RV Compartment Door Won’t Open | What to Do?

There’s nothing quite like the unparalleled experience of embarking on an open road trip in your favorite RV. Sadly, different parts of an RV may stop functioning when on the trip and ruin your trip. Such a problem is that the RV compartment door won’t open.

Bear in mind the solution to this problem depends on the reason. Some contributors include jammed or frozen doors due to lower temperatures, enabling child lock, an issue with the door handle, etc. Particularly, the garage door of your RV stays closed and might need you to go through a process like replacing the locks or realigning the door. 

These compartments are useful for storing essential belongings such as groceries, fold-up chairs, blankets, toys, etc. The problem with these doors means you will need help storing these items. Continue reading to learn the possible reasons and solutions for the camping vehicle door won’t open.

Why is My RV Compartment Door Won’t Open?

Finding the root cause is crucial before repairing the RV door won’t open. I shared a few possible reasons in this section to help you with the troubleshooting process.

Misalignment

When you drive the RV on different terrains, continuous swaying, and rocking occur. As a result, the compartment door becomes misaligned. Remember that misalignment can happen in the corners and sides of the door.

This way, some RV door sections may catch into the frame. Moreover, if you push or slam the door aggressively, the assembly of the door can be ruined. Furthermore, it can cause additional issues like a scratch on the door or damage to the paint.

Defective Locks

If you fail to open the compartment door, its locks are likely defective. In this case, diagnose the problem intently. It might be something hitting the door, and the lock gets damaged.

Also, corroded or jammed locks are responsible for the RV storage door not opening. It is best to use appropriate weather protection in the door locks.

How to Fix an RV Compartment Door Won’t Open?

After identifying why your RV compartment is not opening, following the right fixation process is vital. I discussed some effective solutions, letting you open the compartment door whenever needed.

Solution #01: Re-align the Door

Start by accessing the misaligned areas. Sometimes, misalignment happens in different parts. At the same time, it can occur in a single area. So, it is important to find out the area on your RV that needs adjustment.

Follow the below steps when realigning the door.

Required Items:

• Philips screwdriver

Step 01: Loose the screws, but don’t remove them fully on the striker plate.

Step 02: Consider adjusting the striker based on your earlier situation assessment.

Step 03: Then, the screws required well-tightening. However, avoid over tightening. It prevents stripping.

Step 04: Now, try to open the door to check whether the problem persists.

Solution #02: Replace the Lock

Read the user manual first before replacing the lock in case it is jammed. This will help complete this operation. However, specific door locks may have unique steps to uninstall and reinstall the lock properly.

Read the below process step-by-step to get an idea of how to complete the job.

Required Items:

• New RV lock
• Philips screwdriver
• Flathead screwdriver

Step 01: The deadbolt is assembled on a mount; unscrew it.

Step 02: Now, slide the new deadbolt onto the RV doors bracket.

Step 03: The deadbolt assembly must be held so it fails to move when screwing in the strike plate.

Step 04: Next, the locks into the RV door must be installed perfectly. Maintaining the correct orientation is vital as it lets you avoid fitment issues.

Step 05: Check the RV lock first to see if it is OK. Then close the compartment and try opening it.

Solution #03: Disengage Child Lock

Don’t forget to check whether the child safety lock is engaged. This is an effortless fix, as there is always a way to disengage the safety lock to free the compartment from its locked position.

Solution #04: Winterize Your RV

Generally, frozen doors happen in colder areas. During colder months, metal expands. Thus, you may need help to open an RV door.

Moreover, an RV door’s internal mechanism can also freeze due to lower temperatures. In such a situation, proper lubrication will be beneficial.

You can wash these parts with warm water or use antifreeze. However, be careful of using antifreeze, learning its pros and cons. In addition, a blow dryer is a good solution. Bear in mind not to damage the paint.

Another good solution is to place a cloth over the surface you want to warm. Then blow hot air on the cloth instead of heating the metal directly.

That is why winterizing your RV is always a good option to prevent the RV compartment door from opening.

Solution #05: Replace the Door Handles

Issues in the door handle are another reason the RV compartment door won’t open. The handle is necessary to unlock the locking mechanism. However, it is challenging If the handle doesn’t work correctly.

It usually happens when the outside and inside latch is broken or worn out. RV compartment door latches are most likely to break when they are roughly slammed shut. You may face huge safety hazards if the latches are broken or malfunctioned. In this case, there are no other options except replacing the latch.

Read Also: How to Troubleshoot & Fix RV Tankless Water Heater Problems?

RV Door Compartment Maintenance Tips

Proper maintenance is necessary if you want the best performance from your RV door. Here is how you should maintain your RV door compartment.

Tips #01: Don’t Slam Your RV Compartment Doors Shut Roughly

Sadly, many RVers have this bad habit. RV doors are easy to shut, and a gentle push can help you shut them into place.

But if you close them with a constant slam, they will stop functioning properly. It creates unusual pressure on the doors. Even the holding panels start to lose. Additionally, damage happens to the door frame and edges.

So, stop slamming your RV compartment door roughly when closing.

Tip #02: Lubricate Areas

Hinges, springs, and latches can get jammed, corroded, or rusted due to moisture. It would be best to keep these areas well-lubricated to prevent rust and corrosion. This way, hinges and spring will barely jam.

Tip #03: If RV Compartment Rattles, Attend the Issue

Is your RV compartment rattling? Don’t avoid the rattling sound. Take prompt action until it leads you to bigger complications.

Tip #04: Keep your RV Compartment Clean All the Time

RVs are subjected to face a lot of abuse on the road. That is why it is crucial to clean RVs regularly. Such an act reduces the risk of damage.

Environmental pollutants, dust, dirt, and other elements can build up in the way of the RV compartment. When left unattended, it can cause blockage.

Read Also: How Much Does It Cost to Replace an RV Front Cap?

How Much Does It Cost to Repair an RV Compartment Door?

The cost varies depending on the level of the problem. Most compartment doors are made of aluminum metal or fiberglass.

Generally, repairing an RV compartment door cost is between $40-$1,000. Whereas, when it comes to replacement, the cost will be high. Keep in mind, replacing costs is higher than repairing. 

A door lock replacement cost is $100-$200. On the other hand, the replacement cost for hinges or latches is $50-$150. Remember, labor cost is excluded from the mentioned price.

Read Also: Why Bottom of Slide Bowing Out in My Rv & How to Fix it?

Wrap Up

There are many reasons why the RV compartment door won’t open. Learning the causes will lead you in the right direction in solving the problem. Otherwise, you may damage the compartment when fixing the issue.

The problems range from simple to complex. Some can be solved independently, while others require you to call a professional. Whatever way you follow to fix the problem, remember to inspect the problem thoroughly.