Driver's Door Problem

[TrevorB]

Hi Guys

My first 996 and great car - 2000 Carrera 4S - but can anyone help me with this problem? I closed the drivers door at the weekend and when I went to reopen it I found I couldn't! When I lift the handle the window drops as it should but that's it - door won't budge. I can open the door from the inside with no problem. Any ideas???

Trevor Barnard

[RFM]

A good chance that the connector between the outside handle and the door lock is coming loose, if not you have to change the lock. Remove the door trim and give a look.

[TrevorB]

Thanks for that. It was sort of the conclusion I was coming to - I just don't fancy taking the panel of!!! Looks like that's what I'll be doing tomorrow then.

[RFM]

Do a search, the door trim removal should by discussed in the past.

[1schoir]

Thanks for that. It was sort of the conclusion I was coming to - I just don't fancy taking the panel of!!! Looks like that's what I'll be doing tomorrow then.

Trevor:

Taking the door panel off seems intimidating at first, but once you have done it you will wonder what you were thinking.

Here is a good link for removing the door panel (it's for a Boxster, but the 996 door is either exactly the same or very close to it):

http://www.ecoutez.net/boxster/door-panel-removal/

If you run into any stumbling blocks or need more specific instructions for a particular step, post that here again.

Regards, Maurice.

[TrevorB]

Done it!!!! You're right - it wasn't too bad at all. The fault was the link from the handle to lock - it seemed to have disconnected itself.

The only worrying moment was when I took the battery cable off and the car alarm went berserk! Fortunately it stopped after about 10 seconds. They don't warn you of that in the instructions!

Thanks for your help and advice everyone.

Trevor

[1schoir]

Done it!!!! You're right - it wasn't too bad at all. The fault was the link from the handle to lock - it seemed to have disconnected itself.

The only worrying moment was when I took the battery cable off and the car alarm went berserk! Fortunately it stopped after about 10 seconds. They don't warn you of that in the instructions!

Thanks for your help and advice everyone.

Trevor

Trevor:

Good Job!

As far as the alarm going off when you disconnect the battery, I believe that for your Porsches in England, in order to avoid setting off the alarm you must disconnect the battery with the key in the ignition and in the "on" position.

It doesn't work that way for U.S. Porsches, and I have read on this forum posts by English posters the above procedure. Perhaps one of them will chime in to confirm this 100%.

Regards, Maurice.

[RFM]

You are right 1schoir this is the procedure for European cars.

[TrevorB]

Thanks guys. This is my first experience of this forum and I must say that the help and advice given has been excellent. I have tried another UK based forum and nobody even seems to bother replying!

Happy motoring

Trevor

[Richard Hamilton]

Hi Trevor

Try the 996 forum on PCGB: http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tt.asp?forumid=18

You don't have to be a club member and forum registration is free. As with Renntech, there are areas you need to be a member to access, but the main 996 forum is available.

Sales pitch over - sorry Loren ;)

[carrera3.2]

Thanks for that. It was sort of the conclusion I was coming to - I just don't fancy taking the panel of!!! Looks like that's what I'll be doing tomorrow then.

Trevor:

Taking the door panel off seems intimidating at first, but once you have done it you will wonder what you were thinking.

Here is a good link for removing the door panel (it's for a Boxster, but the 996 door is either exactly the same or very close to it):

http://www.ecoutez.n...-panel-removal/

If you run into any stumbling blocks or need more specific instructions for a particular step, post that here again.

Regards, Maurice.

I have just encountered the exact same problem that started this thread and it seems that I will need to remove the driver's side inner door panel in order to resolve it. However, this link seems to be no longer active. Can someone please direct me to an active link that shows how to remove the inner door panel without damaging things on my 2003 C2 and how to repair the cable that has appearently come loose? Many thanks.

[Loren]

Thanks for that. It was sort of the conclusion I was coming to - I just don't fancy taking the panel of!!! Looks like that's what I'll be doing tomorrow then.

Trevor:

Taking the door panel off seems intimidating at first, but once you have done it you will wonder what you were thinking.

Here is a good link for removing the door panel (it's for a Boxster, but the 996 door is either exactly the same or very close to it):

http://www.ecoutez.n...-panel-removal/

If you run into any stumbling blocks or need more specific instructions for a particular step, post that here again.

Regards, Maurice.

I have just encountered the exact same problem that started this thread and it seems that I will need to remove the driver's side inner door panel in order to resolve it. However, this link seems to be no longer active. Can someone please direct me to an active link that shows how to remove the inner door panel without damaging things on my 2003 C2 and how to repair the cable that has appearently come loose? Many thanks.

Search is your friend...

[carrera3.2]

Thanks for that. It was sort of the conclusion I was coming to - I just don't fancy taking the panel of!!! Looks like that's what I'll be doing tomorrow then.

Trevor:

Taking the door panel off seems intimidating at first, but once you have done it you will wonder what you were thinking.

Here is a good link for removing the door panel (it's for a Boxster, but the 996 door is either exactly the same or very close to it):

http://www.ecoutez.n...-panel-removal/

If you run into any stumbling blocks or need more specific instructions for a particular step, post that here again.

Regards, Maurice.

I have just encountered the exact same problem that started this thread and it seems that I will need to remove the driver's side inner door panel in order to resolve it. However, this link seems to be no longer active. Can someone please direct me to an active link that shows how to remove the inner door panel without damaging things on my 2003 C2 and how to repair the cable that has appearently come loose? Many thanks.

Search is your friend...

http://www.renntech....l-instructions/

http://www.renntech....-microswitches/

Loren,

Thanks so much!

Jim

[carrera3.2]

Thanks for that. It was sort of the conclusion I was coming to - I just don't fancy taking the panel of!!! Looks like that's what I'll be doing tomorrow then.

Trevor:

Taking the door panel off seems intimidating at first, but once you have done it you will wonder what you were thinking.

Here is a good link for removing the door panel (it's for a Boxster, but the 996 door is either exactly the same or very close to it):

http://www.ecoutez.n...-panel-removal/

If you run into any stumbling blocks or need more specific instructions for a particular step, post that here again.

Regards, Maurice.

I have just encountered the exact same problem that started this thread and it seems that I will need to remove the driver's side inner door panel in order to resolve it. However, this link seems to be no longer active. Can someone please direct me to an active link that shows how to remove the inner door panel without damaging things on my 2003 C2 and how to repair the cable that has appearently come loose? Many thanks.

Search is your friend...

http://www.renntech....l-instructions/

http://www.renntech....-microswitches/

Loren,

Thanks so much!

Jim

OK, I need help. My driver's door latch does not work from the outside. When the handle is pulled, the window goes down as it should, but nothing else happens. The key fob locks and unlocks both doors as it should, but the driver's door cannot be opened from outside, even if the key is inserted and turned. It acts as if there is no mechanical connection between the handle and the latch. The driver's door can be opened from the inside using the inside door handle. I am assuming that there is a mechnical problem with the bowden cable. I would guess that it has disconnected or broken. In Loren's write-up on door panel removal (reproduced in part below), I have gotten through step 2. How can I finish step 3? At this point I cannot see the bowden cable at all. Nothing but the cover over the door handle has come off the inner panel up to this point. I am stuck. Can anyone give me a clue on how to get this inner door panel off without breaking anything so I can see what is causing my problem? (Maurice, the ecoutez link that you posted seems no longer active. Can I access those instructions some other way?)

Thanks.

Caution: Damage may occur if the bowden cable is bent at the hook. The hook of the bowden cable is pressed into the end piece of the cover for protection during transport and assembly. Pull the hook out of the end piece only after installation in the inner door release (see below).

1. Remove (1) cover - Use a plastic spatula to release the clipped connection out of the door handle on all sides. Remove fastening screws 2, 3, 4.
2. Remove (2) plastic cover (airbag) - Press the cover out with a narrow screwdriver 5. Remove the fastening screw 6 seated below it. Press light 7 out of the door trim panel using a plastic spatula 10. Disconnect (pull off) electrical plug connection.
3. Disconnect (3) the bowden cable (arrow B ) and electrical plug connection - Disconnect electrical plug connection from the microswitch for the door handle 9 and orientation lighting 10. Press lugs of the plastic clip (arrow A) and pull out towards the rear. Carefully push the bowden cable 8 back into the end piece of the sleeve (arrow B ).
4. Remove (4) door trim panel - Take expanding nut out of the door trim panel. Unclip door trim panel out of the door on all sides and lift up and off. Clips 13 and 14 must be replaced for assembly (according to the manual).
5. Remove (5) airbag - Disconnect electrical plug connection 15. Remove the fastening screws 16 out of the side airbag and remove.

[carrera3.2]

OK. I got the inner driver's side door panel off and found my problem. The little pin that connects the door handle with the lock mechanism fell out when the little circlip on the end departed for some reason. Now I need to take out the locking module. The two big bolts that connect the locking module to the door appear to be Torx T40 in size, but when I attempt to use this size, it does not properly engage the bolts. The T40 seems to be a little too small, but my T45 is way too large to fit. I do not want to ruin these bolt heads. Can anyone tell me what the proper tool size is to remove these bolts?

Thanks.

[RFM]

Take a better look, this bolts are not TORKX but 12 point star (triple square in your language ?), hope they are still in good condition.

[carrera3.2]

Take a better look, this bolts are not TORKX but 12 point star (triple square in your language ?), hope they are still in good condition.

There seems to be a lot of confusion among the tool providers where I am about this bolt size and the tool to remove it. Is this the same as a "M8" bit?

[RFM]

It will rather be a M7 bit, as far as i can remember.

[carrera3.2]

It will rather be a M7 bit, as far as i can remember.

It is a "M8" bit. These seem as rare as hen's teeth where I live, but I did find one. I did damage the screws by thinking it was a Torx, but managed to remove them with a pair of vice grips. No damage done to anything and I will use fresh M8 x 14 screws on the reinstallation, torquing with the M8 driver.