Oh, No! The Manual Key Is Not Working on the Car Door!

A car makes your life almost sorted as every place becomes a little distance away. You take the keys and drive your vehicle out of the garage to leave. Your dependence on this is imaginable. However, imagine a day when you are already late for a meeting or classroom attendance, and the car keys don’t work. How do you feel? If the events were important, you would be anxious and almost teary-eyed. Such situations may not be commonplace, but one must remain prepared as they can strike anyone unannounced. Let’s figure out the potential reasons that can lead to unlocking issues with car keys and ways to handle them.

Broken lock tailpiece

According to a well-known locksmith Beaverton Oregon, most locking mechanisms operate by similar principles. Like any other regular door lock, car locks also contain a tailpiece, which can become damaged due to wear and tear. Since this particular component helps the keys reach the bolt and latch, any problem with its structure can affect the car key’s performance. The tailpiece rotates 90 degrees inside the attachment point to help move the linkage and the cam. It also lets users pull the key back without compromising the latch settings. You will need an auto locksmith to solve this if it becomes twisted or bent. They will open the door panel to fix the tailpiece.  

Damaged key

An expert in car lockout service says this is another common problem that hinders your ability to open the car door. A damaged key will refuse to fit into the lock and turn appropriately. To check a key’s health, look for chips, cracks, or bends on its body. Severe damage hints at replacement. However, minor damage can be easy for a trained local locksmith to manage. They will likely rub the physical keys to make them work. 

Jammed door latch

A stuck door latch will prevent car doors from opening even if the key turns appropriately. The main culprits for this can be corrosion and rusting. If you drive an old car, please be more careful. Only a car locksmith can examine this problem and troubleshoot it. They can recommend replacing or repairing the door latch if the lock and keys are all right.

Improper car lock installation

Sometimes, the problem can lie with the door lock system, not the key. And it can arise due to poor installation work. Due to installation loopholes, there can be a misalignment between the keyhole and the locking system, affecting the job of the car keys and the tumblers. Generally, this situation demands total lock replacement. However, you can avoid this cost if you find a reliable locksmith. They will first attempt to fix the locking mechanism to help the keys unlock your car door.

When keys fail to open doors, you can first lubricate the lock and keyhole to see if this works. If the problem persists, it’s better to investigate further. And the best thing is to contact a professional to look into the matter. They can quickly detect the root cause of the door-unlocking issues and suggest a reliable solution.