75 Saloon - Rear Door Handles (Outer) Not operating.

[8511swann]

I've done a few searches, and found plenty of posts relating to the doors not opening from the interior handles, but not had much joy with problems with the outer handles.

The interior handles work fine and operate the doors o.k, but both rears are very tight, and do not seem to pull out smoothly, and very rarely operate the mechanism. They seem to be fouling on something.

I'm guessing it's down to me being overly strenuous in the recent freezing temperatures, and am going to remove the door cards at the weekend for a look (from what I've read this seems to be a bit of a pain!).

Has anybody experienced this?.

Thanks again,
Swanny

[russell brown]

my rear passenger door was stiff to open one frosty Christmas as my daughter yanked the handle to open door, since then same symptoms you got. i removed door card and it looks like the handle is lifting a white bit of plastic up but that same plastic item is not doing anything i would imagine its combination of freezed seals freezing brittle plastic interns and more likely heavy handed use.

[8511swann]

Only just noticed that someone else has posted the same thread earlier today!!. Sorry!.

[8511swann]

All set to take the cards off in the morning, just a couple of things.
From what I've readyI'm happy about the interior handle removal, and the clips securing the doorcard in place, as well as the need to lift it up and outwards to avoid breaking the big central ones.

As my Club doesn't have electric rear windows, I'm assuming the winder handle is just held in place with a grub screw of some kind, is this correct?, and does the big armrest/pull handle have any fastenings to the door itself, or is it just part of the card?.

Cheers,
Swanny

[ashb]

I think the winders are held in with a circlip (got electric windows myself), but most modern cars use circlips these days.

[Clickernick]

The handles actually screw into the door metal under the card. You have to remove them first to remove the card. This is common on most cars.

Imagine slamming the door shut and the handle comes away with the card!!!!!:o

[8511swann]

Right, a good morning that was. Both exterior handles working as they should.
Rear OS 1st, and that went well enough. The manual window winder handles are this set up:
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o42/8511swann/IMG_3747.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o42/8511swann/IMG_3748.jpg


The clips needed bending back into shape after removal.


Upon removing the NS panel, I was met by this sight:
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o42/8511swann/IMG_3749.jpg

So it looks like it's not the 1st time it's happened!.
I also did the bonnet release catch mod, and tidied up my cam sensor wiring after my repair in the dark in the week!.

Thanks everyone for the help.
Swanny

[8511swann]

Forgot to say that I added a mod (bodge), where I fastened a piece of wire to the release mechanism, that is now just about accessible from the edge of the lower door card. With the door shur, a tug on this pops the mechanism, so I'll hopefully never have the situation where the doors wont open from inside or out!