07 Oct Pro Tips to Avoid Door Lock Failure in Your Mercedes
When it comes to cars as impressive and technologically-advanced as Mercedes, it’s only natural that some parts will need replacing every few years. Not servicing your vehicle when the time comes is a quick way to have additional issues develop underneath the hood.
There are some problems that may occur which are an annoyance. With that in mind, problems with your door lock can be extremely frustrating, and any issues should be addressed by a professional as soon as possible. Not doing so may not damage your car in the long run and leave you stranded. Additionally, it’s also possible that smaller issues are symptoms of a larger problem under the hood.
The Door Lock System
Most people take the small parts of their car for granted, such as the door locks. However, this system is actually complex and made up of a number of parts, all of which could potentially break and/or burn out over time. To elaborate, there is something known as the door-lock actuator built within the door of your car.
The door lock actuator is connected to the key latch by a thin metal rod. There is a second rod attached to the key latch that sticks out of the top of the inside of the door. The actuator only comes into use when you are attempting to lock or unlock your vehicle. It is responsible for pushing the little indicator up and down on your car door.
The door lock system is in all the doors of your vehicle. It responds to the signal sent by your key fob to lock or unlock. If one of these becomes disconnected or has a problem with a rod or component of the system, then the door lock could fail and leave you locked out of your Mercedes.
For the most part, you shouldn’t run into issues with the door lock system, as it is made to be quite resilient, given how much use it receives. If lucky, the biggest issue you may have is that the battery in your key fob will die. However, sometimes larger faults can occur that need to be addressed by removing the door panel and diving into the guts of your Mercedes.
Signs and Causes For Door Lock Failure
As discussed, if you are lucky, you will hardly experience problems under the hood of your Mercedes. However, if this issue begins to manifest, you may notice that your door lock is beginning to fail drastically. There are a few warning signs that this may be occurring and a few causes for those signs:
Erratic Power Door Lock
If your door lock seems to be unlatching and latching by itself without any press of a button, it’s likely that something is wrong with the actuator in the door. A problem with this piece would certainly cause the door lock to act up and not respond to any commands by the passengers of the vehicle.
Weird Noises From in a Door
As with an erratically-behaving door lock, if the actuator is damaged, you may begin to hear weird noises coming from the door of the vehicle. These are signs that something is wrong with the parts within the frame, and you should probably take your car to a professional right away.
Dead Locks
If the locks on your vehicle don’t seem to be functioning at all, this could mean the entire system as failed. First, check to make sure your key fobs battery is working properly. If you have a key, try opening the car manually. Once inside, attempt to lock and unlock the car. If you get no response, the problem has to do with the system itself.
Shores Automotive For Your Mercedes Needs
At Shores Automotive, we understand how 
annoying it is to experience a door lock failure. It is our mission to get your car back out on the road and functioning better than ever before. We proudly service clients in Boca Raton, Del Ray Beach, Highland Beach, Lighthouse Point, and Deerfield Beach, FL. Come in and visit us today or give us a call to schedule an appointment. We look forward to earning your business and trust.