Front door will not open (again)

[sandcar361]

So this is on my 06 Excursion 39S model. It has happened to me one other time but luckily I had a window left unlocked I was able to shimmy through. This time my coach is at storage all locked up good and went and grabbed the handle and nothing. So my question is this: what window can I take apart to gain access to open the door from the inside? The front door glass looks the easiest but don't really want to have to bust the screen on the screen door once the glass is removed. Anybody ever have this happen to them? The door mechanics are not that durable in this model coach.

[SarahW]

I seem to remember a previous post where someone removed the glass from their door and it was fairly simple to do. Do you have Coach-net or another roadside service? It might be that they could send someone to help you gain access. I'd even try a locksmith before breaking in; they might be able to remove the lock mechanism or something. Good luck to you.

[sandcar361]

I should have done a search before I posted this. A found a few good ideas in my search.

Thanks SarahW for your response.

[adonh]

Originally Posted by sandcar361

I should have done a search before I posted this. A found a few good ideas in my search.

Thanks SarahW for your response.

Share!

[sandcar361]

Ok here are the 2 ideas that I have found so far. I will try the thick plastic wire tie first and if that don't work then I will resort to drilling my window frame. Ideas posted below vvvvvv

[sandcar361]

He then got out a strong white thick plastic wire tie. He slipped the end of it past a where a sliding window meets the fixed window and was able to lift the window lock up, which unlocked the window. Then he crawled through the window and was able to open the door from the inside. He lubricated and worked everything back and forth several times and it all works OK. Neither of us is sure why the door would not open but it works great now. I have decided that I will only use the deadbolt lock and never the other one, and I will keep one of those big wire ties on board. (They are like the ones that the A/C and heat guys use to seal the ends of flexible duct. They are about 1/2" wide and about 30" long.)

[sandcar361]

Locked Coach Access

Here is a way you can take some proactive action so that you can easily get into the coach in case the keys are lost or the door latch fails.

1. Drill a hole in the front passenger side window aluminum frame. The hole lines up with the inside latch. I drilled a hole just large enough to allow a small ice pick to go through the hole. There are two layers of aluminum to drill through. I drilled from the inside at a slight downward angle to get the location right. Be very careful to just miss the glass.

2. The ice pick or other tool will go through the hole and contact the latch. A slight tap on the tool will release the latch so the window and screen can be raised from the outside. Keep the ice pick in an outside compartment.

3. The next action is to climb through the window. Not sure everyone could get their body through this window, but surely there would be a slightly smaller person around to help if necessary. In some cases you might be able to just reach through the window and release the dead bolt latch if that is all that is needed.

4. When all this is done, put a little black sealer on the outside hole to prevent leakage and to somewhat camouflage the hole.

5. This same method could also be used on a larger sliding window should you wish.

6. I am sure some will say that any thief could get in this same way but I will take my chances that they are not that smart and they will just break a window or pry a window open breaking the latch.

[CLIFFTALL]

Originally Posted by sandcar361

Locked Coach Access

Here is a way you can take some proactive action so that you can easily get into the coach in case the keys are lost or the door latch fails.

1. Drill a hole in the front passenger side window aluminum frame. The hole lines up with the inside latch. I drilled a hole just large enough to allow a small ice pick to go through the hole. There are two layers of aluminum to drill through. I drilled from the inside at a slight downward angle to get the location right. Be very careful to just miss the glass.

2. The ice pick or other tool will go through the hole and contact the latch. A slight tap on the tool will release the latch so the window and screen can be raised from the outside. Keep the ice pick in an outside compartment.

3. The next action is to climb through the window. Not sure everyone could get their body through this window, but surely there would be a slightly smaller person around to help if necessary. In some cases you might be able to just reach through the window and release the dead bolt latch if that is all that is needed.

4. When all this is done, put a little black sealer on the outside hole to prevent leakage and to somewhat camouflage the hole.

5. This same method could also be used on a larger sliding window should you wish.

6. I am sure some will say that any thief could get in this same way but I will take my chances that they are not that smart and they will just break a window or pry a window open breaking the latch.

I've seen this suggested before and think it beats the alternative choice of breaking in.

[Shellback1]

Go on top and remove the skylight in the bath and lower someone small down. Puddy knife and screw driver, you're in.

[CLIFFTALL]

Originally Posted by Shellback1

Go on top and remove the skylight in the bath and lower someone small down. Puddy knife and screw driver, you're in.

Not so fast. The Inner layer of the skylight was screwed in from the inside on mine.

[Shellback1]

Not mine! Skylight should screw down not up, it is on the outside, There may be another frame on the inside on yours like on a fan.

[macantic]

I'm glad I have a drivers door,just in case that happens to me.

[CLIFFTALL]

Originally Posted by macantic

I'm glad I have a drivers door,just in case that happens to me.

Yeah. I had one on my Chieftain but not on my Bounder. I always missed it.

[SarahW]

Originally Posted by sandcar361

I should have done a search before I posted this. A found a few good ideas in my search.

Thanks SarahW for your response.

You are quite welcome. Report back when you get in; we wanna know how you do it. (And if it makes you feel any better, there is a thread on the Palazzo section where a couple was locked INSIDE their coach. It's always something.)