do the latch respond when the child lock is off?
All these checks may point out where the problem lies. After detecting where the problem is, remove such a component and replace with new ones. Whether the latch, switch or rubber, it is best to replace with new ones.
After replacing with new ones, test whether the latch is responding to the inner door knob and cover back the panel, if there is a positive response. If not, refer it to a mechanic.
- Take the vehicle to a Mechanic for repair
If all efforts by a car owner yields no results, what is best for the car is for it to be repaired by a competent mechanic. Also if the owner is not technically inclined, it is expected that he takes it to a mechanic for repair.
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What not to do
- Using force to open the panel
It is important to state here that the panel is made of plastic and hence, can break more easily than metal. An operator who wants to detach the door panel should be careful not to damage any parts. As such, care and gentleness should be used when removing and adjusting the components.
- Retwisting the Rubber
As stated earlier, there is a rubber attached to the rod and connected to a metallic plating. The rubber can become damaged due to wear and tear. As such, it can no longer serve the function for which it was meant for. Any rubber that loses it elasticity and is then retwisted will not last long before developing another fault. Since the rubber can no longer function effectively as before, it is expedient to replace the rubber with a new one.
- Using heat to burn metallic materials in the Vehicle Door
Usage of equipment to melt metals with the aim of attaching those metals together should be avoided at all cost. If need be, taking such vehicle to a competent mechanic should be considered. This is the best thing to do when encountered with such a situation. It is unwise to render a vehicle worse than how it was previously.
Final Thoughts
The joy of owning and using a vehicle becomes short-lived when faults arise in the components of the vehicle. Car doors not opening from inside can be a problem that is daunting and frustrating to the owner. With correct operational models, such a problem can be addressed by the owner. However, in a situation whereby the owner is not technically inclined or all efforts by the owner proved abortive, such cases should be referred to a competent mechanic.
