Outside door handle & central locking motor

[trabitom99]

The rear left hand door on my GLT doesn't open from the outside. Here's a picture of the door handle from the inside:



There seems to be something missing between the brass bit (No. 1 - moves when I pull the handle) and the steel lever (No. 2 - doesn't move when I pull the handle) which is supposed to push up the brass pin on inside of the door lock.

I tried to remove the door handle, to take a closer look but had to give up

The door handle seems to be connected to a swivelling locking lever (No. 3) and this in turn is connected to the "door up/down locking button" via a pullrod (attached with a circlip) and the central locking motor. This whole mechanism is getting in the way of being able to remove the door handle.

This is about as far as I got:





In theory, I should remove the circlip attaching the pullrod to the "swivelling locking lever" but I could see no way of getting my fingers into the innards of the door to remove it, so I started trying to remove the central locking motor to gain a bit of space.

Wasn't very successful there either On one side, the runner for the window is in the way, and I don't seem to have enough space to slide it out of the door along the pullrod.

Hope this description makes sense ... But to summarise: do I need a new door handle? (has anyone got a spare one )? Do I need to remove the locking motor to remove the handle?

Tom

[Vart]

whilst this was on a non central locking 3dr front door it happened to me. the mechanism had shed a nut on a bolt so the handle wasn't doing anything. the rods just pull out and the whole handle mechanism comes out with a couple of bolts. the whole things fairly easy to see whats wrong with the unit out. should only be a few bolts.

not sure about how the motor is connected. at a total guess i'd have though the same rods the link the handle to the latch.

hope this helps although i may have totally mis read the problem

[filthyjohn]

Tom mine's got exactly the same problem on exactly the same door! It nearly didn't pass the MOT because of it. It's a real fiddly job getting the handle out, but I'm gonna smash apart the one on my spares wreck, and if I solve it I'll let you know.

[trabitom99]

My problem is, the car's standing in the road, is my daily driver at the moment, and I'm a bit panicky about losing bits & pieces in the door's interior ...

With the help of a screwdriver, I could probably get the circlip off the door-lock pullrod which is currently preventing me from getting the handle out of the door. But I'm worried about not being able to get it back on again, or losing it in the door, which is why I'd like to pull the whole mechanism forward a little to get a better grip. But for that, the central locking motor's in the way (it's hooked onto the pullrod & you have to slide it all the way along to get it off) and I can't seem to get that out either ...

BTW when I bought the car, it wouldn't open from the inside either. The outside handle stopped working while the previous owner had the child lock on. Had to prise that open with a screwdriver first ...

[germ]

yeah i had the same both the handel and the central locking moter not working

its very fidally but with patience..it comes out, i replaced the handal,sent from uk only to find that in the spares box was(i think) the bits to fix it.


The worst thing imo is the window seal/door card,trying to put it back when finished.

still havent fixed central locking...only got it on front.


Cheers
will

[pettaw]

I've had to do this before, but aside from remembering that it was a complete PITA, I can't remember how I did it now. I think there's a bit of plastic that wears or the rod bends a bit so it doesn't activate the lock release anymore, also the locks and handle need to be done up properly otherwise they move rather than undoing the lock.

Good luck with it, its a nasty job, and I remember having nasty scrapes on my hands afterwards, goodness only knows how they did it in the factory

[lentinj]

I've also done this, can't remember precisely how I did it but undoing the bolt holding the central locking motor to the door gave it enough play to remove the circlip---I don't think I removed the rod from the central locking motor itself. The rest I think was the lift-handle-and-wiggle that the haynes manual suggests.

On my handle (with exactly the same problem), there was an obviously broken bit of plastic so I swore a bit and put it back, meaning to get new handles at some point, along with the long list of things that need doing to my car...

[petefarrell360]

I can honestly say this is a nightmare too! The rear door handles are trapped by so many things. I got mine so it was practically out and free, but sometime was still catching. You need to turn it to stupid angles and get one end out first, so the pin or circlip end is free, then it'll come out with all sorts of angles and wriggling. Putting it back in and getting the rods back in and connected, pass, only removed one from a scrap car!

The rods are fiddly, but achieveable, and I forget how I went about getting the motor out. That I seem to think is a case of rotating the motor and twisting and rotating the rod as much as you can in the opposite direction so it unclips off of the 'U' shaped end of the rod.

I also seem to think the one on the handle connects into a push fit plastic connector lower down the door, which could actually be the problem. Does the lift of the handle from the outside feel disconnected and free? If so, and if my memory is right, then I'd bet it was this part, as long as I'm not getting confused with the front doors, or another vehicle all together! If so, trace the part that would come from the side of the handle acting like a cam or lift on a rod, this should go directly to the direction of the latch on the door. I seem to think I noted in my mind this could be a weak spot due to a push fit or clip design. I'd check this mate.

Pete

[trabitom99]

The worst thing imo is the window seal/door card,trying to put it back when finished.

That really is a fiddle, a mate of mine had to help getting that back on. It seems you need at least another set of hands to lift the rubber flap along the rear quarterlight over the door card.

On my handle (with exactly the same problem), there was an obviously broken bit of plastic ...

I also seem to think the one on the handle connects into a push fit plastic connector lower down the door, which could actually be the problem. Does the lift of the handle from the outside feel disconnected and free?

If I removed the card off the other (working) rear door I'd be able to take a picture of the missing bit between 1 and 2 but I'd rather not have to take the door card off again I seem to remember 1 & 2 (2 being the part which pushes up the door latch) being connected with the handle mechanism. However on the broken side, only 1 moves when you pull the handle, the connection to 2 seems to be broken ... From the outside, it just feels like the door is locked.

I'll be in the UK sometime mid-July, looks like I'll be visiting a few scrappys ...

Tom

[Chris_C]

The worst thing imo is the window seal/door card,trying to put it back when finished.

That really is a fiddle, a mate of mine had to help getting that back on. It seems you need at least another set of hands to lift the rubber flap along the rear quarterlight over the door card.

Yup. I can agree they are a pain, just ask people how long one of my rear door cards has been off for!!!

I'm the same as Pete with the handles, I've only removed them, but I remember taking a bit of skin off on the side of the panel, right pain

[trabitom99]

I've had another look and I'm 90% sure there's a lever of some kind within the handle mechanism which is broken.

I'm getting a new one from a mate in Germany but if anyone else's got the same problem:
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie ... 0132118995

Tom

[trabitom99]

Well, due to bad weather, lack of time and probably general laziness I got it done by the local garage, so I still can't say how to get the door handle out easily.

But at least I know now which bit broke:


The bit in the red circle gets pushed by the brass bit from the handle, unlocking the door by pushing up the top lever. When the car is locked, the white plastic bit pushes it out of the way (not very professionally explained but I'm still chuffed to have a working rear door now!)

Tom

[germ]

that same bit broke on mine, in fact a week ago the drivers door did it too...

i cant tell u how much a little thing like that anoyed me, it is sooo fidally

[gl340]

If I understand correctly there is nothing to connect no 1 and no2 from the first picture but it is the metal piece on the handle itself which is broken so does not move lever, push up, anymore to open position ?

What is remedy, new handle or is there a way to repair ?

Is the right front door handle the very same as right rear door handle.

[Attack2001]