So this may be in the wrong place, and its not really a Subaru issue, but its pretty generic and I trust you guys more than others...

 

I have a friend in ND who received a free car... the locks are really stiff, to the point that you cant use the keys and even using the sliders inside it is very difficult to operate.   The previous owner never locked the doors (yeah you can sort of get away with that up there) so my guess is that the grease is just gummed up and stiff.      

 

Any recommendations of anywhere it can be taken to get the lock mechanisms cleaned up, without having to take it to a dealer? I imagine you could just spray them out with something, but a dealer will throw parts and a $100 an hour labor charge and end up costing more than the car is worth... 

 

If it matters any its a Ford Contour, but I imagine a lock mechanism is pretty similar across most makes.  

Sort of thing should be pretty simple. I've worked with a few escorts and contours and they are a pretty simple animal overall. Tell your friend to remove the interior panel. (usually a few screws but the handles and sometimes around the edges, remove the inside door handle if necessary, if manual windows, remove the crank lever - just a clip that hold it on, pop the the panel loose, disconnect any wiring harnesses (if power windows or locks) and set the panel aside. You may have a sheet of plastic to move out of the way, but follow the metal levers inside the door to the lock mechanism. Spray it with something potent like PB blaster or similar to loosen up that gunk. Play with the lock and move it around until it moves freely. Once it's moving, I'd hit it with something greasy to keep it lubed or you'll be repeating this process sooner rather than later.

 

All else fails, find a junkyard or even get new locks through autozone or Rock Auto. New stuff would be cheaper than dealer fixes.

Yeah, I understand that is pretty simple, but this friend has absolutely no experience working on vehicles at all - not even an oil change.  That is why I was hoping there was someone that could offer some assistance in person, even for pay.  Thats ok, I think Subaru's in North Dakota are about as common as a Bentley.  I will probably try to forward your instructions and offer to be on the phone...