StevoUK

Ok its time to own up, I have been driving around with drivers door strap fatigue for 9000 miles. My motor has 40k miles on the clock. So that means for the period since 31k miles my door strap (drivers side naturally) has been defective. As in a peice of poo defective. If Vauxhall and Peugeot can get a simple door strap right why can't Porsche?
Is this a problem lurking to catch out 997 owners later? Are there queues of 996 and 997 and Boxter and Cayenne owners outside Porsches new shiny showrooms with door straps disconnected?
I think not.
Did Porsche issue a recall for this obvious design fault (a Friday afternoon job for a work experience or community service kid perhaps?).

I think not.

Photographs of all cars owned by my neighbours show that all manufacturers of hatchbacks know how to design a door strap that lasts 250000 miles. Mercedes taxis have straps that last for several trips to the moon. And back.

But not Porsche.

How much have you been charged for fixing this clear Porsche design problem?

Marc Shaw

John,

You could always replace it yourself for the cost of the part (US$31).

Marc

Tom Pepper

Marc.

I missed your excellent DYI on the door strap first time around. Thanks for reposting. That is GOOD work.

pcar964

I dont think it's a big deal to repair this.

Jim W

My door makes a 'click' and drops perceptibly just as its opened. Are those the symptoms of check strap failure? I have no cracking (yet) in the area.
Great how-to guide for repair.

Paul902

I missed the DIY and had my door check strap fixed last year. The dealership here had the work done for me. I believe it involved a spot weld somewhere. It was pretty inexpensive.

SJB993

Jim W,

The click possibly is the check strap.

As for the door dropping, I wouldn't think this has anything to do with the check strap. Sounds like a hinge/striker plate issue.

beers4all

It's ironic that in the 1997 MY brochure, there is a section dedicated to the design of the door and the fact that the design has remained essentially unchanged over generations of 911's. To paraphrase: "it's a good door, why change it?"

Robin 993DX

The 993 door check strap failure is related to the hinge on the frame part of the car, not a problem on the door side.

One of the main cause I believe is (result of cost reduction) that on the 993 cars there is one less weld spot on the exposed side of the hinge to secure the hinge in place, on the 964 cars (which do not have this problem) there are two weld spots on the check strap hinge. So as the door is opened and closed the stress and pressure causes the hinge to break off from the base on the inside of the A-pillar frame (can't see from outside)..... As far as I know that you can only really get to it from the inside cabine fo the car through the driver's side footwell area....

My car developed the same clicking problem at 60k miles, so I performed the door check strap DIY (to lessen the stress caused by the door stop bumps) Door strap DIY and welded two spots (Top and bottom) on the outside to secure the check strap hinge and haven't had the problem since.

The check strap hinge is the exact same item used on the 964, because the extra weld spot the 964 prevented this problem from happening to the 964 owners.

Paul902

Thanks for the details, Robin. It highlights why I needed a spot weld, and the fact that I should read the DIY so I can prevent the problem from occuring on the passanger side.

User 121721

"welded two spots (Top and bottom) on the outside to secure the check strap hinge and haven't had the problem since"

Robin,
Can you elaborate on excactly where? I have the clicking for the last three years and don't want to pay the $600 my body shop is asking for.

TIA

Robin 993DX

Mark,

I will need to remember to take a picture of the weld spots and post it.

Blaine S

I'd like to see some pics of welds that people have had done. The shop I was just talking to yesterday said they'd use a MIG welder and make a fine narrow weld.

Robin 993DX

Here is the picture of the weld. I guess I only made one weld under the hinge so it is not very noticeable. I had to grind off the paint in that area first before the weld, and used some touch up paint to paint over the welded area afterwards.

User 121721

Robin,
I take it you see no need to pay a body shop $600 to go into the area under the A pillar and re-soder the welds -- I should ask them to just weld the strap as you did?

It makes you wonder why porsche didn't weld the strap to the door frame (as you did) when they were building the car -- seems like a simpler, more durable design.

Thanks for the photo!

Mark