Door Won't Open

[Guest Tweek_1984]

My 1.6 miami blue Gti has just been MOT'd. Since i got the car the passenger side door seemed to open and close akwardly with it slowing down as it hit a sticking point.

 

this hasnt caused me much trouble over the 2 years I've had the car until a few days ago after the MOT whereby the door wouldn't shut. Every time I'd try to close it, it's bounce back at me. After numerous attempts it would finally shut. Until yesterday it shut, but now it wont open.

 

I've tried everything to open it. I've taken the front and back offside door cards off to try and see whats up, but I cant see a thing because the metal of the door is in the way. We thought the bolt which holds the door shut when closed would be able to screw off once we took the card off in the back seat, but its some stupid french thing which isnt a bolt but is welded together. Me and my mate have tried prying the door (and managed to scratch the paintwork ).

 

It seems as if the door handles have no effect on the mechanism on the door which locks it shut.

 

Short of starting to angle grind things is there much I can do?

 

Cheers.

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

Working inside & take the door trim off so you can reach inside the door & check the lock is releasing properly. (awkward but it can be done).

 

A friend had this in their car & it was the central locking motor wasn't extending enough to unlock the door so that might your problem.

 

Graham.

[Guest rick03054]

If you can contort your hand into the right shape you can push the lever (up the way) that opens the latch.

 

It's attached to a metal wire, inside the door where the B pillar is when the doors shut, plenty of penetrating oil may help too. I *think* it's below the one for the locking pin but I can't really remember right now.

 

A rubbish desctiption I know , but the same happened to mine a while ago. The inside handle would go through the motions but have no effect. And the outside one felt jammed.

[jackherer 543]

my mates 205 has done this a couple of times in the seven or so years hes had it, once it did it just before an MOT and failed the test due to it

 

Each time I've stripped the door card off and taken off the door catches after a lot of poking around to free them off, then a bit of grease and its good for a few more years...

 

I've never had it with any other 205s, just this one.

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

Remembered more on what was the cause on my friends car, the door handle was sticking due to lack of use which was causing the lock to stick & not work properly.

 

When it was supposed to be unlocked it was a 50-50 chance on if it would actually work or not from outside. I took the door handle off & cleaned / greased it up so it worked freely but the c/l motor still did the same so I left the motor disconnected & its all fine.

 

Graham.

[Guest Tweek_1984]

My dad managed to get it open once he'd taken the central lokcing mechanism out and fiddled about while I pushed on the door from the outside to take the weight from the catch.

 

So were not exactly sure what was wrong with it, but now its open, Ive been given the job of putting everything back together and diagnosing the problem.

[steve@cornwall 100]

My dad managed to get it open once he'd taken the central lokcing mechanism out and fiddled about while I pushed on the door from the outside to take the weight from the catch.

 

So were not exactly sure what was wrong with it, but now its open, Ive been given the job of putting everything back together and diagnosing the problem.

 

 

My guess would be as Pugtorque/Graham says, the door handle needing a good clean up and often the return springs of these rust through. Also check the plastic sleeving on the "latching thingy" on the door shut- these can wear through, deform and bind in the latch

Edited August 18, 2006 by steve@cornwall

[Guest Tweek_1984]

My guess would be as Pugtorque/Graham says, the door handle needing a good clean up and often the return springs of these rust through. Also check the plastic sleeving on the "latching thingy" on the door shut- these can wear through, deform and bind in the latch

 

I dount its got much to do with the outside handle because the door wouldnt open when trying the inside handle. I've now taken the whole locking mechanism out and to be honest it seems fine.

 

I'm thinking it may have something to do with the central locking system. Because when we couldnt get the door open the central locking wasnt working.

 

I'm going to have fun tomorrow piecing it all back together.

[jackherer 543]

like I said above the mechanisms sometimes just jam, just grease it up and put it back and I bet it'll just work fine for ages.

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

I dount its got much to do with the outside handle because the door wouldnt open when trying the inside handle. I've now taken the whole locking mechanism out and to be honest it seems fine.

Neither would the one on my friends car when the exterior handle was causing it to stick.

 

Cleaning & greasing it up fixed it though.

 

Graham.

[Guest Tweek_1984]

Me and my mate were on for hours fixing this tonight. Finally cracked it.

 

Basically whats happened is that the door has been closed, I've then blown the fuse for the central locking by messing about with the radio. The door has somehow locked and the handles are having no effect. So Ive had to strip the door down, wd-40 everything, then after replace evrything back in order which is the most fiddly thing in the world and takes bloody ages!

 

I managed to scratch the paintowrk and bend the door card in the process, but I'm just glad the door is working now.

 

Thanks for all the help/suggestions.