Lock jammed

Tiny
INMYHEART28
  • MEMBER
  • 2010 HYUNDAI ELANTRA
  • 4 CYL
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 8,700 MILES
I have a situation with my car where the lock on the door will jam every now and again. It doesn't happen often. It mostly happens if you lock and unlock the door a few times in a row (I tested this to find out and it took about 4 locks and unlocks. This is not an issue because this is not something that I would never do in normal operation of the car.) However, tonight, I went to unlock the car using the automatic button and the door only opened part way. It was stuck until I pressed unlock again. I have known of this problem for a long time but it has never surfaced because I don't lock and unlock the door 4 times in a row. However, the issue of it happening on the one unlock of the automatic button concerns me. Does this mean that it is getting worse or it is maybe just a once in a thousand thing since it's never happened before and didn't happen in about 5 times of unlocking it with the automatic button since? Or is the only way to know monitoring it and seeing what happens in the future?
Thursday, September 8th, 2016 AT 5:44 PM

9 Replies

Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
When you lock and unlock using the power locks your can overheat the door lock actuators sometimes cars have thermal protection where the locks get disabled. You could have a failing actuator they get weak or inop when they fail.
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Thursday, September 8th, 2016 AT 9:01 PM
Tiny
INMYHEART28
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  • 223 POSTS
So is this a case of just being disabled (normal) or a failing system? Or would that be something that only a professional who looked at it would know?
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Thursday, September 8th, 2016 AT 10:11 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
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The part of locking and unlock many times and the locks stop working I would say normal. But just one with the first unlock would be a problem.
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Saturday, September 10th, 2016 AT 6:38 PM
Tiny
INMYHEART28
  • MEMBER
  • 223 POSTS
But it's only happened once an been okay many times since. Could this remain for a while with no issues?
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Saturday, September 10th, 2016 AT 9:59 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
If it only happened once I would not worry about it actuators sometimes die very slowly.
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Saturday, September 10th, 2016 AT 10:01 PM
Tiny
INMYHEART28
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  • 223 POSTS
As in over a period of a year or more before I would see any real issues (sometimes)?
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Saturday, September 10th, 2016 AT 10:02 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Then I would leave it alone if it was my car or even a customer's car I would recommend to wait till it gets worse.
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Saturday, September 10th, 2016 AT 10:11 PM
Tiny
INMYHEART28
  • MEMBER
  • 223 POSTS
Thank you for your advice. That is what I will do. I assume I will have to fix it in the future but nothing for now.
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Saturday, September 10th, 2016 AT 10:14 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
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Exactly spend your money on things you really need.
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+1
Saturday, September 10th, 2016 AT 10:18 PM

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