Door lock for my car

Car Door lock mechanism : which brand is better?

According to our customers, the best spare parts in the auto Door lock actuator product category come from the following brands:

• FEBI BILSTEIN
• METZGER
• ABAKUS
• TOPRAN
• NTY

Auto Door lock: how much does this product cost?

The price of car parts within the auto Door lock category ranges from £22 to £179, depending on the vehicle type, manufacturer, and product specifications.

Door lock mechanism for cars: find out more! How to choose, when to change , and how much they cost

The door lock is an essential component of the passive safety system. It is designed to keep doors closed. It prevents unauthorized access into the car. It dissipates impact energy in case of lateral collision.

Types of door locks

by the drive type:

• mechanical;
• electromechanical (power locks).

Construction of the door locks

The door lock construction includes locking, linkage and lock actuating mechanisms. The locking mechanism includes a rotary latch that goes over the lock bracket at the door closing, and a lock pawl that fixes its position. The pawl has two clamping recesses – primary and secondary. The latter lets you keep the door closed in the initial engage position.

Linkage is responsible for door opening. It is a system of levers and rods that release the rotary latch by pressing the lock pawl when the door handle is manipulated. After door opening, the latch returns to its initial position with the help of a spring.

The lock actuating mechanism performs the function of locking / unlocking the door lock, and its operational principle is disengaging the lever system. In the locks with a mechanical actuator, locking and releasing of the lever is performed with a key. Power locks are equipped with worm gear that converts the lock electric motor rotational movement into the forward movement of the locking lever.

The door lock construction may vary according to what doors they are meant for.

Operation of the door lock

Part service life is not strictly limited, it is intended to last for the entire vehicle operation period. For the door lock to serve long and faultlessly, follow the recommendations below:

• when unlocking the lock, avoid applying excessive force;
• lubricate the lock internal components with special water-repellent compound on a regular basis (every six months on the average).
• see after faultless operation of all the mechanism parts, for instance, the flap protecting the lock against dust and moisture.
• if the lock is iced, use special liquid comprising isopropyl alcohol.

Defects of the door lock

• jamming;
• fouling;
• loosening of the return spring;
• corrosion;
• mechanical damage;
• breakage, oxidation of the power drive motor contacts;
• change of initial properties of the power drive motor resettable fuse.

Signs of the door lock defects

• the doors do not lock or unlock;
• the key does not turn or cannot be taken out of the lock;
• grinding noise is heard when unlocking the lock;
• free play of the key in the lock.

Causes of the door lock defects

• moisture impact on the part;
• ingress of foreign objects between the unit components;
• too intense key turning when unlocking;
• lack of lubricant;
• trying to unlock the iced lock without using de-icing fluid;
• sagging doors.

Repair and replacement of the door lock

Repair works on the lock restoration typically consist of cleaning and lubrication of its components. Sometimes you need to replace a spring or a lock core. Unqualified tampering with its mechanism may result in adverse consequences, such as locking of the doors, and thus a need to call in specialists or use a towing service. That is why the part repair is better to entrust to experts.

In case when repair is impossible, the part requires replacement. For this, follow the instructions below:

1. Remove the inside trim on the door where the lock broke down.
2. Remove the screw fastening the window guide rail and take it out, removing the seal.
3. Disconnect the rods from the lock. For this simply turn it around its axis, while pressing special clamps, and take out the rod together with the button.
4. Remove the lock by unscrewing the bolts with which it is fastened to the body.
5. Install a new functioning part.
6. Complete the repair procedure, following the steps in the reversed order.

AutoDoc professional assistance

If you want the parts to serve you as long as possible, you need to view their quality as one of the basic criteria in your choice. A huge collection of high-quality parts is available in AutoDoc online-shop. Here you can buy a door lock, and forget for a long time about issues connected with its malfunction. We offer the most profitable prices and 2-year warranty for all parts. We also have individual offers available for every customer, that allow you to save more; for instance, free delivery.