When your door handle or knob (with a spring-loaded latch) turns, the latch is retracted. Now open your door and use the key to extend the lock bolt. Is your key hard to turn when locking or unlocking the door? Join Date: May 2006. Insert a long, sturdy item with a flat tip--preferably a flat-head screwdriver, if available--between the top rung of the door's top hinge and the head of the bolt securing the door to the hinge. A knob or a handle typically uses a spring-loaded latch to function. How to Troubleshoot Car Doors That Won't Open With a Key by Jack Hathcoat . We have been going through our garage door to get in the house because of this. The door should then lower easily, and you can reconnect the opener. In other words, when the knob or handle is in a relaxed state, the spring is extended and this keeps the door shut. When the lock is at rest, the spring is fully extended. Thus, facing a key turns but wont unlock car door issue is a frustrating experience for any car owner. I can unlock the door if I try a few times but the key has a difficult time turning as the deadbolt is sticky. Garage door locked - key won't turn. First of all it is important that you never try and force the key to turn in the lock as this could cause the key to break. #4 06-18-10, 01:51 PM GlobalLocky. Not only can the key and tumbler assembly fail, so can assorted lock rods or rod retainer clips, the door latch-lock assembly, or the power door lock actuator. How To Resolve Key Turn But Won’t Unlock Car Door Issue. If you have been in a situation, where you got out of the car, locked it and came back only to find that the doors do not open with the key; you are at the right place. Only when the spring is contracted does it allow the door to open. The part of a doorknob that you grasp with your hand connects to a rod that extends though the door to … Close the door and turn the key to lock and unlock. My Key Turns But My Deadbolt Lock Doesn’t Work. No access. Is the key hard to turn now? You can try lubricating the lock with graphite spray or silicone based lubricant as mentioned above. Location: USA. Take the door off the hinges. Solid brick free-standing garage! Member. This means there are multiple systems to check when a door lock fails. When you turn the knob or handle, the spring should compress and open the lock, allowing you to open your door. If the door does not allow the lock to be jimmied open, it may be necessary to remove the door from its hinges. How to Fix a Door Knob that Turns but Doesn't Open. Spray lubricant in the keyway and insert the key a few times so the lubricant can get worked into the mechanism. If a dry lubricant doesn’t do the trick, you can try WD-40. What to Do If Your House Key Won’t Turn in the Lock April 12, 2017 ... You can spray a little dry lubricant in the lock to free up the plug so you can open the door. This problem can be caused by a few things. In many instances the force that you have to apply to lock and unlock your door causes indents in the flat portion of the tailpiece until it gets to the point where the metal at these points is worn away. If so this could indicate the strike plate (hole in door frame) is out of alignment and stressing the inner lock parts every time you turn your key. 5. Posts: 939 Received 0 Votes on 0 Posts If it's the correct key, lubricate with powdered graphite (NOT WD40) or another silicone or teflon based lubricant. then your lock no longer functions. Door Knob Turns But Won’t Open. When the door is fully open, use a mallet to lightly tap the bent side of the track back into alignment. This pulls the spring and compresses it to allow the door to open. My front door deadbolt lock is hard to unlock and open when I put the key in and turn. Key won’t turn in lock. 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