Door blow open on Highway!!!

[charlier180]

LMAO!


CWEST94,

I've taken my door apart and it is a fairly simple mechanism. There is a rod that pushes down on the latch mechanism to release the latch from the striker. So my suggestion is to examine the latch mechanism and ensure it makes good contact with the striker and that it holds tightly. Doors do not pop open from the mild pressure from an hvac fan.

I agree. It would be worth the time and effort to examine the rod and latch mechanisms. That is the most reasonable/logical place to start. If the door was shut and these mechanisms were working properly I seriously doubt that air pressure from the HVAC could have been the sole cause of the problem.

 

[AK602]

I was a mechanic for 15 years, you are all missing the obvious. It seems to me that the "heavy frost" caused some ice to buldup or jam in your door mechanism. As the truck heated up, somthing shifted and allowed or caused the door latch to open. I would do this. Sit in the truck, close the door, lean on the door, If the door dosnt open consider it a fluke.

In 15 years of fixing cars I have seen locks freeze part way closed and appear to be closed. As the heat warmed up the truck somthing defrosted.

The blower on any speed does not build up pressure, your truck is not a sealed environment. As a matter of fact the sunroof is not even water tight, it is known as a controlled leak. Water comes in the edge of the glass and enters a "tub" which drains down tubes to the ground. Hope I was helpful.

 

[4by4th]

Sounds like we need a "NIGHTMARE" category. Start with my oil change from hell story followed with this one.

Maybe you need to thaw the car out completely. Park it in somebody's heated garage for a few days or drive it to Texas. Temps have been in the 70's here lately.

If that doesn't work I'd take it back to whoever installed the remote starter and jump up and down until you get their attention. Write them a letter too.

 

[4runner norm]

I would check all of the wiring installed for the Remote Starter. They may have miswired something.

 

[maine runner]

Keep in mind that when ice thaws it expands.

If there was ice inside the door frame area when it thawed (thanks to the blasting heater) it could have pressed on something.

Think of a frozen pipe thawing. Bam! splits the pipe open.

 

[Even Steven]

I was a mechanic for 15 years, you are all missing the obvious. It seems to me that the "heavy frost" caused some ice to buldup or jam in your door mechanism. As the truck heated up, somthing shifted and allowed or caused the door latch to open. I would do this. Sit in the truck, close the door, lean on the door, If the door dosnt open consider it a fluke.

In 15 years of fixing cars I have seen locks freeze part way closed and appear to be closed. As the heat warmed up the truck somthing defrosted.

The blower on any speed does not build up pressure, your truck is not a sealed environment. As a matter of fact the sunroof is not even water tight, it is known as a controlled leak. Water comes in the edge of the glass and enters a "tub" which drains down tubes to the ground. Hope I was helpful.

I agree with everything you said, but none of it explains how the door could be "blown" open. Even if the lock or latch mechanism was completely frozen solid, the door would still be forced shut at highway speeds, just by the wind resistance alone. Unless he had suicide doors installed on his 4Runner :bigok:

 

[Even Steven]

Keep in mind that when ice thaws it expands.

When ice thaws, it melts. When water freezes, it expands.

 

[Barefoot]

2 things-

1. It happened to me years ago in a POS '78 Accord I had for a winter car. Maybe 20 degrees out, I had spent some time clearing frost, and on the way to work, the door opened as I went around a curve (luckily, not nearly 65mph). I parked it with the sun shining on the door, and it was fine at the end of the day.

2. Think about it, do your ears pop when you turn the fan on high? It takes maybe 1/4 psi max to pop your ears. So if your ears don't pop, the pressure increase from the fan is less than that. 1/4 psi times the area of the door (maybe 15 ft sq) is worst case 4 pounds trying to push the door open. You can lean on a properly closed door much harder than that and it won't open.

I think you had a frozen latch...

 

[AK602]

If it hasnt given you any additional problems I agree "Frozen Latch"

 

[ALt4r]

I agree with everything you said, but none of it explains how the door could be "blown" open. Even if the lock or latch mechanism was completely frozen solid, the door would still be forced shut at highway speeds, just by the wind resistance alone. Unless he had suicide doors installed on his 4Runner :bigok:

I'm still wondering this as well. If it opened on the highway wouldnt it just shut close from the wind?
Also ice doesn't expand when it thaws...:wtf:

editops even beat me to it
Also ice doesn't expand when it thaws...

 

[TechWrench]

Keep in mind that when ice thaws it expands.

If there was ice inside the door frame area when it thawed (thanks to the blasting heater) it could have pressed on something.

Think of a frozen pipe thawing. Bam! splits the pipe open.

When water freezes, it expands due to the water molecules aligning in the crystalline structure that forms the ice. When water freezes in a pipe, the expansion during freezing causes the pipe to "Bam! splits the pipe open". You don't know the pipe is ruptured until the ice thaws, and the water, under normal pressure starts to leak from the split.

 

[p nut]

I got a good laugh out of this thread. Pressurization causing a door to blow open.....sealed cabins.....ice expanding as it thaws bwhaaa ha ha!

I can buy the frozen latch theory. The only way it could have "blown open" was for this guy to be leaning on it with his body or leg, while the frozen latch, which was barely hanging on, finally gave.

 

[ProMed]

The only way it could have "blown open" was for this guy to be leaning on it with his body or leg, while the frozen latch, which was barely hanging on, finally gave.

This is what I was thinking after reading the previous responses.