sticky door latch

[novadmc]

over the past week, i've noticed what appears to be one (or both) of my passenger door's latches sticking when trying to open the door. it only appears to be happening if the door has been closed for some time (15 mins or greater). when i pull the handle, i can hear the latches start to release, but then i have to give a tug to get them to fully disengage and have the door rise. subsequent closing/opening cycles work fine with no sticking or issues. when I let the door sit closed for a while, and the "stickiness" returns upon 1st opening.

After noticing the issue, I sprayed both latch mechanisms 1st with WD-40 to clean them then liberally with Silicone spray to re-lube them but that doesn't seem to have had any positive effect.
When shutting the door slowly to listen for latch engagement, it does sound like the front latch catches just before the rear latch. when shut at normal speed, that is not noticeable at all.

driver side door is perfectly fine in operation.
I still have the original locking control unit, and do plan on upgrading it to the digital one DMCH sells sooner or later.

any suggestions/tips i can try to alleviate this stickiness? any tests i can perform (above and beyond me just opening and closing the door and listening) to try to diagnose what exactly is causing the issue?

thanks

[DMCMW Dave]

any suggestions/tips i can try to alleviate this stickiness? any tests i can perform (above and beyond me just opening and closing the door and listening) to try to diagnose what exactly is causing the issue?

thanks

Clear silicone grease thinly on all the rubber seals.

[David T]

You may also need to remove the latches from inside the door, clean, lubricate, and reinstall. They get sticky with that 30 year old grease turning into tar. Spraying at them doesn't clean that old grease out. Another thing you can try is to clean the doors where the doorseals rub with alcohol so the seals can slide smoothly. If you are still using the original locking module you should add a 10 Amp in-line fuse in the big red wire.

[novadmc]

Clear silicone grease thinly on all the rubber seals.
wow, I didn't even think of that. didn't have any clear silicone grease in the garage so tried it with the silicone spray on a rag and wiped it into all the seals. so far the issue seems to have gone away. ill let the door sit overnight and try again in the morning. if that's all my issue was, im going to feel pretty stupid for not doing that sooner :)

thanks again!


You may also need to remove the latches from inside the door, clean, lubricate, and reinstall. They get sticky with that 30 year old grease turning into tar. Spraying at them doesn't clean that old grease out. Another thing you can try is to clean the doors where the doorseals rub with alcohol so the seals can slide smoothly. If you are still using the original locking module you should add a 10 Amp in-line fuse in the big red wire.

Thanks for the tips. I am still on the stock lock module, but i plan on replacing it in the next month or so with the updated digital unit.

[Rich]

Thanks for the tips. I am still on the stock lock module, but i plan on replacing it in the next month or so with the updated digital unit.

Your battery will thank you for doing that after you get around to it.

[alexwolf1216]

Your battery will thank you for doing that after you get around to it.

Is it that prudent of an upgrade? I never thought about doing it.

[jawn101]

Is it that prudent of an upgrade? I never thought about doing it.

Yes, especially if the whole system is stock. The module is the root cause of people getting locked in the car as well as a lot of vampiric battery drain. The OEM locking system leaves a lot to be desired, but can be made very serviceable with a few upgrades. Elvis posted a great how-to on here somewhere for upgrading the stock module with modern components and that, combined with door actuators rather than solenoids (added benefit of significantly lightening your doors) brings the system into at least the 20th century.

The digital module is nice if you want to add remotes, door poppers, extra functionality like that. But the OEM module, properly updated, gets the job done very well.