Date:         Wed, 11 Jan 2023 10:54:23 -0800
Reply-To:     Ben T <syncro@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ben T <syncro@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Driver door lock
Comments: To: Rick Cooper <rick@webleaf.ca>
In-Reply-To:  <2e4c3f37-7c3d-4b13-8159-f9c7a3ea933c@app.fastmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Rick,

There is a tab on the latch which keeps the door from being able to lock without the key. As Ken mentioned, it’s a safety feature to keep you from locking your keys inside the van.

If you simply want to be able to depress the lockbutton with the door open, trip the door latch into the closed position. You should then be able to push the button down manually. Of course, you will need to unlock and trigger the latch open before you can shut the door again.


BenT

> On Jan 11, 2023, at 10:07 AM, Rick Cooper <rick@webleaf.ca> wrote:
> 
> I've been putting sound deadening material in my '87 Westie for the past few days.  I think I'm going to be very happy with the result -- certainly the doors close with a very nice thud now.  I've done the floor, front firewall (as far as I could reach without removing the dash), and the three front doors.  Still debating whether I should do the rear door.
> 
> However, I noticed during reassembly that my driver's door seems to be unlockable -- I can't push the lock button down.  This doesn't have anything to do with the door handle and the lock cylinder -- the key simply disables the door handle from shifting the door lock mechanism on the latch up and down.  My problem is that the door lock mechanism on the latch won't move up and down.
> 
> Why not?  Is this the way it is supposed to work?  I almost never lock my van since I mostly use it for camping.  Am I running into some mechanism that prevents the driver's door being locked while the key is still in the ignition?  But there is no electrical wire to the door latch so I don't know how that would be activated.
> 
> Or has my door lock mechanism rusted so that it won't move?  I'm stumped -- anyone else run into this?
> 
> Thanks for any suggestions, Rick