Door Locking Itself

[Dick Simonis]

For some strange reason the coach door occasionally decides to lock itself for no apparent reason.  The other day this happened and I realized both sets of keys were inside which caused a minute of consternation.  Fortunately I remembered that I had a third set with just door and ignition keys in the car.  I chalked it up as a one time fluke figuring I'd hit the inside slide lock by accident an just blew it off.  Now today it did it again so there must be more going on than meets the eye.

This model coach does not have the outside keypad but does have key fob remotes.  Oh, it's not the deadbolt that locks it's the one on the handle.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

dick

[Mike Groves]

Mine locks us in, so we don't use it.  The mechanism appears to be sufficient to lock the door but when you slide it back it doesn't unlock the door.  I got locked in on my first trip but had a service attendant come out and unlock it from the outside.  I have since figured out that I can reach the outside lock from the window after removing the screen, so its not critical but we don't use that lock any more.  I've never had it looked at because we just use the deadbolt.

Mike

[Jerry Emert]

I had the same issue with ours about 16 months ago.  Since the keypad didn't work I just clipped all the wires to the key pad on the outside.  It hasn't happened since.

[steve zannella]

We have also been locked in and the slide lock release on the inside won't unlock. The first time I had to lower the wife out the bedroom window, very embarrassing, she was able to unlock door using the outside keypad.  Another time it happen with a group camp out and she went to the bathroom while I was at a meeting didn't notice her gone for about an hour later saw her hysterically waving in the window. We have since discovered using the remote FOB will unlock the front door in these circumstance so we keep it in inside.

I have a theory as to one possibility causing the problem, when I unlock the door with the keep pad, I wait about 5 seconds before closing the door behind me. It seem to re lock itself if I'm too quick to enter and close the door. You can actually hear a second click a few seconds after the door is open. It sounds like the unlock mechanism hasn't completed its cycle.

[Dick Simonis]

I'm not having any problem with the inside slide release, it works just fine. With no outside touch pad, that's not an issue.  It just locks itself without any external input, almost like a key fob sent a signal....which reminds me I should also check and see if the bay doors also locked.  If so, that would narrow it down.

[Tic Wilson]

The entry door locks "by itself".  Checking the bay doors may not provide an answer, because using a key fob or keypad requires a separate signal to open the bays.  If they have not been unlocked, they are still locked. If the bay doors are know to be unlocked and they become locked with the entry door, then you are on to something.
I have also been experiencing a self locking door, however it seems to come from vibration, such as slamming the entry door, or driving down a bumpy section of roadway.  I know that the innards of my entry door mechanism may not be the same as yours, but I have a photo I can share if I can figure out how to attach it.  I removed the actuator rod, to prove it was not electrical.
As far as the slide locking but not unlocking, it could be the plastic slide itself.  It has two openings on the inside that receive the actuator rods.  A break could allow one direction to work or lock and yet when slid back, does not accomplish the unlock.

[Jeremy Parrett]

I managed to lock myself and the DW out of the coach at 4.30pm on New Years Day 2010 near Wilcox AZ .  It was freezing ;no keys;no cell phones ; T shorts......saved by a trucker with a Sat Phone.  Locksmith came at his call 1 hour later and let us back in.
  DO NOT LUBRICATE THE FRICTION SLIDE MECHANISM  !!!!!   I did !!

[Fred Brooks]

            Hi Guys,

  My experience with these locks is how sensitive they become when they get older especially the ones that have a remote inside handle with various clevis rods actuating the lock assembly. The main thing to look at is the outside lock and has it shifted from torqueing on the handle (look at the paint lines). Once the lock moves, it alters the clevis rods travel and you will notice how far you have to pull the handle to get the door to release. Typically if you remove the inside panel and shorten the clevis rod 1 full turn and tighten the jamb nut it will take up the slack that wear and tear creates from the outside handle to the lock assembly.
   Hope this helps, Fred

[Dick Simonis]

Yesterday I played with the door by shutting it forcefully several time.  Yep, it locked itself to it looks like I'll be digging into to it shortly.  Early this year I adjusted the rod that disengages the latch because the handle wouldn't release the latch until it was at full throw and perhaps went overboard.

Thanks for the replies.

Dick