I am having a problem with the front passenger door not locking in the winter not the door lock but the actual latch that the door hooks on the car when it closes. this is not the first time this has happened either, I took it to the Lexus dealer before and they found nothing worng with it so I don't know what the problem is. I never experenced this with any other car before ever!!!!!

 

I gave the same problem with my 92 LS400. Only it's with the drivers door and happens only when it gets below -10 C or 14 F.

 

dbullen

isn't that frusterating? But I used a blow dryer this morning to heat it up a little and it worked again, go figure huh?

 

This is what's happening to me now. my door latch just wont stay latched. It pops back up even when I try to latch it with a screwdriver to test. It is cold here too so maybe it will get better when it warms up. Infact, the day it started the car was completely covered with ice. Does anyone know how these latches work? I took my int panel off and looked- it's really hard to even look at. I couldn't see a way to get it out without removing the window and window regulator. SOmetimes if I hold it shut from the inside for a few moments it will latch all of a sudden. I found this out after I had resorted to bungy cordes!

'90 LS400

 

I have the same problem on my '94 right front door. It will not latch below 20 to 25 deg F. I now know not to take passengers when it is that cold. I have tried all the normal remedies such as WD40, silicone, anti Ice spray. None work except the hair dryer for a few minutes. I should get a dryer that plugs into the lighter outlet, if there is such a thing.

My thinking is that there is a spring inside the latch that over time gets weak. When it gets cold and the latch binds a bit, the spring is not able to lock the latch. This is purely hypothetical. Its too cold to take that thing apart now.

Did we discover another systemic problem with our reliable Lexi cars?

Let me know if someone finds a solution. Thanks

Burghard

 

I wish I could help you out. After a week it got a little warmer (above 0) and the door works now. I did take the interior panel off and determined that there was no way I could get the latch mechanism out. This coming from someone who last week installed a timing belt and waterpump on his LS400. It appears that you have to take out the window and regulator mechanism before you can get to the latch box. However, when it was cold I discovered a trick to latch it. Roll the window down so you can get a firm grip on the door from the inside (I didn't do it from the outside because the ice on the ground would make me slip), and pull the door closed and hold it there for about 10 seconds. I never heard the click but the latch did eventually latch. It acted as if there was a 5-10 second delay in latching. Perhaps it's a magnetic sensor? Who knows. I discovered this when I had to drive the car and started to tie the door shut. After I had it tied I pushed on it to see how good of a hold it had and lo and behold the door was latched. I was able to do this everytime. I hope this helps.

 

i think i missed the point, so you're saying pull the door closed for about 10 seconds, good enough. but why do we need the window open for this ?

 

opening the window alows you to pull on the door (pulling from the inside has some give) This sounds to me like a lubricant problem. some one already tried WD40 with no luck try cleaning it with alchool, then use graphite to "lubricate" it. I've had problems with my alarm system in the cold, and even with thethe lock on the door no latching problems though, hmmmmm......maybe it just doesn't get cold enough here in So. California!!!!!!! Hey wait theres how you fix it move to were its warm!!!!!! JK !) good luck with fixing it.


And just a little side note about our reliable Lexus. Our cars are 10-15 years old things wear down,deplete,decompose. Find another car half the age of your LS take it for a drive, you'll see that the LS looks better and is a quiter,smoother ride. Do it, you'll appreciate you re car again. OK OK I'll get off my soap box .

 

Cause for the door lock to stack is forming moisture(condensate) during car heating and cooling down in cold weather. Door power unit is may be isolated or wrapped in same materials but its body likely are screwed directly to metal surface. If you put some thin rubber (make some thermal isolation between metal body and power unit) under screws it may prevent forming moisture in unit itself. I encountered the same problem in present LS 400, previous TOYOTA, VW PASSAT when temperatures drops far below.

 

Hi, this year I tried a dry lubricant which comes in a pressurized can. I took all the screws out from the lock mechanism and sprayed this lubricant inside the lock. The propellant gets it there and then evaporates. No problems so far even at -9 deg. F.

 

yea, use graphite lube in the locks.

silicone based lube on the rubber seals wont hurt either.