Kevin

I have watched and read the various threads on the door strap and have cautiously opened and closed my drivers door. However, lately I have heard the dreaded click. With the addition of a Euro bumper install (just started), I decided to take my left front fender off. Once off I could plainly see the spot welds, and resulting metal fatigue. I proceeded to remove my door. Believe it or not the hardest thing to this job was removing the door pins without scratching or denting the door with the hammer. I have seen many different repairs and I have decided to cut open the rear sheet metal and re-weld the strap. You can see by the picture how the spot welds will rip the sheet metal. It is just to much leverage applied to the attaching spot welds. I am going to TIG weld it so that I can adjust the heat. Other options are to go from the inside of the car and cut open the inner panel, I didn't want to do this and I feel that I could do a better job with the fender and door removed. What a job, this will take me a few days to finish. Another side note is that this is on my 98C4S, so I guess none of are exempt from this happening.

Anir

Kevin,

Thanks for the informative pic! I had mine repaired under goodwill last year by the dealer, but it's already starting to fail again. Your pic really details the poor engineering of this component. I wonder why the Porsche factory didn't think this through?

Kevin

Anir;

Can you explain to me how they fixed it? There is alot of leverage on those welds. If you take a flash light and look inside the jamb, you will see that there is no welds to the center of the strap, they are located on the outer ends. I'm thinking that I'll weld the strap at the center to relieve some of the stress in the factory location.

Robert Henriksen

(jumping in here)

Mine was fixed under goodwill as well. I was kind of shocked & distressed when I saw what they'd done: welded the underside of the door strap to the face of the A pillar! So if you take a close look at that area, you can see a big blob of welding material, complete w. a bit of splatter.

Then I decided, a) it's been painted body color, b) I never eyeball that area, c) it was free, and d) my car doesn't feel like a Yugo anymore!

As A-R as I can be, I surprised myself that I got over it

Mike J

I "fixed" mine the same way. The PO had the drivers side done, and my body guy did the passenger side. If the door check moves you will bend in the lower front corner of your door so beware...a little welding can save you body work later!

So far so good. Oh, I think the clicking is the sound of wear or sloppyness between the end of the metal check arm and the pin that goes on the a-pillar. On my SC, I machined small bushings that rode in a finely machined hole I enlarged from the original one in the check strap arm. The clicking noise went away!

Kevin

Mike the clicking sound is the metal in the far rear of the door strap where it is spot welded ( and has tore the sheet metal) to the jamb. It makes a click when it moves forward and then back, metal to metal. I definately heard it with the fender removed as I opened and shut the door. I was standing outside of the car while my son opened and closed the door.

Mike J

Hi Kevin,

I think we may have two "clicks". Since my door check is firmly welded to the pillar (both top and bottom and then painted), and I fixed the same noise on my SC, perhaps we have two different noises? Don't forget my car as 60K+ miles on the drivers door...and the pin has been removed and put back again to weld the check. You can only do that a few times because it will wear the hole out since its a friction fit.

I guess the only way to find out is for me to perform the same procedure with the 993...but I am too lazy at the moment. But the door checks are sure a lame design..you got to wonder if they put the most junior engineer on that problem!

Good luck!

Anir

[quote]Originally posted by Kevin:
<strong>Anir;

Can you explain to me how they fixed it?</strong><hr></blockquote>

Kevin,

I believe that my repair may be similar to Robert's. As far as I can tell, it was done strictly from the easily accessible (and visible) outside, i.e. the door jamb you can see when you open the door. I also have a bit of built-up welding material around the door check strap baseplate. Unfortunately, the baseplate is starting to move a little, although the click has not yet returned.

I haven't decided whether to press the issue with my less-than-ideal sole Kentucky dealer, or whether to just get it fixed correctly myself. Unfortunately, I know absolutely nothing about welding, and would not feel comfortable tackling this as a DIY.

jw97C2S

I haven't had this problem yet, thankfully. However, I recall a previous Excellence issue where a 911 was lightened and part of the lightening process was to remove the metal door strap and replace it with a tough fabric strap. I don't recall how the strap was fastened to the door jamb but there are probably several alternatives that are easier than re-welding (maybe a rivet/bolt). I'll try to locate the copy of Excellence.
Jim

vjd3

I take it this sort of failure is not covered under the 10-year corrosion warranty? It's not rusting, but the metal's failing.

Vic
95 C4

Kevin

Vic

When I made inquiries at my local dealership, I got the blow off. I went and talked to their bodyshop and was not satisfied with how they attempted to repair the problem. I am now convinced that the repairs should be done to repair the damaged metal and reinforce the strap from inside of the A-pillar. I'll be posting pics later.

Paul M

Kevin,

Do you have an update for us? Also is it necessary to remove both the door and the fender to get to the weld area?

Thanks

Kevin

Paul;

Yes, to get to the rear of the pillar where the bracket is spot welded to, you have to remove the door and fender. I'll post some pic's when I get my camera back from my wife....

WillyC4S

Hello,

I too have this door check problem and tried to get the dealer to fix it under good will. Turns out it's "no way" at 2 dealers. Apparently it's a common problem and they check if the vehicle is under warranty or not. If not, then you're on your own to pick up the $500 or so to fix it. After talking to several places about repair, I'm not entirely sure I like the proposed fixes. It's kind of draconian and brute-force. One place said they used to cut out the panel where the slot is located for the inner link to pass through to the outside of the A-pillar. Then they would re-weld the panel back in place! I'm not into that kind of surgery for my Porsche. If it's rusted and they do that, then I'd understand, but for a clean vehicle to go in and carve out a piece of steel, that's over-kill.

I'm thinking of removing the pin that connects the inner link to the one on the door so that I don't have to worry about having the inner link crack off and drop into the inner A-pillar later on when things get worse. This would just be a temporary thing until I get it fixed. The door will probably fly out though when you open it, so you have to not let it go.

Sounds like the older 911's had a similar problem. Why didn't they just fix it right? I'm wondering if the 996's or Boxster's have this issue as well? If they do then somebody seriously needs to get fired at Porsche.

Oh well ...

*****

Flying Finn

How about fixing this with 70's strap? (taking the current strap out & welding the old in).

I have to look my 993 and then try to find a photo of my 911 to make sure how are they different because I don't remember how it's actually is done (car is too far at the moment for me to take a look but I think it's bolted?), but at least my 911 is 30 years old and both door straps are still working.