I have a 2005 Kia Optima with automatic door locks. I can open the passenger with the key but not the drivers door. I can hear the lock making the normal unlocking sound but the door won’t open from the outside. If I enter from the passenger’s door, the inside handle won’t open the door either. If I start the car, after several tries the door will finally open using either the inside or outside handle. Also the “unlock button” will move to the open or closed position.
Thanks in advance for you help.
Jon L. White, Pastor
Pastor White;
Your problem is not uncommon. If the car is not garaged, in extreme weather it is not unusual for one or more of the door latches to underperform.
The best remedy is to not lock the car when very cold weather is coming. In very cold weather the car should be started and left running to warm the engine and the interior of the car before driving, in any event. You can’t do this if you have locked the doors and they are frozen shut.
I’ve encountered this problem enough that now I just get up an hour early and start digging out and start my car that much sooner to make sure everything mechanical is warm and ready to go.
Hope that helps.
I am not onboard with a temperature related issue. What is going to happen is that sooner or later you will not be able to get that door open at all. Next time it is open get the door panel off and inspect all you can see and replace anything in question.
When I was with BMW I had to cut a hole in the passenger door panel (on 3 different cars) to get the door open. I replaced the latch and door lock actuator. I believe the failure was with the door lock actuator jamming up the latch but no way was I putting a new panel back on without replacing every thing in sight.
I’m sure you’re right about the cold temps. It happened the first time in Buffalo, MO about25 miles north of Springfield last Sunday night when we were returning from Southern Iowa. My wife didn’t have a problem coming home from work…11PM to 7AM…Tuesday morning but the problem occurred again to day at 6 PM. She had been out several hours earlier but came home at 5PM…so maybe it got “frozen” again and didn’t “thaw out” in an hour in the garage? The car is always kept in our garage with an overhead door and while it’s unheated it’s not as cold as outside. Thanks for your help in understanding what might be going on. This cold weather effect on cars is weird to a Southern good ol’boy like me. We will be on guard and follow your suggestion as best we can.