Correct key won't turn in door lock
The lock can suddenly develop an obstruction where the correct key will not turn at all. Because this leaves the door stuck shut, you cannot get it open to replace the lock and may have to destroy the handle instead.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Contacting manufacturer support for a free replacementDid this help you?
- 2Drilling out the lockDid this help you?
- 3Using a coat hanger to nudge the latch openDid this help you?
- 4Using a cutter wheel to remove the handle and manually twisting the internal mechanismDid this help you?
- 5Turning hard to get partial retraction, letting go for a few seconds, and trying againDid this help you?
- 6Chiseling out the deadbolt strike hole slightly largerDid this help you?
- 7Loosening the screws that hold the deadbolt plate to the door frameDid this help you?
- 8Applying graphite powder in the keyhole and along the boltDid this help you?
- 9Adjusting the door hinges or deadbolt alignmentDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I went to open the door, and the keys do not turn at all. They are for sure the correct keys, but it does not turn at all.”source ↗
“I'll call them, but I can't get it open to replace it amyway. I think I'm going to have to destroy the handle, regardless. Ugh.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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- 8How to change a brake light when the rear door won't open