Re: My driver side door on my 5Ks is getting very hard to open.

[LToy@aol.com]

>Does anyone out there have problem with the driver side door? My is getting
>very hard to open, usually the first pull on that little lever behind the
>door handle would not open it, the second try usually will, but sometime it
>take a third try. 
>
>Any idea? By the way it's a 85 5000s.

Hi Anthony--

Sounds like your door handle's trigger lever is breaking.  The trigger lever
is a pot-metal casting that pivots in the door handle assembly.  On the other
side of the pivot (in the door), the casting is quite thin--actually, it
forks to two thin pieces to get around the lock cylinder mechanism, then
rejoins on the other side so the lever can push against the latch assembly.
 It's probably one of the two thin pieces going around the lock cylinder.  (I
know--sounds complicated, can't figure out a better way to desribe this right
now--you'll see what I mean when you take the handle off.)

Repair is R&R with a replacement assembly.  You'll get a new door handle
assembly from the dealer (or used from whereever).  The first R is easy, two
or three screws holding the handle in place, one accessed from the end of the
door, the other one or two under the trim piece in the handle;  the second R
is a pain--unlike VW handles (which look identical but work differently),
there's a push/pull rod linkage for the lock cylinder, held in place by a
plastic clip.  I can't recall what all I had to do with my '87, but it wasn't
easy--even removing the inner door panel didn't help a lot.  Perhaps someone
else on the list can help out at this point?

Good luck
--Linus
LToy@aol.com