General Driver's door lock issue

[RobinPJ]

Our 500 has a problem with the driver's door lock. As I use the car less than my wife does, I have the non-remote key and have to open the door old-style. For the last week or so it has been getting harder and harder to get the key in (and out) of the lock. It is fine in the ignition.

I imagine, therefore, that this must be due to the door lock innerds breaking, and it will only bne a matter of time before it jams completely which means I need to get it sorted courtesy of Fiat before I end up locked out in the snow with both kids in tow (sod's law applying).

If anyone can tell me the proper name for the lock innerds so I can sound knowledgeable when I call the dealer, I'd be grateful.

I'm also interested to hear views as to whether the dealer is likely to be silly about this being a warranty issue as the car is about 2 1/2 years old. I haven't looked at the warranty terms yet....

 

[RUI]

Wd 40 sprayed in the lock will fix it.

 

[RobinPJ]

Thanks Ian - you don't think it is the bits inside breaking then?

 

[RUI]

no it has moving parts and will need oiling.

 

[jrkitching]

Our 500 has a problem with the driver's door lock. As I use the car less than my wife does, I have the non-remote key and have to open the door old-style. For the last week or so it has been getting harder and harder to get the key in (and out) of the lock. It is fine in the ignition.

Right now it just needs lubricating - the trick is to lubricate it before it breaks.

WD40 will get it freed up but is aggressive to rubber and some plastics (spray a little into a yoghurt pot and watch it dissolve) so use it sparingly. It also leaves a sticky residue which attracts dust & dirt, which then mix with the residue to form what is essentially grinding paste. There are better specialised products out there, like Locksmith's Lock Lubricant - Dry Graphite Lubrication Powder: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Toolsfor example. Graphite is an excellent lock lubricant which, if used dry, won't evaporate or leave a sticky residue. The trick with all lock lubricants is to use enough to get the job done, but not so much that it comes out on the key and ends up making an unholy mess everywhere.

 

[RUI]

WD 40 is ok on rubber

What surfaces or materials are OK to use WD-40 Multi-Use Product on?
WD-40 Multi-Use Product can be used on just about everything. It is safe to use on metal, rubber, wood and plastic. It can also be applied to painted metal surfaces without harming the paint. Polycarbonate and clear polystyrene plastic are among the few surfaces on which to avoid using a petroleum-based product like WD-40 Multi-Use Product.

http://wd40.com/faqs/

 

[RobinPJ]

Thank you both - as I have WD40 but not graphite stuff I'll give a tiny bit of WD-40 a go.

 

[jrkitching]

WD 40 is ok on rubber

Hmmm. Spray a little WD40 on a latex glove (which is pure natural rubber) & watch it fall to bits before your eyes. Nitrile will resist WD40 for much longer but even nitrile gloves are affected by it.

WD40 is useful stuff but it's not safe on everything and I'd recommend caution when using it. If in doubt, silicone based sprays are safest.

 

[RobinPJ]

Maybe I'll get some of the dry graphite stuff after all....

 

[RUI]

WD 40's website says it is OK on rubber

 

[306maxi]

I don't mean to be rude, but if jrkitching says that it'll dissolve a glove or a yoghurt pot then I would trust that.....

 

[RUI]

As far as I know the lock on a fiat 500 does not have any yogurt pots or latex gloves in it that will melt.

I have used wd40 and GT85 on the locks of my cars for 23 years and have never had a problem. I have also used it for loads of other things and it has never melted or damaged anything, I guess I am very lucky.

You are free to use whatever you choose i am just saying what I use.

 

[jrkitching]

WD 40's website says it is OK on rubber

IMO that's misleading. There are many, many types of rubber out there, which have very different material properties, and hugely varying chemical resistance. WD40 is petroleum based, so its effect on rubber will likely depend on that particular type of rubbers petroleum resistance and also on the length of exposure. Natural rubber (latex) has poor petroleum resistance, so latex gloves aren't much use for working on the car. However, WD40 will likely be safe to use with rubbers designed for oily environments. Rubbers used in such environments are normally chosen for good petrol resisitance, but sometimes manufacturers get it wrong - the early 500 breather hoses being as good an example as any.

I don't mean to be rude, but if jrkitching says that it'll dissolve a glove or a yoghurt pot then I would trust that.....

Thanks for your vote of confidence Maxi .

As far as I know the lock on a fiat 500 does not have any yogurt pots or latex gloves in it that will melt.

The lock mech itself is likely WD40 safe but the carrier solvents in WD40 are very volatile and penetrating by design and can end up quite a long way from where you squirt it. A little bit will probably do no harm but there are better products out there for lubricating locks which are less likely to attract dust and won't leave an oily residue on the key blade.

I have used wd40 and GT85 on the locks of my cars for 23 years and have never had a problem. I have also used it for loads of other things and it has never melted or damaged anything, I guess I am very lucky.

Don't get me wrong, I use a lot of WD40 for all manner of things - it's useful stuff, but I have had experience of it damaging rubber & plastics. Be particularly careful if it might come into contact with seals or gaskets as it can cause them to swell.

In my younger days, I once used it on a squeaky suspension rubber (this is not recommended - use silicone spray instead) and that side definitely perished before its unsprayed counterpart on the other side of the car.

 

[RobinPJ]

I'm guessing I should probably stop using it in my kinky but safe sex games then.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Grease the key with spray grease and shove it in and out of the lock a few times if we're all paranoid with using WD40.

Just get something done before it snaps or seizes completly.

 

[RUI]

Well I can tell you the next time I need to lubricate my yogurt pots I will 100% definitely not use wd40

 

[jrkitching]

Just get something done before it snaps or seizes completly.

:yeahthat:

Absolutely. Spraying some WD40 in there is less risky than doing nothing.

I'm guessing I should probably stop using it in my kinky but safe sex games then.

Take a look here. Gives a whole new meaning to "Gone in 60 seconds".

In this situation, doing nothing is less risky.