Sentry Safe Won’t Close: 6 Reasons & Solutions!

When you face issues with closing the safe, it’s not a clever thing to try to close it by force. First, try to identify the issue with it.

So, why the sentry safe won’t close? 

The Sentry safe won’t close if you overload it or don’t keep the items neatly. In addition, a hinge, door, bolt, or bolt-hole obstruction will prevent the safe from closing. Also, a dead battery may cause this. Make sure no obstacle or warp is present in the safe and keep the stuff neatly on the lock. Replace the batteries with fresh ones and keep them safe in an even place. 

To know all the reasons and solutions for this problem in detail, keep reading. 

Sentry Safe Won’t Close: Reasons & Solutions 

Even though we are more familiar with the problem that the safe isn’t opening but safe not closing can also be an annoying issue. There are several reasons behind that. 

As there are not many separate symptoms for the reasons, you have to troubleshoot all the reasons one by one until you solve the problem. 

Reason 1: Safe Is Overloaded

Overloading the safe is one of the most fundamental reasons for your Sentry safe not to close. Also, if you keep stuff on the safe scattered, it may obstruct the hinge from closing.

Solution:

Follow these guidelines; 

• Don’t overload your Sentry safe. 
• Keep the items on the safe neatly and make sure that the items you are storing are not spilling out of the box. 

Sometimes, your Sentry safe will have a designated housing for holding specific items. For example, a gun safe with a gun casing. In these safes, keep the stuff properly on the housing.

Reason 2: Obstruction On The Door Or The Door Frame

Sometimes, there is dirt, debris, or any other objects stuck on the bolts that receive the door bolts of the lock. Also, there can be stuff stuck on the hinges of the door that might obstruct the door to rotate and close. 

Solution:

Check all the bolt-receiving holes in the door frame. Check the hinges as well. If you find anything stuck on the bol-receiving hole or the hinges, remove it. 

If you can’t reach the area to clean the debris, you can use a tweezer or stick to remove it. 

Obstructions on the lock can be very problematic. For example, your tubular lock can even stuck halfway if there are obstructions.

Reason 3: Bent In The Door Or Bolts

As the Sentry safes are made with metal, it is very common that the door body or hinges will sometimes bend or warp due to hard pressure. The bent or warping can cause the safe door not to close properly.

The door bolt can also be crooked or bent which may make it difficult to fit on the receiving holes. Bent can also make the key stuck on the lock. For example, the Thule key often stucks on the lock if the lock area is bent. 

Solution:

Observe the alignment of the door carefully while closing it. Check if there is any gap or uneven alignment between the door and the box. Run your fingers along the edges of the door and door frame to feel for any unevenness.

Also, check the hinges and all the bolts visually for bending. 

If you find any bending, warping, or misalignment anywhere, you have to straighten it out.  Take a rubber mallet and carefully tap the opposite side of the warp. Don’t use a hard hammer, as it can damage the safe. 

The purpose of the taps is to gently nudge the metal back into place. It will help restore the proper alignment of the safe. 

Reason 4: Deadlock Feature 

In some situations, you may notice that the safe door is open but the bar is stuck at the lock position. So, it’s difficult to close the door. It is a deadlock feature in some Sentry safes to prevent the safe from locking unintentionally. 

Solution:

If you are facing the Sentry safe locked open issue, here’s what you have to do to unlock the open door. 

1. Locate the small plastic button in your Sentry safe. It should be on the door’s hinge side of the door. 
2. Enter your safe combo on the keypad.
3. Push down the small plastic button. 

Now the door should be unlocked and you will be able to close the door. 

Reason 5: Dead Battery 

If your Sentry safe is battery operated, a dead battery or mismatched battery can be a reason for the Sentry safe won’t close problem. 

Solution:

Replace the Sentry safe batteries with fresh batteries. Here’s how to change the battery in Sentry Safe. 

1. Open the battery compartment. Depending on the model, you may have to remove screws or rotate the safe dial clockwise to remove it. 
2. Remove the old batteries and replace them with new ones like in this video. How to Change the Batteries on Your Sentry®Safe Basic Electronic Lock Fire Safe
3. Close the battery compartment lid.

While changing the batteries, remember the following. 

• Don’t use low-quality general batteries. Duracell AA batteries or Energizer AA batteries are most recommended. 
• Don’t use rechargeable or lithium batteries on your Sentry safe. 
• Never mix an old battery with a new one. Change all the batteries at once. 
• Use batteries from the same brand for maximum efficiency.  

Reason 6: Uneven Floor

Keeping safe on an uneven floor can restrict the door bolts from entering the receiving holes improperly.  

Solution:

Place the Sentry safe on an even floor. If it’s not possible to change the safe location from the uneven floor, you can adjust the safe position. 

Just put some shims or leveling pads under the sloppy corner of the safe. That will create a leveled surface for the safe and you should be able to close the safe properly. 
That’s how you should be able to fix the problem. If you can’t fix the problem immediately, and you have to go outside, make sure to secure your main door with the best lock.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Why Is My Sentry Safe Blinking Red?

Your Sentry safe can blick red for three reasons. First, if you enter the wrong code, it will blink red to notify you. Secondly, when you take a pause for a very long time during entering the code, it will blink red and ask you to start again. Also, if your Sentry safe battery is dead, it will blink red. 

Do All Sentry Safes Have The Same Key?

No, every Sentry safes have a different key. However, in some rare cases, two of the same safe can have a similar key. Also, if the safe lock is defective, it can open with any of the keys that have a similar type. 

Why Won’t My Sentry Safe Open?

If the battery of the safe is dead, your Sentry safe will not open. Also if the bolts of the lock are misaligned or jammed, and the handle is stuck, your Sentry lock can show this problem. Damaged wiring can also cause this issue.

Conclusion 

All the possible reasons for the “Sentry safe won’t close” issue with their appropriate solution are now described to you. Hopefully, this detailed discussion will save you from the struggle with your safe. 

If still, nothing works, you may need to call a locksmith or the Sentry safe dealer. 

That’s all for now. Good luck with the safe.