Exterior Door Handles

[waue1978]

When I open my rear doors, there seems to be a little bit of slack before the mechanism actually starts to work - maybe about half an inch of movement - but my front door handles feel fine. Does this strike a chord with anybody or is there any chance someone could check their rear door handles to see if the same happens on other 406s?

My main concern is that one day the handle may fail to open the door & I have the child lock set on one of them. Does anybody have any ideas as to what part causes the problem, i.e. is it a mechanism inside that has worn, is it the handle itself or maybe even a rod not fitted correctly? If it turns out to be the rear handles, how much of a pig are they to change?

It's all the silly things like this that make that Zafira idea an attractive proposition. Didn't have half as many problems with my old one of them as I've had with the 406.

[waue1978]

Does the lack of responses mean that nobody knows what I am on about? Can somebody at least let me know if their rear door handles feel like they are operating differentlt to the front ones please?

I'd rather fix the problem before I end up in the same position as somebody else did recently:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=15537&p=150432&hili ... le#p150432

Difference between his & mine being that I'm pretty sure my problem isn't caused by the deadlocks as the door is still opening - I just don't know for how much longer...

[steve_earwig]

Sorry Stu, hold on... yes, the handles on my back doors do come up a fair bit further before releasing the latch, almost to the end of the travel (hmm...)

[waue1978]

Cheers Steve. Mine aren't quite at the top of the travel yet. Seems strange that it happens to the rears more than the fronts as they would be the least used. Is there any chance we can get a few more people to check this out so that we can find out just how common this is? If it turns out to be a common fault & not just that the handles are a bit different, I think it would be well worthwhile documenting how to fix it, before people get locked out of the back seats as we've seen recently.

[Doggy]

Checked mine - one side moves through 2/3 of its travel before doing anything, the other seems more like 3/4 before anything happens.

[waue1978]

Sorry Stu, hold on... yes, the handles on my back doors do come up a fair bit further before releasing the latch, almost to the end of the travel (hmm...)

Checked mine - one side moves through 2/3 of its travel before doing anything, the other seems more like 3/4 before anything happens.

Would I be right in assuming that the front handles feel absolutely fine?

[steve_earwig]

Well yes, as did the back ones until you started me worrying about them

[steve_earwig]

Btw the saloon and estate mechanisms are the same, including the little operating rod.

Those with a coupé need not apply of course

[highlander]

Those with a coupé need not apply of course

Aww





Less to go wrong on my car

[waue1978]

Btw the saloon and estate mechanisms are the same, including the little operating rod.

Those with a coupé need not apply of course

I'd also expect the front & rear mechanisms to be the same.

Based on that then, any difference in how they work would indicate a fault. How easy is it to change the handles? I know it won't be cheap as I'll have to factor in the cost of a replacement door membrane at £40 each. Any opinions on whether it's the handles or another part of the door opening mechanism?

[mjb]

Those with a coupé need not apply of course

Less to go wrong on my car

Yeah, coupé seat releases never break...

[highlander]

Those with a coupé need not apply of course

Less to go wrong on my car

Yeah, coupé seat releases never break...

Shhhhhh!

[steve_earwig]

I'd also expect the front & rear mechanisms to be the same.

Similar, but the front door also have a rod for the exterior door lock.

Any opinions on whether it's the handles or another part of the door opening mechanism?

I'd imagine the little wire stretches. Perhaps you could start off by changing one, if the play disappeared you'd know it was that, but if it didn't you'd know the next step would be to change the door lock itself. Might be worth examining the business end of the handle to see if that wears perhaps

[waue1978]

I'd also expect the front & rear mechanisms to be the same.

Similar, but the front door also have a rod for the exterior door lock.

Any opinions on whether it's the handles or another part of the door opening mechanism?

I'd imagine the little wire stretches. Perhaps you could start off by changing one, if the play disappeared you'd know it was that, but if it didn't you'd know the next step would be to change the door lock itself. Might be worth examining the business end of the handle to see if that wears perhaps

Sound suggestions there Steve. Not really wanting to take my lock apart just in case I can't get it back together again, but hoping to do a scrappy trip tomorrow so might be an idea to have a play while I'm there & maybe even get the parts I'll need if I find out what's required. Rest assured though, if I find the solution I'll put together a little guide as it sounds like a problem we all have to look forward to.

[plod]

Maybe the little horrors pull on the handles more while they are waiting to get in, and stretches the wires, hence why the rears are the problem?????