Door key lock won't turn

[Enigma]

How does one fix a door key lock? My drivers side one suddenly will not turn to the lock position.
I was out of town yesterday, and the wife needed to use the 'cruiser, then phones me that they key is stuck in the lock after she unlocked the truck.
I had some graphite lube in the garage and told her to spray that in, but it didn't seem to help. She ended up calling BCAA and they pulled the key out with some vice grips, where I guess it returned to it's unlocked vertical position, and there it remains.
I can turn it to the unlock position, and hear the mechanism, but it refuses to turn to the locked position.
I never had any issues with the locks before this.

 

[jonheld]

First thing you should do is get a new key cut from the dealer. Most of the time, door lock issues are from worn out keys.

 

[Schwaz80]

Mine does the same - it's worn out. I can't lock it from outside, but it unlocks just fine. You can live with it (like me and lock from the interior), swap the passenger side lock over, or install keyless entry.

 

[CJF]

WD-40 works *way* better than the graphite/silicone lubes.

Try that first; if it doesn't work then it's new key time.

 

[dannyp]

Mine does it too even after a new key. When my key gets stuck I lock it from inside while the door is open it takes the pressure off so I can get the key out . I suppose 1 day I will have to replace a lock but for now that works

 

[Offroads4x4]

If after a new key has been cut and it still wont open I'd take the lock out of the door and take it to a locksmith and have them fix it. To get the key out with the vice grips they may have bent one of the pins inside. Then you'd have a working door lock.

 

[Enigma]

As president of the National Procastrinators union, I will fix it the same time I fix my power windows. For now I can lock it using the button and still unlock from outside using the key, which is odd because that was apparently the original problem.
Perhaps it will fix itself like the D light did......

And thanks for all the insight and helpful information.

 

[Splittilps]

Same thing happens to me every so often, I just spray dome wd- 40 and it works again.

 

[CJF]

Same thing happens to me every so often, I just spray dome wd- 40 and it works again.

Yup...

 

[Enigma]

Five years later I turn to mud to fix my new door lock issue...and I find this post, by me. I guess it fixed itself last time, fingers crossed again!

I did get new keys cut last time, but I still use the original one. And it's not the keys this time (if it even was last time...)

 

[Jungle80farmer]

When I bought mine both doors wouldn't open with the key. Pb blaster is your friend. Spray a little on your key & get it in there. Mines worked great for 2 years since.

 

[bloc]

If you remove the lock cylinder they are quite easy to take apart and clean all of the 20yo grease and crud out, just make sure you keep the order of tumblers/slides correct. Even if you mess this up it is easy to fix with the cylinder and new key in hand.

Didn't matter how much graphite powder/whatever I used on my lx, the key didn't work properly until it was rebuilt.. now it is perfect with only graphite. I've done this on every used toyota I have owned.. so far the count is at six. On every one the internals of the cylinder were practically brand new when cleaned up.. others are correct in saying it is the key that wears much more quickly.

If you get a new key make sure it is dealer-cut from the vin code, not a copy of whatever you have.

Personally I'm not a fan of wet lubricants in lock cylinders. The excess has to go somewhere, usually into the door mech or bottom of the door where it collects dust like a magnet.

It is occurring to me that I should probably do a writeup on a lock cylinder rebuild.

 

[cruiserdan]

The door lock cylinders in trucks with keyless entry get "lazy" over time because they never get used. Dirt, old stiff lube and corrosion never get stirred around.

 

[DirtScaresMe]

I had new keys made and my door locks take a good minute to futz with if I don't use the fob and need to actually do the key/lock thing. The older original key (that I lost) worked great.

When it's below freezing outside, forget it. I've had to take a hair drier into a blizzard to soften up the situation.

 

[bloc]

The door lock cylinders in trucks with keyless entry get "lazy" over time because they never get used. Dirt, old stiff lube and corrosion never get stirred around.

To your knowledge does toyota spec a certain type of lubricant for dry parts like this? I'd like to use whatever they did when new.

 

[cruiserdan]

There is no published recommendation that I can recall. I can tell you that I have taken many new Toyota lock cylinders apart to re-pin them and they have all had the same type of light grease inside that is similar in viscosity and appearance to petroleum jelly or perhaps silicone grease such as Silglyde.

 

[Seth_O]

It is occurring to me that I should probably do a writeup on a lock cylinder rebuild.

Yes. Yes you should.....

 

[Enigma]

It is occurring to me that I should probably do a writeup on a lock cylinder rebuild.

Well here's a couple sentences you can use for the dismantling portion:


Just because something looks like it fits a slotted screwdriver doesn't mean it's for one.

After you have mangled the aforementioned barrel end by "removing" the lock mechanism, the c-clip lock washer WILL fall down into the deepest narrowest corner of your door seam never to be seen again. If you're lucky, the keyed tab will follow it. This can be found again by doing your best impersonation of a triple jointed gymnast and reaching your hand backwards, down into your door panel, whilst crossing your eyes and muttering obscenities. It helps if you have girlish hands, you fat fingered SOBS are SOL.

The repair procedure for us backyard hacks is to get your biggest hand held angle grinder and carefully grind down the remaining portion of the notch protrusion flat. Then even more carefully, drill a 3/32" hole for a #4 tap. Bonus points for getting it woefully off center. Then take your #4 machine screw and cut it really short, cleaning up the ends so it threads nicely. Then get another #4 screw and do it all over again because your first one was way too short.
Place the keyed tab back on the lock mechanism, cover it with a largish washer you happened to notice laying in the sawdust pile on the floor, then a #4 washer and your machine screw. Thread into place, with the key in the lock barrel, so you can tell your screw is still too long as it pushes they key out.
Of course prior to all this you had already fixed/repaired/cleaned the %^&ing lock barrel that started all this mess.
I need to find "your" locksmith guy, as the one I went to was wayyy more then $10 to $12.

 

[bloc]

I would just get another barrel and move your tumblers into it. Also I don't remember any issues with c clips, though I vaguely remember pulling the whole handle out of the door then removing the lock cylinder. Might be wrong on those details tho.

 

[cruiserdan]

Toyota key cylinders are serviced as complete assemblies only.