5000 Door Handles

[Dr. Ian McArthur]

I have had Audi 5000 door handle problems for years.  Like many other
listers the first things I scavenge from the auto wreckers are door handles.

 

There are two problems.  As Huw pointed out the triggers are indeed pot
metal and break with age.  There are actually at least two different types
of handles: early ones has thinner trigger webs, later models featured
thicker webs.  The second, and more significant problem is a worn plastic
ring (or tube or bushing) around the shaft on the latch pin mounted on the
door frame.

 

If this plastic bushing is worn out or gone the door latch mechanism becomes
a metal-on-metal contact and the additional force causes the trigger web to
break.  Replacing the latch pins will substantially increase door latch
life.  I have not replaced a single door handle in the last three years,
after replacing all of the pins.  And I have had buckets of door handles for
our four 5000TQ's 

 

Pins from a VW Passat will work.  The length of the threaded pins are a
little shorter than the Audi 5000 ones but they will work.

 

Another trick, if you live in a cold climate. is to back off the pins so the
doors do not have to compress the cold and rigid rubber door seals.  When it
is really cold (like the typical -40 we encounter every winter) I put my
knee against the door when I open the handle ... to relieve the pressure.
The door actually has to move IN a bit first as the handle is operated.

 

Good luck.

Ian