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How to Repair a Stuck Car Door Latch

Introduction

If a car door suddenly will not close, it may be due to a stuck car door latch. Sometimes a latch may become stuck if someone accidentally knocked it into a locked position while the door was open. On many newer cars, simply pulling the interior or exterior door handle may reset the latch, but in cases where that is not enough, this guide will describe how to manually reset the latch.

What you need

  1. How to Repair a Stuck Car Door Latch, How to Repair a Stuck Car Door Latch: step 1, image 1 of 2 How to Repair a Stuck Car Door Latch, How to Repair a Stuck Car Door Latch: step 1, image 2 of 2

    • On the car door that will not close, examine the door latch located near the handle on the side of the door.

    • The car door latch will be locked in a closed position.

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  2. How to Repair a Stuck Car Door Latch: step 2, image 1 of 3 How to Repair a Stuck Car Door Latch: step 2, image 2 of 3 How to Repair a Stuck Car Door Latch: step 2, image 3 of 3

    • Position a screwdriver between the legs of the locked door latch.

    • You may use any size screwdriver that will fit between the latch.

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  4. How to Repair a Stuck Car Door Latch: step 3, image 1 of 1

    • Pull the exterior car door handle.

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  5. How to Repair a Stuck Car Door Latch: step 4, image 1 of 2 How to Repair a Stuck Car Door Latch: step 4, image 2 of 2

    • While the exterior door handle is being pulled, push the screwdriver against the left leg of the latch.

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  6. How to Repair a Stuck Car Door Latch: step 5, image 1 of 3 How to Repair a Stuck Car Door Latch: step 5, image 2 of 3 How to Repair a Stuck Car Door Latch: step 5, image 3 of 3

    • Use the screwdriver to push the latch upwards into the final unlocked position.

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  7. How to Repair a Stuck Car Door Latch: step 6, image 1 of 2 How to Repair a Stuck Car Door Latch: step 6, image 2 of 2

    • Close the car door to ensure the latch has been properly reset.

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Finish Line

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23 other people completed this guide.

Author

with 2 other contributors

Kennedy Coleman

Member since: 04/29/20

763 Reputation

1 Guide authored

Badges: 9

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Team

UW Tacoma, Team S1-G30, Cardinal Spring 2020 Member of UW Tacoma, Team S1-G30, Cardinal Spring 2020

UWT-CARDINAL-S20S1G30

1 Member

6 Guides authored

25 Guide Comments

Thanks a lot, you have saved me from one !&&* of a problem!

dee Knight - Reply Share

This helped me so much!! Thank you!!!

Jasmine Roman - Reply Share

Perfect. So simple. Excellent advice once again from iFixit. Thank you.

Bill Smith - Reply Share

Thank you so much! I figured it out because of this post!

Sharan Sahota - Reply Share

I love this solution. It literally just saved me. Thank you soo much.

Edith Turkson - Reply Share

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