MHaas42

On my 2009 Cayenne, the driver's front door requires two pulls of the handle to open the door. It is the same from the inside or the outside. When the door is unlocked, you pull the handle once and it makes a clicking sound but doesn't open, so you let it go and pull it again to open the door. Again, it is the exact same from the inside and outside handles and it is only the driver's door. There are no warning codes or other signs of a problem (although my alarm goes off randomly when I get out of the car sometimes and I wonder if these issues might be related. The alarm issue has been a problem for two years but the door latch only started doing this a month or so ago.) Clearly some mechanism inside the.door is failing and it will probably end with me not being able to open the door at all. I have searched the forum and found a DIY article about a cap on the end of the door, where the actual latching mechanism is, and the ability to remove that cap and perform some sort of jury-rig adjustment, but the article doesn't describe the problem that this would resolve. Have any of you ever dealt with this issue? I appreciate the feedback!

Petza914

Probably early onset of the driver's door cable being out of adjustment. In your case, it could be due to cable stretch from use where it's not pulling the release mechanism quite far enough on the first pull to pop the door, but moves it a little so that the extra little bit of force from the second pull, actually releases it. I would follow the DIY in this article I wrote - https://rennlist.com/forums/cayenne-...rable-fix.html

except in your case, move the mechanism in the slots so the cable is 1 position tighter instead of one position looser. After doing this, BEFORE CLOSING THE DOOR, manually test it a few times by closing the catch on the edge of the door with your fingers or a screwdriver, then using the handle to verify that it releases it. Test both the inside and outside handles a few times both without locking the car and with locking then unlocking the car. If it works every time in the new position, then close the door and test both the inner and outer handles that way. It's easier to do this if you put the window down and can just reach in to test the inside release handle.

The alarm going of when you lock it sometimes happens on all of them - part of the charm and unrelated to the door issue - usually it's the inside motion sensor that causes that.

MHaas42

Ok, first of all, I am always impressed that people take the time to do this sort of thing to help those of us who may be dealing with the same issue. So thank you for that! I just finished this exercise and it was more difficult than I expected. There are two screws under that black plastic cap. The top one releases the lock cylinder, but the bottom one seems to loosen something else that allows it to be removed. I found this out the hard way. After the adjustment, I tightened the bottom bolt, then attempted to re-insert the lock cylinder. (I did tighten the cable by putting it in the tightest position and it passed the test with both the inside and outside handles). Somehow the mechanism on the inside of the door pulled away from the door, so I had to insert a screwdriver through the bottom hole to hold it in place while pushing the lock cylinder back in. It WOULD NOT GO....for 15 minutes I tried. I even put the key in and turned it a little to see if that was what was keeping it from going back in. Finally, it ocurred to me that maybe the bottom screw had to be looseed, so I did that, not knowing at what point it would come all the way out and fall into the bottom of the door. With this screw loosened, I was able to re-insert the lock cylinder, then tighten both the bottom and top screws, I should have known it worked this way, so I am NOT blaming the instructions. The only problem is that the cable is now so far forward in the adjustment that the door handle itself doesn't pull flush against the car. It sort of juts out 1/8" or so. I'm too frustrated to attempt an adjustment tonight, but I may try to back it up a notch or two so that the door handle is flush against the car. Again, thank you for this tutorial and I'll update in a few days after I see if it continues to work.

MHaas42

UPDATE - I posted the above, then got in the car to head home. When I got home, the door wouldn't open at all, with either handle. So I climbed out the passenger door and now I guess the panel has to come off of the inside of the door, which should be fun with it stuck closed. Any suggestions? Also, is there a part I need to order to fix this problem? Saving money is expensive sometimes I guess.

Petza914

No, you've moved the cable too far in the serrated slot and made it too tight. You just need to do the same adjustment you did before, but make it a notch or two looser so the handle can reset and allow the cable to work. This likely happened after you locked the door or as the door locked itself during the drive.

MHaas42

Ok, I will try that, but I have to get the door back open first. Is removing the door panel with the door closed doable? I found a Pelican Parts article on how to remove it with the door open, but the article says it covers through 2008 and mine is a 2009. I assume it is similar but I have no idea how hard it is going to be with the door closed. Any other way to do this?

Petza914

You need to get that door open to make this easy. Try to push the inside handle toward the door a little since you said this was tight. Tap or push on the outside of the door near the striker mechanism to try and release some pressure on the latch. It may take a lot of fiddling, tapping, pushing, but am hoping you can get it to pop open once to be able to readjust that cable. It becomes a much larger job if you can't get the door open. 955 and 957 doors are the same, so up through 2010. Mine is a 2009.

MHaas42

I jiggled and fiddled and did all I could but the door isn't going to open. Clearly I broke something last night inside the door. The door handle just doesn't feel right at all. When I pull it, the entire mechanism moves 1/16" or so out. Something inside the door broke, which is why I was having to use a screwdriver to hold the mechanism against the inside of the door when I pushed the cylinder back in. This is all just a guess at this point. I called an independent shop around the corner and they quoted me $660 plus whatever it takes to get the door open. I'm waiting for a quote from a second place now. I am considering trying to remove the panel myself. If I get the door open, maybe from there I can diagnose the problem and fix it. I wonder if there is an online tutorial for that repair.... I appreciate your help in trying to get this resolved, but it looks like I have done more harm than good.

Petza914

Info here from @oldskewel might help you. He had an issue where his door wouldn't open either. If you don't find what you need in the linked thread, search for some others from him where he talks about how he got the door open.

Good Luck !

MHaas42

Is there a link that I should be able to click on to find this? I entered @oldskewel in the search and nothing came up.

MHaas42

Nevermind - found the articles. Opening the rear door does give some access to the edge of the door. One comment said the dealer had the door opened and adjusted in 20 minutes. Apparently they popped it by accessing the latch with the rear door open somehow. I may call them and at least ask.