Q: My door will not latch closed. 2003 Ford Taurus
As I was heading to work this morning, I got in my car and shut the door, turned on the car and got just out of my driveway before I had to stop and close the drivers side door. Every time I shut the door it shuts but doesn't lock in place. I can push it open while I'm driving. My grandad told me to spray WD-40 on the actuator just to see if it could flush out any gunk. It is reasonably cold here in Michigan so I thought the locking mechanism was just frozen. After I heated the car up and got back in the door shut, locked and didn't open unless I pulled the handle. Got out of work for lunch and it happened again. Any advice or solutions are greatly appreciated.
My car has 176000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
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| Door Latch Replacement | Get a Quote |
Hi there. It sounds like the latch assembly is freezing up. This commonly occurs in cold weather if the latch is old and if there is any debris built up in the latch. In some cases cleaning it out with silicone lubricant will take care of it. Most of the time this will require that the latch be replaced. It is also possible that the handle rod is binding, but that is not as common. You should have a certified mechanic take a look at it, like one from YourMechanic, that can [replace your door latch for you] https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/door-latch-replacement
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