Make your door handles last . . .

[theRuler 0]

This may be obvious to some people, but it wasn't to me.

after repairing my door handles, i realised i could have easily prevented their demise.

 

the part that breaks appears to do so through corrosion: it all gets stuck together with corrosion and becomes stiff, then snaps.

 

grease the mechanism on the handle!!!! do it every 6 months or so. that should make it last the life of the car.

 

if you havent greased yours, DO IT TODAY! it's just one screw to undo. the handle wont come out very far (due to the wires) but far enough to get a finger of grease in there. lash it on. it doesnt matter how much you use.

 

you'll thank me when you DONT have to climb through the boot to get in . . . .

 

. . . ooh me back

[daves16v 1]

This is clearly a weak point in the design. After having investigated the possibility of a repair I'm not convinced greasing it regularly will solve the problem. The point at which it breaks is very thin.

[theRuler 0]

but it is under more load, as it all gets stiff. that's what eventually breaks it.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Heavily greasing the latch mechanism is the important bit and aligning the doors so that they don't need slamming to close. Both of these issues increase load on the handles dramitcally.

[theRuler 0]

everything helps i guess.

its just that the handles i repaired yesterday, both the levers (that snap) were super stiff with oxidisation. that cant be good. i had noticed they were getting progressively stiffer (over the years) but like a bonehead did nothing about it. until it was too late!

[daves16v 1]

Heavily greasing the latch mechanism is the important bit and aligning the doors so that they don't need slamming to close. Both of these issues increase load on the handles dramitcally.

 

Agree with greasing the latch regularly but I'm sure VW didn't intend on the end user removing the door handle every 6 months to lubricate it.

[theRuler 0]

ok every 12 then.

its not hard to do really.

 

my doors close easily. the handles just gradually got stiffer, then snapped.

[daves16v 1]

How many door handles from other car manufacturers/models do you know that have to be lubricated to prevent them from breaking? There is clearly a weak point in the handle.

 

I'm not arguing with you, it's just an observation.

[dazzyvr6 0]

by the looks of mine they are the original handles,and are covered in gease so it does help

[theRuler 0]

its definately a weak point.

but they break because they get stiff, and the weak point is exploited.

maybe the seal around the handle gets slack in time, and moisture gets in.

 

the grease / general care will ease the stiffness, and must help in the long run. and if you have a corrado - its doing the "long run!"

 

i dont have much experience of other car's door handles.

but vw handles have often been shit for one reason or another.

well not the more recent handles, but on the older cars: mk1, mk2 golfs - comedy door handles.