My Car Lock Was Damaged Tonight

I pulled into a gas station and managed to lock myself out of my car. It's a

91 Chevy Cavalier with 4 doors. I called a locksmith to come and help me out and he agreed to come for $75. In the meantime a police officer came and asked if there was a problem, and I said I was locked out. He got his slim jim, and managed to get my driver's side door open. As he was doing this the locksmith pulled up, and the locksmith said to me he didn't think the police officer would be able to do it. He did though, and rather quickly, and I thanked him, showed him my id and registration, and then paid the locksmith $75. They both left, and I went in and thanked the gas attendant for letting me use the phone.

Then when I got to my car, and went to unlock my door with my keys, I noticed the door lock cylinder turned a total of 180 degrees. It used to turn just 90 degrees total (45 degrees in one direction to unlock, and 45 degrees in the other direction to lock). And now you cannot unlock/lock the door by turning the key. You have to go to the passenger side, and then reach in and manually unlock the driver's side lock.

So I am now out $75 and have a broken lock to show for it!

I am a car mechanic in training right now, so I would like to be able to fix this myself. I want to eventually specialize in everything automotive, from mechanical, electrical, auto body, glass, detailing, and locksmithing. So do you guys know what is wrong, and how I would go about fixing this? I am going to pull the panel of tomorrow to see what is going on (and yes, I have the special door panel removal tool). So I envision this as an opportunity for me to learn.

Also: questions:

1) Why do professional locksmiths always unlock the passenger side door in a lockout?

2) Why did the locksmith want to know if I had four or two doors on the he phone when I called him?

3) I'm thinking of hiding either spare key under my car, and/or a slim jim or coat hanger there, to prevent this from happening in the future. Do you have any creative places to hide a key? I am thinking of in front of the radiator, along the side part. This way no one will see it, and you would have to reach up there and feel around to find it.

Thanks for any hlep!

Stephanie

Reply to
Stephanie
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ok, pull the door panel... the rod is disconnected... thats the only clue you get, since you are a mechanic in training. you 'might' have a broken clip as well and a 'slim jim' is NOT the 'be all-end all tool' of car opening. I have NO idea where mine are at, never use them.

less wiring/controls usually, and in SOME cases, easier

you LIKE standing IN TRAFFIC?

some models makes a diff in opening procedure between models.. some use the rear door of a 4 door...

yeah but.... if one was to think, where would I hide a key? thats where they look

have fun... --Shiva--

Reply to
--Shiva--

So do

Best guess disconected linkage and or broken clip.

Usually because I am right handed and I find it easier to manipulate the tools. This is not a hard and fast rule however.

Sometimes this makes a difference in how you approch the job.

Spare key would be my choice. As far as hiding places go you have lots of places but avoid magnetic bozes slapped under the fender. Hit one piddle and by by little magnetic box.

Why not duct tape it somewhere.

Reply to
Roger Shoaf

Cool! what I will do is pull both panels, and compare the driver side with the passenger. If the rod is disconnected, I will reconnect. If the clip is broken, I will go and order the part at the auto parts store or dealer. Or maybe a junk yard. Or maybe if it is metal, I can weld it back together. Now I don't feel as bad!

ok, but even in parking lots, they usually go for the passenger side. I had thought it was for security reasons--to verify there was a key in the ignition.

good point. but I wonder how many burglars are going to get on their backs and start poking around in insane places in the car.

S.

Reply to
Stephanie

thanks!

good idea. but I would worry duct tape would come loose over the months from dampness, dirt, etc. Maybe a magnetic key box together with duct tape would work, and be more secure. Thanks for the advice Roger,

Stephanie

Reply to
Stephanie

of my car. It's a

come and help me out

officer came and

He got his slim

was doing this the

didn't think the police

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paid the locksmith

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cannot unlock/lock the

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fixing this? I am

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it, and you would

what "--Shiva--" said.. news:bpk555$4bu$1@63.78.119.74 note: you should have let the locksmith open the car. how many police do you know that are trained locksmiths ?

Reply to
"Key

Less wear on the parts, (how often do you unlock your passenger door with the key?) and a better chance that, if he does screw something up, you'll be willing to come by the shop in the daytime for him to fix it in better light.

I don't have any doors on my phone.

Tack weld it to something. It'll be a bit harder to get, and you won't be able to put it back if you use it, but this opens up a lot of possibilities.

Reply to
kd5nrh

good reasons. I wish that police officer had done my passenger side door lock instead of the driver's side. at least I wouldn't have to be crawling over the front seat now to pen my door!! :)

LOL

an excellent idea. if I just weld the end of the key, it should be easy enough to just bend off.

Reply to
Stephanie

true. I have learned my lesson from last night. I kind of felt bad for the cop though, since he went out of his way to help me. he asked me if I would sue the police or the township if he messed up, and I said no.

Reply to
Stephanie

More below.

Reply to
Stormin Mormonn

dont need to pull both... the 1 is sufficient...

--Shiva--

Reply to
--Shiva--

You get what you pay for. You can always try and file a claim against the PD but keep in mind you let them to open it, all the while knowing there was a locksmith who you obviously didn't cancel with on the way. Did you pay the locksmith for his service call?

It should be immediately apparant when you look at the backside of the lock what the problem is.

If you're right handed it's more ergonomic. If you're left handed probably easier to do the drivers side.

Makes a difference in the door design on many models.

Get a magnetic hide a key box. Then you can hide it almost anywhere w/o having to worry about it falling off.

Reply to
Putyourspamhere

IF you have the apptitude to be a mechanic it's unlikely you will need to pull the other door panel, the diconnected/broken parts should make it apparant. Don't forget to look in the bottom of the door for pieces.

Reply to
Putyourspamhere

You should have never have let the cop touch it. Now you know why. He disconnected the linkage from the lock pawl. Before you take the door apart, try this: Lower the window (slowly) all the way, use a wedge between the glass and outer door skin (carefully) to widen the gap, look in with a high intensity light. Most times I can reattach the linkage without taking the door apart by using two steel rods, one to position the linkage, and the other to push the plastic retainer back in place.

To keep out of traffic.

Two door cars have *w i d e * doors and it's easier to wedge the door out a little to slip in a 6 foot tool to unlock the door or position the door key so I can see it. If I can see it, I can make it.

Have a door key made, wrap it in plastic wrap, and duck tape it to the back of the license plate. The plastic wrap keeps duck tape glue from getting on the key. (You don't want to transfer glue to the lock if you ever use the key). Also hide a spare ignition key and house key INSIDE the car somewhere. Now, even if you lose your keys, you can get home. (And into it too) If the key is ever found, all it does is open the door.

Reply to
Unk

If you've got a Chilton or Haynes manual for your car, (or better yet, a Mitchell's, but the cheaper ones are fine for anything you'd do without a major facility) there should be good diagrams of the door lock assmblies. If anything's broken, you might try talking to the chief about parts-only repair costs. He might be willing to pay for a (cheap) new part just because it's easier than dealing with a grumpy citizen.

Besides, with only the cop's word that you said you wouldn't sue, they're still in danger of a much more expensive lawsuit.

Reply to
kd5nrh

License plates are fairly high-theft items in some areas. Better to choose something that's not obviously made to be removed. Corner caps on roof racks are one possibility, if they're big enough, or possibly snap-in bits that cover holes for optional fog lights, etc.

Reply to
kd5nrh

If you hide a spare, you might have a locksmith alter it so that it only opens the trunk or only the door. Then you can hide the ignition key inside the car somewhere.

I've had good luck with hidden keys that simply have a magnet epoxied to the head to make sure it doesn't move on me. I also tend to hide things where you have to disassemble something like taillight or a piece of chrome to get the key.

Daniel

Reply to
dbs__usenet

Can't remember where I saw it but I came across a locking gas cap (combination) with storage for spare key. I thought that was a great idea. Oh, wait a second it was on leedobbs

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Not sure if it is actually any good, or would suit this particular application, but it "seems" pretty cool.

Reply to
Absinthe

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