I'm Stuck: Auto Lock Problem (With URL for Pics!)

Take off the whole panel. The seat belt will still be threaded through the panel, but you can swing it out of the way. This should expose larger holes in the inner door. Now you should be able to get your arm inside.

On the back of the lock cylinder there is a horse shoe clip. A small pair of vise grips might be required to grab the clip and work it loose.

The lock will then come out of the door. There is a little clip that retains the rod to the tailpiece that may be at the bottom of your door, or it may be attached to the tail piece. This is where the lock rod is conected. Hopefully you have not bent the lock rod.

Hope this helps. The few models with the seat belt retractor in the door were real buggers.

Good luck,

Roger,

He's got the whole panel off. The problem is the seat belt roller. These door suck to work on. When I do quote them I charge an obscene amount of money, hoping they will take the car to someone else.

What he should do is take it to the dealer, have them fix it, and sent the bill to the police dept.. They broke it they should pay for it. If they don't know how to open it without damaging it, they shouldn't be opening it in the first place.

And to the original poster...

DO NOT lose your *only* _ignition_ key to that car. You think you've got problems now?

91-93 Cavalier and 92-93 GM "sister models" (same basic car) have a garbage ign lock that is extremely difficult (and expensive) to make a key for. Most locksmiths (myself included) hate them with a passion. Those who will mess with them at all get paid handsomely for their efforts.

Bobby

Hi, thanks Roger! I just took it off. The problem is the seatbelt retainer, as well as the plastic sheeting, is held in by a brace that is riveted to the door. I took some more pics that show the problem:

I would prefer not to have to drill through the rivets to get that brace off. I could cut through the plastic sheeting, but I also would prefer not to have to do that, unless I could tape it back afterwards. Either way, it still will be hard to get my arm all the way up to the cylinder.

Well, it wasn't at the bottom. Although I couldn't feel the entire bottom. I will try a magnetic pick-up tool to see if that will go all the way. However, I don't think the clip is at the bottom of the door. There are drain holes though--maybe it fell out through them.

This is where the lock rod is

Thanks so muich Roger!

Julie

Yep, you're right! And it's "she", by the way. :)

The problem is that the policeman asked me if I would sue the department if he screwed it up, and I said no. Otherwise he wouldn't do it. I was just grateful someone would help me in that situation.

which is me. :)

Thanks for the warning Bobby. I do actually have more ignition keys. And strangely enough, my ignition key is stuck in the ignition cylinder! I might try vice grips to yank it out (it's not the transmission, but something with the cylinder). And I might have to replace the cylinder then and get a new key anyway if I ruin it by yanking the key out (I hope not!).

Julie

right now though the loose rod is connected to the cylinder somehow, since when I turn the door key, I can feel the rod move. so does the loose end of the rod connect to the tailpiece? and where is the tailpiece? And do I really need to take the cylinder out to connect everything?

thanks again!

J.

Try squirting some wd-40 or similar in the ignition lock and do alot of vertical wiggling of the key in the keyway when you GENTLY try to pull it out.

if its an automatic, floor shift, there is a linkage adjustment that probably needs to be done.. between the floor shifter and the column.. so the lock knows its in park, --Shiva--

That's a different story. It sounds like he disconnected the linkage at the lock instead of at the cylinder. Roll down the window on the other door and look to see where the connections are, that should help figure out where it is disconnected.

As for the key stuck in the ignition, was it a new key? If so, the key machine that made the duplicate could have been out of adjustment enough to cause that kind of problem. The advice about lubrication and a lot of vertical wiggling while gently pulling on the key might work. It could also be the transmission linkage as Shiva mentioned. HTH, BBE.

And that last sugestion about using WD-40 comes from a locksmith who claims

23 years experience. Needless to say.... WD-40 has ruined more locks than any other form of known abuse. WD-40 is a water displacement formula that after having displaced the water covers the metal items with a thick coat of gummy protection. You can imagine what that will do to your ignition?? I guess 'putyourspamhere' has decided since he can't charge you for his advice he might as well give bad advice..............

It's painfully obvious that you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.

I've been doing this for 24 years and for the most part WD-40 is all I use. It doesn't leave a gummy residue at all. True it's technically not a "lubricant "in the true sense of the word but (like I said - 24 yrs) I think I know what works and what don't.

Yeah. That's it.

Bobby

That'd be my first guess.

Next tem someone wants you to waive damages ya might want to consider calling someone else. :)

You could have called... Oh. Let's see... (don't even have to say it do I?) :)

You would have had to pay for it but if you can't fix the linkage problem, it'll probably cost you twice as much to get that repaired as you would have paid a locksmith to open it without any damage.

If you learned something from this, chalk it up to experience.

Bobby

Hey Julie

upload a picture of the outside of the door (just the lock and the handle) I have an idea.

Bobby

I had a customer, indirect, that just spent over a c note, having his 98 Chevy truck ignition lock plug ONLY replaced... he put graphite in it, then wondered WHY the key would not turn... I like WD40 OR TriFlow, IF the person knows where to find THAT. --Shiva--

What planet are you from? WD40 will not ruin a lock. While it may not be the best lubricant in the world, it is always safe to spritz a lock with it.

OK this is good news. On the side of the door there should be 3 screws around the latch. These are either a large (3 or 4) Phillips or a Torx screw. (Warning, these will be in tight, you may need to get a good socket to remove them.) With these screws removed you should be able to twist the latch body enough to see the where the rod from the cylinder attaches. This is probably a plastic clip that you stick the end of the rod into and then swivel it til it clips on to the rod.

The clip may be intact or broken. If broken the dealer should have one for a few bucks.

Don't worry about cutting the plastic. A little tape will fix the plastic. It is important to see what you need to see. A good light and perhaps a small mirror will help.

Looking at the pics you made, it does look like the outside handle linkage rod that's loose. If you find a plastic clip on the inside of the handle, and there's no rod connected, then you've found where it goes.

Have to comment you on your venture. Bad news is putting it back together PROPERLY is the hard part. All those little plastic clips on the door need to come of and placed back on the panel , as well.

Question on the ignition. You are sure it's in the off position and not the accessory position?

mr.bill