I need some advice. My deluxe vehicle in the sky, a 1997 Toyota Rav4, well, the goddamn fucking doors won’t close. When you shut the door, it just pops right back open. The harder you shut it, the faster it bounces back towards you. This only happens when it’s cold outside.
I’ve tried de-icer on the door, on the latch, but it doesn’t seem to help. The doors also have a tendency to freeze shut.
Any advice?
And NO, I can’t just go buy a new car! (Or build a heated garage.)
11 responses so far ↓
1
getthestinkoff.blogspot.com/
// Dec 2, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Try WD-40 on the latch on the door itself. The latch is not springing back around the post on the frame, so it just bounces off. It’s stuck, just needs some lube to get it moving again.
2
PeoriaIllinoisan
// Dec 2, 2008 at 4:32 pm
That’s what I was thinking. The latch on the door is stuck.
3
ollie
// Dec 2, 2008 at 5:44 pm
So stuff like this happens to other people too?
4
Jennifer
// Dec 2, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Ollie,
I’m so glad this has happened to someone OTHER than me. Not that I wish you any ill-will, but I was beginning to wonder if my car is somehow defective.
Jennifer
5
East Bluff Barbie
// Dec 2, 2008 at 10:26 pm
One of the sliders on my minivan is moody. Sometimes it will shut sometimes it won’t. It has nothing to do with weather. I just have to keep slamming it until it finally catches. I feel your pain.
6
idonotknowme
// Dec 3, 2008 at 5:41 am
When in doubt: get it warmed up and lube it
, it works on chycks, it should help with your door latch too!
You have to determine whether the latch is stuck in the open or closed position. If it is stuck in the closed position, slamming it more and harder will only damage it.
When the latch is in the open position and the door is pushed closed, it hits the bar or post on the door frame and rotates into the closed position where it should snap into place. To see if that is working you should be able to go in there with a screw driver and flip the latch from open to closed position where it should stay until you pull the door handle which should rotate it back into the open position where it should again stay. You’ll have to take the trouble shooting from there depending on how it behaves.
Below are pics of my door latch (also a Toyota) that will hopefully give you a better idea what to look for.
7
idonotknowme
// Dec 3, 2008 at 5:42 am
car_door_latch
8
Jennifer
// Dec 3, 2008 at 4:07 pm
IDNKM,
Wow, that was so nice of you to take pictures. Yes, my door latch does look the same as yours. I’ll try to move the latch with a screw driver and keep some wd-40 around and a back-up bungee cord, for “just in case.”
I’m also making my husband park his car outside so I can park in the garage. It’s detached and not heated, but might be a bit warmer!
Jennifer
9
WLW
// Dec 4, 2008 at 4:25 am
I would not choose WD-40, it tends to dissolve any grease that may be left then evaporate away leaving no lubrication at all.
Try a silicone based spray or a white lithium grease spray. They will last longer.
10
EyePulp
// Dec 14, 2008 at 4:24 am
WLW is right – use a silicone based lube. I have the opposite problem on the front door of our house. I have to kick it open when things get really chilly out.
Viva la Illinois. =)
11
jenjw4
// Dec 15, 2008 at 1:09 pm
WLW and Eye,
I actually found some at Walmart and sprayed it in each door lock.
I also made my husband clean out the garage so that I can park inside. I felt kinda bad, sending him outside in the cold to clean it, but, crap, it’s full of his stuff! (And, selfishly, better him spending a Sunday afternoon chilly than me spending the whole winter trying to hold my door shut while I drive!)
Jennifer
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