Door will not open from outside.

m0eeb · Jan 22nd, 2018, 14:41

Hi Guy's
S40 2003/4 came to open it up this morning but can't gain entry through drivers door even though central locking button is up in the open position all other door accessible can open drivers door from inside no problem.
Any feedback would be appreciated.
Thanks.

canis · Jan 22nd, 2018, 15:25

There's nothing clever about the door handle, it simply pulls a rod attached to the lock mechanism. Either the rod has come off, or the mechanism is broken.

The lock mechanism can be replaced as a unit, it's not worth trying to take one apart. There are plenty around, I've got one myself, sat here doing nothing.

If you're willing to do the work yourself, you'll need to remove the door card, and carefully try to work the plastic sheet off the door. It's prone to break, so be careful. The adhesive is very sticky, so don't let it crumple on itself, fold it up neatly and tape it to the glass with masking tape. It's not the end of the world, but it does help prevent condensation.

When you've got access to the inside of the door, it's relatively self-explanatory, but fiddley. You might need to undo the window guide as it tends to get in the way. You can work round it if you undo it's bottom bolt and leave it swinging.

The handle is held by two nuts, but the handle is protected by a strong shield. Both are attached by the nuts. You can't see them, but you can reach up and feel for them.

The rods are troublesome if you've never done it before. At one end or the other, it'll be completely irremovable so don't try. The other end will have a palstic thing which clips to the rod. It can be prised off in a twisting action, this allows the rod to come free from the level it's attached to. If I remember right, the plastic bit is at the lock end. The interior handle works this way too, as does the button poppy-uppy lock bit that jabs your elbow when you drive with the window down, that bit. These are all rods which attach to the mechanism, which itself is held by three bolts in the door-shut.

First thing is to find out if the rod has simply come off. If the plastic bit has broken, the rod can work it's way loose. Gaffer tape will do the same job as the clip, because the clip takes no weight or effort from the handle, it does no actual work, it's just there to prevent the rod from coming adrift.

pierremcalpine · Jan 22nd, 2018, 19:50

My money is on the handle having broken. take a good hard look in behind the outside handle. It should connect to the mech inside the door at two points: towards the front of the handle and towards the back. If only one connection point is visible (the front one)...then you've got yourself a broken handle. Easy enough job to fix, CANIS's instructions are spot on.

One word of warning: the two little nuts that allow the two bolts to clamp the handle to the door are embedded in the door handle itself...BUT there is nothing stopping them from falling out when the door handle is tilted fore or aft...I've replaced my handle 3x and I still forget that this happens! I spent 30min looking for one of the stupid nuts last month when I did this last...kind of makes me wonder whether I'm really competent enough to attempt any job more complex than this and how I'm ever successful when I inevitably do.

gatos · Jan 23rd, 2018, 00:09

Is your door handle black or chrome?

m0eeb · Jan 23rd, 2018, 07:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by gatos

Is your door handle black or chrome?

Its chrome Gatos,do you have one if I need one? will know later to day.

ITSv40 · Jan 23rd, 2018, 13:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by m0eeb

Its chrome Gatos,do you have one if I need one? will know later to day.

If it is chrome, the handle will be broken. They all break.

m0eeb · Jan 23rd, 2018, 16:21

Just a big thanks to all for your contribution it made things so much easier as a couple of you said it was the plastic on the back of the handle anyway, I've took a couple of pictures of the repair which I'm confident will hold basically as you can see there is a recess within the plastic where I have moulded a thin stainless piece 3mm into it then I've filled over it with JB Weld tried it as it was just setting and was good so give it another twelve to fully set then hopefully it should be ok if not I'll be looking for a replacement!
Once again many thanks.

V40T4R · Jan 23rd, 2018, 22:42

Good job.

drone · Jan 30th, 2018, 11:10

I've just ordered up a new second hand handle as mine is broken on the casting just as it comes through the scuff plate.
Excellent write up canis, many thanks.

pierremcalpine · Jan 30th, 2018, 15:59

I've given up on the chrome handles - I'm now on handle #3 (which is black).

Jan 22nd, 2018, 14:41	#1
m0eeb Member Last Online: Mar 20th, 2024 19:06 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: nr sheffield	Door will not open from outside. Hi Guy's S40 2003/4 came to open it up this morning but can't gain entry through drivers door even though central locking button is up in the open position all other door accessible can open drivers door from inside no problem. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks.

Jan 23rd, 2018, 00:09	#4
gatos Premier Member Last Online: Nov 15th, 2022 21:34 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: London / Essex	Is your door handle black or chrome? __________________ Current car: 2002 S40 1.9D, 1992 240SE Nullius in Verba

Jan 23rd, 2018, 22:42	#8
V40T4R Senior Member Last Online: May 16th, 2023 19:44 Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Porto	Good job. __________________ Phase 1 MY99 Manual V40 T4

Jan 30th, 2018, 15:59	#10
pierremcalpine Premier Member Last Online: Jan 3rd, 2024 14:43 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Toronto Canada	I've given up on the chrome handles - I'm now on handle #3 (which is black). __________________ 2003 V40 1.9T B4204T4, 197,000miles (sold but alive!), 2004 S60 2.5T, 160,000miles, 2010 V70 3.2, 125,000miles, 2002 V70XC 2.4, 175,000miles Click here for my x40 and V70 P3 repair guides

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Jan 22nd, 2018, 15:25	#2
canis Non Fragile Last Online: Oct 13th, 2023 05:46 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Chadderton, Oldham	There's nothing clever about the door handle, it simply pulls a rod attached to the lock mechanism. Either the rod has come off, or the mechanism is broken. The lock mechanism can be replaced as a unit, it's not worth trying to take one apart. There are plenty around, I've got one myself, sat here doing nothing. If you're willing to do the work yourself, you'll need to remove the door card, and carefully try to work the plastic sheet off the door. It's prone to break, so be careful. The adhesive is very sticky, so don't let it crumple on itself, fold it up neatly and tape it to the glass with masking tape. It's not the end of the world, but it does help prevent condensation. When you've got access to the inside of the door, it's relatively self-explanatory, but fiddley. You might need to undo the window guide as it tends to get in the way. You can work round it if you undo it's bottom bolt and leave it swinging. The handle is held by two nuts, but the handle is protected by a strong shield. Both are attached by the nuts. You can't see them, but you can reach up and feel for them. The rods are troublesome if you've never done it before. At one end or the other, it'll be completely irremovable so don't try. The other end will have a palstic thing which clips to the rod. It can be prised off in a twisting action, this allows the rod to come free from the level it's attached to. If I remember right, the plastic bit is at the lock end. The interior handle works this way too, as does the button poppy-uppy lock bit that jabs your elbow when you drive with the window down, that bit. These are all rods which attach to the mechanism, which itself is held by three bolts in the door-shut. First thing is to find out if the rod has simply come off. If the plastic bit has broken, the rod can work it's way loose. Gaffer tape will do the same job as the clip, because the clip takes no weight or effort from the handle, it does no actual work, it's just there to prevent the rod from coming adrift.

Jan 22nd, 2018, 19:50	#3
pierremcalpine Premier Member Last Online: Jan 3rd, 2024 14:43 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Toronto Canada	My money is on the handle having broken. take a good hard look in behind the outside handle. It should connect to the mech inside the door at two points: towards the front of the handle and towards the back. If only one connection point is visible (the front one)...then you've got yourself a broken handle. Easy enough job to fix, CANIS's instructions are spot on. One word of warning: the two little nuts that allow the two bolts to clamp the handle to the door are embedded in the door handle itself...BUT there is nothing stopping them from falling out when the door handle is tilted fore or aft...I've replaced my handle 3x and I still forget that this happens! I spent 30min looking for one of the stupid nuts last month when I did this last...kind of makes me wonder whether I'm really competent enough to attempt any job more complex than this and how I'm ever successful when I inevitably do. __________________ 2003 V40 1.9T B4204T4, 197,000miles (sold but alive!), 2004 S60 2.5T, 160,000miles, 2010 V70 3.2, 125,000miles, 2002 V70XC 2.4, 175,000miles Click here for my x40 and V70 P3 repair guides

Jan 30th, 2018, 11:10	#9
drone Member Last Online: Jun 6th, 2022 19:30 Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Dover	I've just ordered up a new second hand handle as mine is broken on the casting just as it comes through the scuff plate. Excellent write up canis, many thanks.

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