jWs-928

...after wrestling most of the day with the infamous "door handle repair", i've got the new piece in and all looked well, but the locks are now $@%&*(ed...

i cant unlock the driver's side door with the key in the lock unless i pull up on the handle at the same time. When i connect the electrical to the lock mechinism and try to unlock the passenger door the lock just cycles and locks. If i disconnect the connection to the driver's side lock motor and use the central lock it works on the passenger side as expected but as soon as the wires are reconnected on the drivers side, both doors automaticaly lock and remain that way no matter what....
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh


Any help or suggestions other than driving "pushing it into a freaking lake ???

Mrmerlin

this sounds like an adjustment issue,
and possible things not put back together in the correct place.

As always its helpful if you post the year of the car your working on

jWs-928

it is an 88 s4.
Sorry, thought that was in the sig...

everything looked correct* but obviously is not...can't unlock with key unless pulling up on handle at same time... back to square one i guess...

Bilal928S4

Isn't that the way for opening the door in an emergency? Like when the battery is dead.
Bilal

jWs-928

Hard lesson learned....

It appears that i got the 2 sets of 4mm hex bolts mixed up and that the two sets vary slightly in length.
Best guess is that I mistakenly used the shorter pair to attach the outer handle to the inner mechinism, which worked out OK.

Problems really came into play when using the other (longer?) set to mount the upper portion of the locking motor to the door frame. Seems the lower of those two bolts when tightened down, just came into contact with the wheel on the locking motor that moves the actuator arm and would NOT allow it to turn properly, thereby severely restricting movement of the arm.
With the actuator arm unable to move freely once attached to the locking motor, the inside **** and the outer lock with key could no longer move the arm either and would not lock or unlock the door....

...I was not about to go through the pain of removing and reinstalling those bolts on the door handle AGAIN, so a few extra well placed washers on that lower bolt allowed me to tighten it down without it touching/preventing the motor from moving the arm.....

Problem solved and lesson learned.


If i never have to face that job again it will be fine buy me.
BTW there is a slightly used and much maligned anti-theft plate available to any one who needs a replacement...

Bill Ball

If you don't have permanent scars on your knuckles then you got off easy.

jWs-928

it is the mental/emotional scarring is the worst aspect of that job...

i am just thankful i realized that bolt was the problem...
(about 2 threads too long all in all)

i was about ready to give up, disconnect the actuator arm from the motor and close it up to revistit the issue another day (probably never)...

i hope this post helps to prevent someone else from falling into the same trap.

Mrmerlin

FWIW when you replace the inner door mechanism,
you would put a piece of tape over the door handle and the door skin to hold the handle in place.
thats the easy way to swap out the parts

jWs-928

Thanks MrMerlin....I was fortunate enough to see that tip prior to my install...thankfully....I can imagine how bad it would be trying to keep the handle aligned while trying to get that first hex bolt started....yikes.....

Thanks to all for the great tips and writeups here on RL that helped prepare me for what I was getting myself into....short of my own mistake mixing up hose two sets of bolts...may my mistake save someone else the same trauma.

stuartbrs

I did this job recently and I must say i didnt find it all that bad. There was a few moments of "that is never going back together again" but it went well and I fixed up a few other things that werent quite right in the door whilst I was at it.

As always, some great write ups here that were of great help.