Digital cameras forum: canon T2i error 05

the flash on my wifes canon T2i would not pop up anymore and the error message 05 would show on the display after a clicking noise could be heard for a couple of seconds.
This problem has been there since last summer. She phoned Canon this morning and they told her to phone and make an appointment to send it in and because it is out of warranty, she would have to pay to have it fixed because it is a mechanical problem.
Anyway, I took a thin credit card and slid it in the seam between the flash and the camera body and pressed the shutter and the flash opened. I could tell right away what the problem was, as the flash didn't snap up like it should. It felt like the hinges were either dirty or corroded a bit. With some canned air I blew into the area where the hinges are and I worked the flash body up and down and I could feel it loosening up. I next took a Q-tip and some rubbing alcohol and dabbed some around the hinges and instantly the flash freed up and opened and closed fine. I blew some more canned air around the hinges to dry them out and it works fine now. I will use this trick next time this happens. My wife used her camera near the ocean quite a bit last summer.