Symptoms of a Bad or Faulty Exterior Door Handle

If your car's exterior door handle is loose or you can't open or close the door, you may need to replace your exterior door handle.

Exterior door handles are handles responsible for opening and closing the doors on the outside of the vehicle to allow passengers to enter the vehicle. Handles are mounted on the outside of vehicle doors and are attached to a door latch mechanism that locks and locks the doors closed. When the handle is pulled, a series of lever rods pull on the latch so that the door can be opened. Due to their high frequency of use, when you get into your car, outside door handles can sometimes wear out a lot, which can cause problems opening car doors. Usually, bad or malfunctioning door handles cause several symptoms that can alert the driver to a potential problem.

1. Weakened door handle

One of the first symptoms of an outside door handle problem is a loose door handle. A worn or damaged exterior door handle can sometimes become noticeably loose in the door. The handle may wobble noticeably when pulled, and it may take more force than usual to open the door.

2. The door does not open

Another common symptom of an outside door handle problem is that the door won't open. If the door handle breaks inside or outside, or any of the connecting rods or clips break, it could cause problems opening the door. The handle may require extra force to open the door, or will have no resistance when pressed if it is broken.

3. Door won't close or close

Another common sign of an outside door handle problem is that the door won't close or has difficulty staying closed. If the door handle or any of the link mechanism components break, it can cause problems with the door latch mechanism when the door is closed. A broken latch may cause the door to have to be slammed or close multiple times, or may not remain latch when closed.

Exterior door handles are a simple component and problems with them are usually fairly easy to spot. However, due to their location in the door, their maintenance can be difficult. If you suspect that one or more of your vehicle's exterior door handles may be having problems, have a professional technician, such as AvtoTachki, check your vehicle to determine if the exterior door handle needs to be replaced.