Locked out

[darbyjudy]

I have a 2004 Sunvoyager, model 8379.
While camping in TN, we had went to do laundry and when we returned I put key in door lock and it turned but the door would not open. I was able to get one of the small windows in the sun room open and found a small lady in the campground to crawl in and try to open it from inside. But it would not open from inside either. The lady unlocked one of the bigger windows and I crawled in and took the inside of the lock apart but still was unable to get the door to open. We ended up drilling all the bolts out of the lock and with a lot of problems finally got the door open. The lock was a TriMark and what had happened was the latch had broken in the lock. I had to buy a new lock to the tune of $124.00. Now I am scared to lock the windows when we leave, afraid it will happen again.
Has any of the rest of you had this problem and if so how did you get the locked door open?

[univmd]

Yes we've been locked out before due to a sticky lock. Luckily the trash compartment door was unlocked. So I crawed into the trash compartment, stuck my upper body up through the countertop, and unlocked the kitchen window. Then I crawed into the motorhome via the kitchen window. And unlocked the front door from the inside. Sprayed WD-40 on lock.

[holmesaw]

I have locked myself out, but never had a defective lock. I saw one of the vendors at the bhii rally in 08 in an american eagle who had the problem you are describing. He crawled thru an open window and unlocked from inside. Yours sounds more serious.

[darbyjudy]

Yes Homesaw we couldn't unlock the door from the inside either. The medal part that is the latch had broken in two. It5 appears to be a type of pot medal. It sure was a bummer, like I said now I am afraid to leave the windows locked when I leave, afraid I cannot get back inside. I don't know what I would have done if there was noby around small enough to get in the sun room bottom window. Also a lot of guys in the campground that helped me out.
I sent a not to TriMark hoping they could tell me if this is a problem with their locks and maybe a better way to get the door open if it happens again.

[PChez]

I did lock myself out, but not because of a defective lock. I just left the keys inside the coach and then I locked the door. This happened in Las Vegas, good thing we have Coach-Net and they sent a young girl over and it took her a few seconds to open it. Since then I have some extra keys on one of them magnetic boxes attached to a spot where I can get to the keys to open if I ever do lock myself out. I was impressed how easy it is for a professional to open those locks. I didn't have the bolt locked, but I think she could have opened it just as easy.

[RJ82much]

The Mrs has a nasty habit of flipping the inside lock handles to whatever suits her fancy, then slamming door shut behind her as she leaves. Since carrying a key is a foreign concept for her, I have learned to:
1) never go out the door without my key in my pocket, &
2) never lock the driver's side door.

The quality of the locks is really poor. Our driver's side door lock cannot be unlocked with key from outside (hence the unlocked state - note to self: really need to fix). Also, the dead-bolt inside latch handle has broken so I can only use the regular lock for security at night. (another note to self: really need to fix that as well!)

The driver's door is a lot easier to climb in than garbage chutes & windows.

[RJ82much]

Update on the "little red knob" for the deadbolt: see http://www.gsowners.com/viewtopic.php?t=1646