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Door Handle Doesnt Want to Open

L

lunatic

CEG'er
Joined
Jan 29, 2005
Messages
64
Location
Baltimore area, MD
Hey gang. I hate to double post but I started this thread yesturday but it never got posted or must have been deleted or something because I can't find it. Anyways, the driverside door handle doesnt open properly from the outside. I have to jerk on it like 3 or 4 times for it to finally open. What is the problem and how do I fix it? The car is a 1999 and has 143k on it.

thanks
 
Currently my SE has a 'tough' handle to disengage the locking mechanism inside the door but I haven't made it a priority yet. I'd say your best bet is to take the panels off and just look to see if anything isn't lining up or getting restricted somehow. The door panels are real easy, just use a small phillips head and remove the screws around the panel edges, and I believe there's 2 in the plastic handle and one in the 'finger cubby' where the door release handle is.

My guess is something needs to be tightened or set back into place. Just a shot in the dark though.
 
Here is what solved it on my 98 SVT, and my brother's 95 Mystique (which was near impossible to open).....

The latch that connects with the door strike over time builds up surface rust and does not move freely. I moved the latch on the inside edge of my door using a screw driver and found it was very tight. I tested it by latching the assembly but with the door open. When I pulled the outside handle, I barely saw any movement. I had to click it over the rest of the way with the screw driver.

I added some general purpose lithium grease to all door latches and opened and closed the doors repeatedly. As the grease worked it's way in, all the doors opened easier and easier. I barely have to lift the outside handle on my doors now to get them to release.

I had replaced the latch assembly on my brother's Mystique with parts from my SVT parts car. It was good for a little while and started going back to how it was when we bought the car. That's when I found the grease solved it completely.

Try that before anything since it doesn't require removing any parts on the door.
 
take the door panel off there is an oval hole that the rod slides in kinda like a half moon on the door actuator. there are supposed to be a twist in clip on the end of the rod, IF YOU HAVE THIS PROBLEM DESCRIBED THIS IS YOUR PROBLEM. the clips become brittle and break. you can get them from any local dealership. either the rod completely falls out or it cannot push the release far enough down to open the door.
 
Thanks. The door handle seems to be working now and I didnt even try to fix it yet. Thats strange. If it starts acting up again, I'll start off by removing the door panel. It's easy..I've done it a few times. Why would it work at sometimes and other times, not work at all?
 
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