Greetings - S70 Door Handle Problem.

[rogwadd]

Hi everyone. 98 S70 GLT owner, Arlington, VA here. I joined a year and a half ago researching issues with water leaking into the passenger side floor after a rain and various fault codes. Did not realize I had never posted though.

So, I'm back and trying to get my driver's exterior door handle re-installed after replacing a broken lock release cable. I wish I had copied my post under an existing thread before submitting. It went into moderation, I assume, because it was my first post. How long does a message usually stay in moderation?

Anyways, I posted under "Door Closed" switch 1999 (late year) S70 where I ran across some very helpful info. I'm still working on it, but can't seem to get the handle and lock rod properly seated. I'm sitting with an unlocked car, a disconnected battery, an immobilized car with no fob and no working keylock to cycle through. Guess I'll go grab dollar fifty (the economy) beers until my post is released.

You guys have proven to be an invaluable resource. Thank you so much.

Roger.

[Ozark Lee]

Welcome to MVS Roger,

I moved your post to the proper forum and renamed it somewhat.

The trick on getting the handle re-seated is have the latch loose. The latch needs to be back far enough for the hook on the handle to engage the outdoor lock lever on the lock assembly. The latch is precluded from moving inward towards the front of the door by the lower window guide. If you hold your mouth just right you can loosen the lower window guide and get the latch to slide back enough for the handle to engage to mating piece on the latch mechanism.

The next trick on the driver's side door is the key lock. As you put the handle back on the rod that extends to the lock socket doesn't want to line up. I've found the easiest way to deal with the lock is to remove the lock cylinder, get the handle on, and then put the lock cylinder back in. Directly outward from the two door handle bolts there is a slot. If you put the key in the lock and press the tab in that slot the door lock cylinder will release and you can remove the lock along with the rod. Once the handle is back in place you can then guide the lock rod into its socket by removing the small circular plug next to the cover that gave you access to the door handle bolts.

The door lock cylinder just snaps back into place but it must be removed and re-installed with the key in the lock, pressed all the way in.

I need to gather up some tools and move parts in from my evaporator change but I have a latch and I have a handle. I will take some pictures and post them back but it will likely be a couple of hours.

...Lee

[Ozark Lee]

Here are the pictures.

This is the side of the latch that faces outward.

The circular white plastic area is the hole where the rod from the lock needs to engage.

This picture is of a front door latch but a rear door handle. It is slightly different and doesn't have the key cylinder and rod but here is how it needs to engage the latch mechanism.

In this picture I turned the handle to give you a better view of how the handle and the latch mate up.

Hopefully this will help you along the way.

...Lee

[rogwadd]

Lee, Thanks for your help on getting my door back together.

I spent a little bit of time this weekend, but was cut short as the rain set in. Finally, was able to get back to it today and spent about an hour or two this morning getting everything back together on my second attempt. The trick was to get the handle seated properly and to remove the lock cylinder before resetting the exterior handle. Everything back together and working. I wasn't sure what kind of shape I was in with a door that wouldn't work and an alarm-immobilized car.

For anyone else interested, MJJs post in the topic mentioned in my first post as well as Lee's help got me squared away . In my "travels" I think I ran across a pdf on replacing the actuators mentioned in that thread. It's a German site, so you're looking at a left hand drive.

http://www.motor-talk.de/forum/aktion/A ... tId=711089