Query Number 1 : Passenger Door

[Suffolk944]

OK,

Not long been home and just realised that the passenger door won't unlock. Even when trying the key in the passenger door itself rather than the central locking , the door pin stays resolutely in the down position. When you turn the key in the passenger side you can here a clunk as the mechanism moves but thats all that happens. From the inside, pulling the interior handle does nothing and it feels "unattached".

Can anyone help with what the problem might be and what the solution is ? Am guessing I would need to take the interior door card off - is that an easy job ?

Any suggestions gratefully received as it is presently another reason for her indoors not to want to ride in the 944...[&:]

 

[944 man]

An easy task with the door open, yes. Extremely difficult to accomplish with the door locked shut and Id be surprised if it could be managed without spoiling the door card.

Id try to unlock the door using a probe (from the outside), having removed the weatherstrip. To familiarise myself with the mechanism, Id remove the door card from the good side and look at that. From memory youll be looking to push the pawl down to unlock, but Id strongly suggest looking at a mechanism first (location: in line with the large handle mounting hole and about half an index fingers length down).

Simon

 

[Diver944]

I would guess the balljoint on the little plastic clip as broken:

The part number is stamped on it but I know I have it filed away somewhere too - costs pennies from the OPC

 

[Frenchy]

What Paul Said, .......................Font of Knowledge []

 

[Suffolk944]

Cheers chaps . []

 

[awattam]

I've had the little ball joint linkage break (on both sides, separately []) and it didn't stop me unlocking the door manualy using the key. The link just joins the central locking solonoid to the lock mechanism. I'd be looking somewhere else.

 

[944 man]

Its hard to say, as I cant see the door in question: but it isnt likely to be the link from the servo to the mechanism, because this would not stop the key operating the lock.

Failure of the link from the lock to the latch would cause this though..... The link in question connects to the pawl that I described in my previous post.

 

[Suffolk944]

Just a quick update. Not had a chance to get this fixed yet or even have a proper look. However I noticed on Sunday when I went for a quick blast that the centre console central locking button was lit up as "on" Tried pressing it of course and it made no difference and it remained so. Am pretty certain that it hadn't been on before so am thinking its more likely to be a symptom of the door problem rather than the cause ?

 

[awattam]

ORIGINAL: Suffolk944

Just a quick update. Not had a chance to get this fixed yet or even have a proper look. However I noticed on Sunday when I went for a quick blast that the centre console central locking button was lit up as "on" Tried pressing it of course and it made no difference and it remained so. Am pretty certain that it hadn't been on before so am thinking its more likely to be a symptom of the door problem rather than the cause ?

I wonder if the switch is constantly 'pressed' (ie shorted out) so that the motor in the passenger door is fighting against you when you try to open the door with the key.

I'd disconnect the switch (or even the battery if it's easier) and try the door again.

I think you're going to have a nightmare getting into the door card with the door closed so any chance is worth trying!

 

[Suffolk944]

Hmm thats a good theory, will have to put it to the test and see how I get on. As you say the prospect of wrestling with the door card with the door shut doesn't exactly fill my heart with joy. [&o]

 

[Suffolk944]

Well I went to get into the car this morning and lo and behold the passenger door unlocked just fine without me having tried any kind of fix. Naturally am delighted that it did but there must be an underlying problem of some sort - just hope it stays dormant for a while now !

 

[zcacogp]

Jon,

Well, would you believe it, after having read this thread this morning, the passenger door on my S2 decided to come out in sympathy for it's (lesser, turbo []) brother and do the same! About three hours ago, when I collected Mrs zcacogp from the tube station to go shopping. It didn't go the whole hog and light up the red light on the switch on the dashboard, but it did everything else you have described.

It turned out that the outside catch on the passenger door had become jammed in. (By 'catch' I mean the finger-operated bit of the door handle). I know it has been getting a little stiff/sticky of late, and I think that Mrs zcacogp may have pulled it in just before the doro was unlocked, causing the problem. Once it had been flicked out again everything was back to normal.

I wonder if yours was suffering from the same malady, and it came unstuck overnight?

(The doors are designed to have air flow through them when the car is on the move, to keep them dry and rot-free. My theory is that air is dirty stuff, and grot has gathered in the back of the door handle and lock mechanism - at least, they are always dirty and this is my theory for how they get like this. Taking them off and cleaning them well, oiling them lightly and re-assembling them works wonders, and gives the door even more of a satisfying 'clunk' when you close it. Guess what I'll be doing tomorrow .... )


Oli.

 

[Frenchy]

Oli, learned something there never realised why we had vents in the doors and the door shuts...makes sense now !

 

[Suffolk944]

ORIGINAL: zcacogp

Jon,

Well, would you believe it, after having read this thread this morning, the passenger door on my S2 decided to come out in sympathy for it's (lesser, turbo []) brother and do the same! About three hours ago, when I collected Mrs zcacogp from the tube station to go shopping. It didn't go the whole hog and light up the red light on the switch on the dashboard, but it did everything else you have described.

It turned out that the outside catch on the passenger door had become jammed in. (By 'catch' I mean the finger-operated bit of the door handle). I know it has been getting a little stiff/sticky of late, and I think that Mrs zcacogp may have pulled it in just before the doro was unlocked, causing the problem. Once it had been flicked out again everything was back to normal.

I wonder if yours was suffering from the same malady, and it came unstuck overnight?

(The doors are designed to have air flow through them when the car is on the move, to keep them dry and rot-free. My theory is that air is dirty stuff, and grot has gathered in the back of the door handle and lock mechanism - at least, they are always dirty and this is my theory for how they get like this. Taking them off and cleaning them well, oiling them lightly and re-assembling them works wonders, and gives the door even more of a satisfying 'clunk' when you close it. Guess what I'll be doing tomorrow .... )


Oli.

I suspect you may well be spot on Oli. Someone else had suggested to me that the outside catch had jammed and was unable to move. I did check it and while it wasn't stuck I did give it a bit a wiggle (a well known automotive engineering term I believe) just before I opened up the car (more in hope than expectation) which possibly freed up the mechanism ? Haven't oiled it yet but sounds like that may well be a prudent thing to do. Good to know my 'umble Turbo has at least one thing in common with an S2 [][]

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: Suffolk944
... I opened up the car (more in hope than expectation)

Sorry, I don't quite follow - are you talking about turbo lag? I find that whenever I open up my S2 I always expect her to go like a homesick angel ... and that expectation hasn't yet failed to be met! []

... and on a more serious note ... I'll be taking the lock parts out of my passenger door today and putting them all in an ultrasonic cleaner, I think. Then drying, oiling and refitting. I'll report back with the results, but it sounds from your description as if you are suffering from the same malady. (And, as one that is easy, satisfying and free to fix, it's a malady I quite like!)


Oli.

 

[Suffolk944]

ORIGINAL: zcacogp

ORIGINAL: Suffolk944
... I opened up the car (more in hope than expectation)

Sorry, I don't quite follow - are you talking about turbo lag? I find that whenever I open up my S2 I always expect her to go like a homesick angel ... and that expectation hasn't yet failed to be met! []

Oli.