Have you ever experienced the following: you go to your car, only to find that your car unlock button is not working?

You’ve tried everything you can to get your car door to open. You’ve resorted to using the physical key, you’ve even tried picking your car lock (not something we recommend).

Now you’ve given up and resorted to getting in via one of the passenger doors and awkwardly shuffling over to the driver’s seat. It works, but man is it annoying!

In most cases, the best solution is to get in touch with an auto locksmith to unjam your lock and get you back in.

That said, there are a couple of things short of attempting to pick your own lock that you can do to try getting back in. Who knows, one of these might actually work and get your door lock out of a locked position!

lock out of car

Why your car unlock button is not working: what causes car locks to malfunction?

Before we get into some of the different techniques you can try, let’s first examine some of the most common reasons for a malfunctioning car lock.

When you realise that you can’t unlock your car door, the first thing to do is find out what’s causing the problem. It’s only then that you can find a solution, get your car door open and return to the road.

Full disclosure: there’s no one specific answer as to what causes your car lock to malfunction.

When your car door cannot be opened or closed, the problem might lie with the car key, the car lock, the transponder or even in the car door itself.

Narrowing down which one of these is causing your car locks to be stuck in lock position is therefore the first step…

Jammed car lock

There are a few reasons why you are experiencing a jammed car door lock.

The main culprit is debris – over the years, grime, dirt, and dust can build-up and get stuck, causing your car’s internal parts to become damaged and often, causing a jam.

So how do you fix a jammed lock?

Simple: when you can’t open your car door lock or fully insert your car key in the keyhole, you need to remove anything that’s causing the blockage.

Just be sure to go about it carefully – do this wrong, and you may end up causing more damage than you began with!

Not feeling comfortable? You can always call a professional car locksmith in Melbourne to take care of it for you.

Internal and external car connections

Your car door lock is a complex system, with countless different moving parts that all work together to unlock your door when you hit the button or insert your keys.

A broken or damaged internal or external connection to your car door latch can break this chain. This can cause your car door latch, door handle, lock cylinder and other internal parts of your car to malfunction.

When this happens, you need to repair all the broken connections and put all the broken pieces back together.

You’d think that the car dealership would be the only people who can fix this – however, that isn’t necessarily the case!

Car accident damage

Has somebody sideswiped you? Noticed that your car door isn’t working like it used to? If so, there’s probably a connection between your car accident and the problem with your car door latch.

For example, it might have bent or disconnected your car latch from the rest of the car door assembly.

In these cases, you will need to open your car door and replace the broken part. This is where you need the help of a mobile car locksmith in Melbourne whose expertise lies in getting your car door open without causing any damage.

What do you do if your car door won’t unlock?

Clean and lubricate

In cases where the problem is the result of a jam, what you’ll want to do is clean it out and lubricate.

Just one problem: this is a lot easier than it sounds!

Oil-based lubricant may be too greasy and can attract dirt and dust in the process. While it can help in the short-run, it can also lead to an even worse blockage further down the line.

So what is the best lubricant for car door locks? We suggest using a dry lubricant instead.

Here’s another piece of advice: if you get to the point where you feel like you need to force it, take a step back and get a professional to do it instead – the risk of damage is just too high!

car locksmith melbourne

Car door lock repairs

Okay, so it isn’t a jam – instead, you’re pretty sure that it’s a problem with a problem with the locking mechanism itself.

You’d think that the only person who can help with this would be your dealership.

While they can help, you shouldn’t overlook your local auto locksmith!

Not only does your mobile locksmith come to you on-site, but we can do more than just unlock cars. In many cases, we may be able to dismantle your locking mechanism and identify – and more importantly, fix – any issues that might stop it from working.

How do you reset automatic door locks? And can an auto locksmith help?

If you find that your automatic car door lock is not working, then you have three options:

  1. Go back to the stone age and use a physical key
  2. Determine whether the problem is with your car key fob battery
  3. Get your transponders checked out

While you can survive with the first course of action, it’s just not very convenient, end of story. That leaves the last two – both of which a car locksmith can help with.

Option one is to replace the battery in your key fob. Our mobile locksmith workshops carry everything we need to repair your remote, including the right battery type and size for your car remote.

And in the case of a transponder issue, our team can help by reprogramming your transponder, getting it to work properly once more.

Can an auto locksmith fix a car door lock?

Absolutely! Our auto locksmiths in Melbourne can help you find a solution to your car key woes, whether you’ve:

And of course, we can come to you if your car unlock button is not working!

Call a Melbourne auto locksmith if you’re trapped out of your car!

Our Melbourne auto locksmiths help you get back on the road fast and without damage.

We like to call ourselves mobile locksmiths for a reason – that’s to say, we’re constantly on the road, going from job-to-job.

We come to you whenever you run into car, lock or ignition problems. Our team doesn’t just help you unlock your car door,
but also offers various car services, including:

Call us on 0407 022 234 today to lodge a job, or save our number in your phone –
you never know when you’ll need it!