My door won't shut!

**Mrk_Mickey** · 13-11-2008, 01:27 AM

I unlocked my car, opened my door, said goodbye to friends, got back in the car, and the door didn't stay shut when I tried to close it. The little ''click'' that you're meant to hear when you push the door closing mechanism in isn't there, and subsequently the door cannot be closed.

What the hell do I do?!?!

**DaveMack** · 13-11-2008, 01:30 AM

What everyone else does ... drive with your right arm dangling out the window (holding the door closed) and slow down for left turns.

Dave

**Mrk_Mickey** · 13-11-2008, 01:53 AM

Hahaha...yeah or lock it so the locking mechanism keeps it there...until i turn left at any sort of speed.

But...what about locking and leaving? ...

**Soundofav6** · 13-11-2008, 08:34 AM

Have a play with the lockng mechanism by pushing down on the latch which locks the door to the chasis, unlock by how you usually open the door inside of the car.. see if there is play in it.

**Mrk_Mickey** · 13-11-2008, 10:05 AM

Everything works - except the clicking shut of the latch.

**Soundofav6** · 13-11-2008, 12:23 PM

If the lock works but it wouldn't shut, Could that be hinge ?? does the door line up properly ??

**Mrk_Mickey** · 13-11-2008, 01:03 PM

No no it's none of that, it's (I've now worked it out) one of the springs inside the latch mechanism.

I'll show you all pics so you don't think I'm crazy

...but basically here's how it is:
I took my door latch out of the car (pain in the arse...) and took it apart (pain in the arse tenfold). There's a whole HEAP of crazy moving stuff in there which is really cool...and there's also a coil with a snapped end. This coil is the coil that pulls the ''click'' part of the latch mechanism back into place every time the latch is opened by a handle. Because it's broken, the mechanism doesn't reset itself so my door won't ''click'' shut again. Now I have to work out how to replace/repair the coil....

Going to get pics now.

**Tim** · 13-11-2008, 01:10 PM

you need to replace that part. costs a packet brand new. I got a second hand one
It happened to me on a trip to sydney. I was flying around some cool roads and around one bend my door flung open and wouldnt close. For the remainder of the trip back to melbourne i had to secure the door closed with an octapus strap! As you can imagine there was some crazy wind noise all the way home!

**Mrk_Mickey** · 13-11-2008, 01:12 PM

Hahahaha. DAMMIT! It's such a small, insignificant little thing and yet I have to replace the whole crazy whatsydoodad. How much did it cost you Tim?

EDIT: Here are some photo's of what the mk3 door latch mechanisms look like, and the tiny piece that broke on mine!