Passenger Front Outside Door Handle

tjf · Post by **tjf** » 17 Jan 2012, 05:31

I did a search and found people complaining about a similar problem with inside door handles, but not sure if it is the same issue.

Wife has an 07 S60 with 35K. Suddenly, the outside front passenger door handle stopped opening the car. The lock works fine and it opens from the inside. The handle feels solid but nothing happens.

Is this the expensive job the inside handle seems to be? If so, is this a design problem that will keep happening?

Bollocks.

Post by **fazool** » 17 Jan 2012, 06:30

Hmmm...I haven't seen this personally (on my 01 or my 07 S60) and I haven't seen a lot of posts about it so I don't think its an epidemic problem.

There is a metal rod (with a few bends in it) that the handle pulls. This metal rod then pulls the latching mechanism to open the door. The metal rod (IIRC) has white plastic bushings and a metal clip that holds it in place. It is very likely one of these simply snapped and the metal rod is out of position.

The door panel of an S60 is super easy to remove. If you look up a post of mine on radio upgrade I have written details (and several other posts exist) on removing the door panel.

I would remove the door panel, see what broke and get a replacement at your dealer. It will be very cheap. If you are lucky, the clip may have simply popped off and the metal rod moved.

tjf · Post by **tjf** » 17 Jan 2012, 09:05

Thanks. Hopefully that is the case. A general google search (again mostly responding to the same problem with the inner handle) resulted in many opinions that it is in the $400 to $600 range.

I use a local mechanic rather than a volvo dealer. He works on my BMW and is very adept at taking things apart and replacing individual pieces rather than whole units. So far he has done pretty well with the volvo too. I will report back.