Car Door Will Not Latch Close

How to Repair a Car Door That Will Not Latch Close

Reasons For Door Will Not Latch Close

Problem noticed: Car Door won't shut. Door latch wont lock into place even when straightened out into correct place.?

Solution: Try applying wd-40 on the door lock latch and see if that helps.let the Wd-40 spray liquid remain on latch area for few minutes then see if it helps.
But if that is not helping then, it's either rusted up more than the WD-40 can handle, you broke the latch spring in the door mechanism. or if it's cold out, it's frozen. If it's cold... use a heat gun or hair dryer on the edge of the door shooting into the latch. After a few minutes try aligning the latch and slam the door a few times. Now spray with more WD-40 and work the latch.

Also you can take a good look at door latch from the outside and make sure that the latch isn't locked with the door open.
View the area on car door that is open for the striker and make sure that a clear path is there.If not take a screwdriver and insert it into door latch, pull door handle and slide screwdriver toward inside of car and open the latch up.

But If All checks out ok,then its very much possible that door latch is got cracked/ broken and needs replacing.

Car Door Latch 

The Section Is Explained In Four Different Parts.

Part 1: What Is Latch And Its Supporting Parts

1. On any car there are many compartments that open and close at will of the user. These compartments can vary from the car hood, doors, trunk, glove box and center upper consoles. 
2. The one thing all of these compartments have in common is a latch mechanism that holds the lid, door or hood closed and then open when needed. 
3. Most latches contain a locking device that allows the user to lock the operation of the latch. 
4. On the opposite side of all latches is the "striker" which is the part where the latch holds onto when closed. 
5. This latch mechanism is designed to hold the striker within the latch clasp.

Part 2: Basic Working Procedure Of Door Latch

1. When the clasp is released in the latch the striker is free to move allowing the lid, hood or door to open. 
2. For the latch to work properly the alignment of the striker is crucial. 
3. If the latch is not aligned properly the latch will stick or not open/close. 
4. The hinge is on the opposite side of the latch which is equally important. If these hinges are allowed to move excessively the striker will be out of place causing the striker to be in the wrong location and this can impair the latch operation. All hinges should be free from lateral movement and maintained by applying lubricate at regular intervals. 
5. To ensure proper latch operation all moving parts must be free from dirt and grime. 
6. To clean a door or compartment latch use a mild solvent or soap. Once clean, dry thoroughly and apply lubricate as needed.

Part 3: Working Of Latches With Electric Solenoid:( Also Called As Automatic Control Latch)

1. Depending on application some latches are equipped with an electric solenoid that can automatically open or close the lock with a simple key fob or electronic switch command. 
2. A switch command can be activated manually or by the BCM (body control module) computer.
3. These automatic controlled latched also possess the ability to detect the use of force is used to overpower the latch as in a criminal act. When the latch is overpowered the car alarm will sound to alert the car owner.

Part 4: Car Alarm Getting Activated Due To Car Door Lock:

If the door latch gets loose or broken,then that particular door will not close properly and due to this alarm gets activated and car alarm needs to be reset.

1. Occasionally the alarm system will be activated by fault. If this occurs simply close all doors, hood and trunk, then lock and unlock the driver's door. This action will disarm the alarm and resume normal status. 
2. Sometimes when a latch is opened it can have a "rebound" effect that can sometimes close the latch the second it opens. 
3. When a "rebound" occurs the door, hood or truck opens but the latch is now closed and will not except the striker and will not allow the door, hood or lid to close. This mean the latch will have to be opened before it will reconnect to the striker.

Once you go through this details,you know how the car door latch operates and how it gets open  and close to help you open/close the car doors.

Car door not getting closed or car door will not open,such problem will be noticed many times on car.

On such cases the most common possibility is car door latch.

How to Open a Latch

Its a simple procedure:

1. Locate the latch in question
2. Using a small metal device, a medium size screw driver works well for this, insert the screw driver into the clasp and pull outward while lifting the release handle or button
3. The latch will now open allowing the striker to re-enter the clasp enabling the latch to again hold the striker in place resuming normal latch operation.

Important Note:  Always unlock the door or lid before you begin.

How to Confirm If The Problem Is Due To Faulty Door Latch.

For this Follow The List Of Common Problems:

1. When a door latch fails it will not allow you to open or close the latch
2. An activation rod will become dislodged not actuating the door latch release. If this occurs the inner door panel must be removed to activate the latch release manually.
3. The inner or outer door handle will fail not moving the activation rod that connect to the latch release. This will result in latch operation failure. 
4. In both cases the inner door panel, must be removed to activate the control rod manually.Occasionally the outer door handle can be removed with out removing the inner door handle.

To know More About How To Repair Car Door Lock Latch Click Here