Forum Discussion

C20's avatar
C20
Explorer
May 17, 2016

Compartment door

So all of a sudden my left front cargo door won't open. Anyone with tips on how to get it open? It's unlocked. I used the electric unlock and the key but it still won't open. The make and model are in the signature.
Thanks.
  • SCVJeff wrote:
    Or it's physically broken. I have the same latches and have replaced three

    Same here; I've had to replace two so far. I carry an extra in case another one breaks while I'm traveling.
    Follow the advice in Jeff's first response, then use a thin flat screwdriver to pry against the broken plastic latch piece and you should be able to get it open.
  • Or it's physically broken. I have the same latches and have replaced three
  • I've had to go through an adjacent bay to remove the screws that secure the latch several times. What I've found on mine is that the lever that pulls the latch tongue rides up over the shoulder on the latch tongue and jams the whole thing up. This happens because the small screw that is the pivot point of the lever either works loose or the washer under the screw isn't adequate to keep the lever in place. This usually happens when I have already opened the door and the tongue won't spring back, but not always.

    Through a lot of tinkering and trial and error I've found that adding a slightly larger o.d. flat washer and cleaning all parts well, with liberal lubrication of all components with Never Seize has cured the problem.
  • Thank you all, going out with it this weekend and I'll see if i can get it open.
  • We push bay door in with left hand and pull handle to open at the same time. One of our bay doors does this too.
  • Push, pull, push, and shake as you try to open. Then get all locks and hinges with a bit of oil once it all opens.
  • Ivylog's avatar
    Ivylog
    Explorer III
    Craw through from the other side and open... it"s usually a linkage problem.
  • Wellllll....... You have a broken latch on one side or the other, pulling on the door should tell you which side. You can probably get a narrow Phillips in there to unscrew the catch. If indeed it's a dead latch they are easily replaced with a few tools.

    If that s indeed what the issue is, replace it with THESE latches. Don't use the cheap plastic ones.
  • Tom/Barb wrote:
    Try pushing in on the door as you open the latch.
    X-2, this worked one time for me on my Winnebago. Once the door was open I made a adjustment.