Peculiar Driver's Door Issue

[ekincaid]

Ok. After my car has been sitting locked overnight and I unlock the doors, I cannot open the driver's side door from the outside. I have to open it from the inside. Once I do I can lock and unlock it and I can open it from the from the outside.

Let it sit a while and it won't open from the outside after being locked. I simply don't understand. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[snakeye]

When you open it from the inside, do you need to pull the handle once or twice?

 

[P2B]

Cable needs adjustment.

 

[Rxfire]

After locking overnight, and you "unlock" with keyfob, if handle does not open the door, try pressing at top right of driver's side window frame (about 10 inches from top of door), and you will hear a slight "click". then open door with handle.

 

[ekincaid]

When you open it from the inside, do you need to pull the handle once or twice?

Just once.

Cable needs adjustment.

Seems like if it never worked this might be the answer. Mine quits after it sits a while. I will check it just in case.

After locking overnight, and you "unlock" with keyfob, if handle does not open the door, try pressing at top right of driver's side window frame (about 10 inches from top of door), and you will hear a slight "click". then open door with handle.

I'll give this a try.

 

[Mongler98]

Just curious... was it freezing out?

 

[ghohouston]

Hit the door near the handle one time not too hard and see if that does the trick.

 

[Mongler98]

Hit the door near the handle one time not too hard and see if that does the trick.

It's not a TV from 1990!

 

[ekincaid]

Just curious... was it freezing out?

Naw... Yesterday was around 70.

 

[P2B]

Seems like if it never worked this might be the answer. Mine quits after it sits a while. I will check it just in case

Yours works intermittently. In my experience that means it needs adjustment - the cable gradually stretches over the years. It may respond to pressing or banging as others have posted, but will slowly get worse and eventually quit working completely until it is adjusted.

 

[ghohouston]

It's not a TV from 1990!

You think I'm joking? On my 2001 before replacing the lock modules, 3 of the 4 doors did this. Hit em lightly once, and then they opened from the outside. They would open the first try from the inside each time. Now I'll be honest, I don't know if it was due to the new modules or adjusting the cables, either way, they no longer do this.

 

[Mongler98]

You think I'm joking? On my 2001 before replacing the lock modules, 3 of the 4 doors did this. Hit em lightly once, and then they opened from the outside. They would open the first try from the inside each time. Now I'll be honest, I don't know if it was due to the new modules or adjusting the cables, either way, they no longer do this.

Oh i belive you Fonzie!

 

[ghohouston]

Oh i belive you Fonzie!

Lol

 

[wonneber]

I vaguely remember the outside double pull and banging the door.
after cursing the door several times I got the new VW latch mechanism.

 

[ekincaid]

Been busy lately and haven't had time to get back to this...

and the winner is ...

After locking overnight, and you "unlock" with keyfob, if handle does not open the door, try pressing at top right of driver's side window frame (about 10 inches from top of door), and you will hear a slight "click". then open door with handle.

I'll try adjusting the door handle later. Until then I will consider it my secondary security system.