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Door Lock Problem

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One more issue that has recently cropped up with my "new" outback: the passenger door (front) seems to be automatically locking whenever it is closed and it won't stay unlocked for any length of time. We can open the door as long as someone is sitting in the passenger seat and pulls the handle and pushes out on the door at the exact moment someone else hts the lock switch.

 

 

Also, when the key is used outside, you can open the door, but if you remove the key, it goes right back to being locked. Is there some sort of spring int he lock mechanism of this car?

i'm guessing this is either electrical in nature or mechanical (as GD suggested).

 

can you hear any solenoids activating, noises or anything? or it's just locked as soon as you shut it every time?

 

i have a rear drivers side door that does this as well. it's not %100 of the time as you seem to be suggesting but happens a lot. it was just open and now it's locked but the rest are not?

  • Author

There are no noises that I can detect when the door is closed. It just seems to only unlock temporarily, the go right back to locked.

 

The issue is exactly that it "was unlocked but now its not". All of the other doors are unlocked, but the passenger front is not. It seems to lock every single time the door is closed.

what year?

 

does the door have a separate door lock switch or is it activated by the lock lever at the door release??

How old is the car?

 

 

I bet it's a broken tab inside the cabin side of the door handle. Had these exact symptoms on my 1992 Legacy.

 

The spring that pulls the handle back to the resting position uses the tab/axle to push against. When it breaks, the spring starts pushing on the lock activator :eek:

there should be a good ''how to repair'' thread on this, i think.

 

sounds like setright might have had a part in it.

How old is the car?

 

 

I bet it's a broken tab inside the cabin side of the door handle. Had these exact symptoms on my 1992 Legacy.

 

The spring that pulls the handle back to the resting position uses the tab/axle to push against. When it breaks, the spring starts pushing on the lock activator :eek:

And if I recall correctly, all you need to fix that is a good wire-tie or paper clip.

 

(It's been so long since I fixed them, I forget now :eek:)

 

I found the link! http://webspace.webring.com/people/sh/hobiegary/locks.html

Edited by Manarius

  • Author

Sorry, its an 01 Outback VDC. Nice car, except a few issues to fix before I can feel pleased.

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