Key stuck in door lock - won't unlock

He's a new one!

1988 Mondial Cabriolet

Unlocked the door this morning and it operated normally, but the door key gave some resistance to coming out, so I turned it back the other direction, and the door went back to the "locked" position.

Thereafter, the key will not turn all the way back to the "unlock position, and will not come out of the door. The locking mechanism "tumblers" look a little loose, but otherwise everything works properly as far as the electrics go.

I broke into the car using a wire coat hanger in about 3 seconds. If I lift the door button, the door unlocks properly on both sides, and the door latches operate properly inside and out. The electric buttons on the door will lock the doors, but not unlock them.

When I turn the key back to to the right, the doors lock as they should, but the key still won't trun as far back to the left as is necessary for the locks to unlock, or for the key to release from the lockset.

I've tried lubrication, and it doesn't do anything.

It's not a problem driving it - just have to leave one of the windows down so I can manually unlock the doors by pulling up on the button on either side.

Looks somewhat strange with the key left stuck in the door while driving around.

Ideas would be greatly appreciated on this one!

TIA - Roy

 

Not really, but on the other hand I feel silly driving around with a key sticking out of the door. Someone will decide to try and remove it before long too long if I don't fix it, and that could prove expensive I fear.

One correction - the electic switches on the inside of the doors also work properly - locking and unlocking the door as they are supposed to. The only problem is with the key actuation of the "unlocking" function on the driver's door.

 

Tried graphite today but no cigar - maybe after it sits tonight.

How about just trying all this with the engine running - rather than a battery charger?

Tried working the locking/unlocking switches while turning the key

I'll work on the hairdryer idea - thanks

If I don't have it fixed by Wednesday, I'll bring it anyway.

 

Thanks - I may try that this weekend - good project

 

Thanks - I have done some research into the process for removing the inner door panel, and I think I can do it this weekend. I'll check out the insides and perhaps post some photos. I can always take the innards to a locksmith and not tell him its from a Ferrari!

 

Thanks - I'll report my success by Monday.

BTW - love Bellvue - my son and his family live in West Seattle and we are regular visitors!

 

Do you mean that you used this "wrench" to tighten the lose nut? Was this the problem? No need to take it out or send it to the locksmith?

 

Here is what I have found so far, Removing one screw on the edge of the door panel loosens the panel that I need, but the plastic bezel - marked on the second photo, is keeping me from removing the panel completely. There are NO screws around the door release latch and I am afraid to try to simply pry it off.

Should I be more agressive with it? Any ideas?

TIA - Roy
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That's it exactly. I have the panel underneath the troublesome one off at this point. Still not looking like I have much access to the lock though.

I'll try popping off the plastic bezel - carefully.

Thanks for the diagram!

Roy

 

Celebrations are in full swing here at the King house. The Ferrari is back together - no key in the door - and everything working like a charm.

I'll post a few follow up things tomorrow just for future reference. The door panels are a learning curve, and I want to help the next guy save a couple of hours.

Thanks to all who contributed to this thread and to some of the older ones where I found some good tips.

Roy

 

The door panel is made up of four separate sections. The center section that goes through the armrest and inside door latch is the first section that needs to be removed.

1. Disconnect the battery and take the small screw out of the edge (post #15, photo 1 above)
2. Disconnect the mirror adjustment connection - photo below
3. Lift the front edge of the pastic bezel around the door latch on the inside and slide it backwards (to the left)
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Next:

1. Push the rubber grommet that surrounds the button through the hole around the lock/unlock button - second photo below. Use the flat end of a small screwdriver.

2. Undo the 4 screws below the top panel section

3. Lift off the upper door panel

4. Pull the grommet up over the lock/unlock button and set it aside with the loose screws.

5. The lock itself was so caked with old hardened grease, that a couple of shots of WD-40 directly on the tumblers loosened everything up a bit and let the key come out of the door. I then closed the door firmly, reconnected the battery, and used the key in the passenger door to lock and unlock the door several times. I then tried the key in the driver's door and it worked perfectly. I had a can of white lithium grease that I then used on top of the WD-40 to lubricate the lock after cleaning it with the WD-40. Disconnect the battery again.

6. Put the top panel back on the door - replace the four screws on the lower section.

7. Apply WD-40 liberally to the rubber grommet and slide it back over the lock/unlock button, and then, with a small flat end screwdriver, work the lower half of the grommet back into the hole so that it looks like the first photo below and the button is not bound by anything.

8. Replace the center panel after reconnecting the electical connection for the window adjustment switches, then make sure that the tabs (see first photo below) on the panel slide under the fasteners as designed. In other words, the panel slides in from left to right so the tabs hock into the little slots on the door. If this is not done properly then the tabs will sit outside the slots and it will be inpossible for the plastic bezel to fit back around the inside door latch.

9. With the panel back in place and the edge screw replaced, replace the plastic bezel by placing it to the left of the handle, and sliding it back to the right into its normal position. It will snap in place easily if the previous steps are completed correctly.

10. Reconnect the battery - and roar off into the sunset!

That's it!
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I'll take your recommendation.

Thanks