SPONSORED LINKS

1992 Toyota Celica Another door latch is broken

Tiny
6GUNN
  • MEMBER
  • 1992 TOYOTA CELICA
  • 1.6L
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 204,000 MILES
My daughter's drivers side door keeps breaking the latch. The first time this happened the door just stop latching, and would swing open when a turn was made. I bought another latch at a junk yard, and installed it and it worked fine. A week later the same problem has turned up and it will not latch again. No matter how you close the door it will not latch. Locking the door will keep it somewhat closed, but it will not close all the way.
What could be breaking these latches now? Needless to say this is very dangerous for my daughter.
Thanks for any help you can give me.
SPONSORED LINKS
Monday, January 6th, 2014 AT 9:10 AM

6 Replies

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,709 POSTS
Is the post that the latch attaches to properly adjusted?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Monday, January 6th, 2014 AT 9:28 AM
Tiny
6GUNN
  • MEMBER
  • 44 POSTS
The post doesn't seem to be off. It's strange the newly installed latch was fine for a week then broke. It also worked fine on the junked car that I took it off of.
The latch piece that actually turns and locks around the striker has no resistance now. You can take a screwdriver and push around the part that latches, like something is broken inside now. This happened to the original latch as well.
SPONSORED LINKS
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Monday, January 6th, 2014 AT 9:56 AM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,709 POSTS
That is odd. That is why I was thinking it could be the striker was out too far and banging the latch when it closed. Do you still have the old latch? If so, have you looked at it to try and determine what may have broken it?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Monday, January 6th, 2014 AT 10:55 AM
Tiny
6GUNN
  • MEMBER
  • 44 POSTS
I do still have the old latch. I'll look it over tonight.

Is there a spring or something that puts tension on the part that latches onto the striker? This part feels "dead".
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Monday, January 6th, 2014 AT 12:03 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,709 POSTS
There should be tension on it so when you release it to open, it clicks open.
SPONSORED LINKS
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Monday, January 6th, 2014 AT 5:00 PM
Tiny
6GUNN
  • MEMBER
  • 44 POSTS
I checked the old latch assembly, and I can't find anything really wrong with it.
There is some play with the part that latches onto the striker, but it still turns around and locks into place. After a few minutes I got the latching part to unlock, but it didn't snap back like it was spring loaded. I had to push it back with a screwdriver. But maybe this is normal, and pulling the door open resets this part.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, January 7th, 2014 AT 6:49 AM

Please login or register to post a reply.

Related Door Latch Content

Sponsored links