Volvo C70 1999 driver side door handle does not work when unlocking car with key fob

[Rias]

Hello, i'm new to this forum, proud owner of a C70 T5 MY1999 !

I encountered a very weird issue today, my driver side outside door handle doesn't work in a very specific moment.
No problem with passenger side.

Car is locked, i unlock car with key remote, door pins go up and no unusual noise, but when pulling the handle, it won't open the door and feels like it is still locked (handle seem to not be able to go all the way, you know the feeling when checking if you locked the car correctly).

If i unlock the car manually with the key in the hole, handle works no problem.

And weirdest thing is, if i open the car with key remote, so handle doesn't work and then i put the key in the hole and twist left as if i wanted to open the car with the key, car does the little noise that it is already open but then door handle works again !

If needed, i can record a video to show visually my issue.

I'm lost, searched on forums but no one seems to have this exact issue... Hopefully one you can help me please

Rias

[scot850]

The door actuator is broken. This is an issue that often happens if someone tries to open the door before the latch has lifted fully when opening the car with the fob. They do have a plastic part internally that breaks. There has been a video or thread on this in the past.

If you try to replace the actuator, you will find it hard to remove as the window guide gets in the way. Sometimes it will come out, but if you drill out the rivet holding the rear guide out you will get better access. Just remember to rivet it back when finished!

Neil.

[Rias]

The door actuator is broken. This is an issue that often happens if someone tries to open the door before the latch has lifted fully when opening the car with the fob. They do have a plastic part internally that breaks. There has been a video or thread on this in the past.

If you try to replace the actuator, you will find it hard to remove as the window guide gets in the way. Sometimes it will come out, but if you drill out the rivet holding the rear guide out you will get better access. Just remember to rivet it back when finished!

Neil.

Alright thanks a lot, i'm mad because i'm pretty damn sure it is the MOT guy that tried to open my car yesterday, i saw him struggle to use the fob (short distance problem), and ever since the handle is like that... but hard to prove that it's their fault.

I will try to hunt for a door actuator, if you have the part number for C70 driver side actuator, it'd be amazing.

Hopefully i can manage this repair, i'm handy but not that experienced.

Rias

[Rias]

The door actuator is broken. This is an issue that often happens if someone tries to open the door before the latch has lifted fully when opening the car with the fob. They do have a plastic part internally that breaks. There has been a video or thread on this in the past.

If you try to replace the actuator, you will find it hard to remove as the window guide gets in the way. Sometimes it will come out, but if you drill out the rivet holding the rear guide out you will get better access. Just remember to rivet it back when finished!

Neil.

After some research, i found this part number : 8626203
Could you confirm that this is the door actuator please ? It's labelled as door lock but i guess that is the door actuator ?

[scot850]

I cannot confirm the part number, mainly as different markets can have different door actuators based on the locking type. There are single stage locks you press the lock or turn the key in the driver's side lock and all the locks unlock. Then there is 2 stage locks where you unlock the car with the fob once with the key or fob in the driver's door lock, and it just opens the driver's lock. Then you unlock again and it unlocks the rest of the doors and trunk lock.

Then there are deadlock and non-deadlock options. Never fully understood those. I would recommend calling a dealership and give them your Vin# from the plate on the top of the dashboard on the driver's side viewed from outside, or on the plate in the engine compartment on the side behind the battery on the inner fender.

From that they can identify which locking system your car has and the part number it should be. You can then look up what cars they are fitted to as they may be fitted to other cars like V/S70's of similar years. That may allow buying a good used one.

My apologies, I did not notice your car is a C70. I would be careful playing with the door mechanism in those doors. They are complicated and hard to work on. The sedan and wagon versions are simpler as they use mechanical window opening mechanisms. The C70 uses are wire system that is easy to upset.

You may want to ask a specialist to do this swap if you are not experienced. Parts for the LHS door are now scarce to repair.

Good Luck!

Neil.

[Rias]

I cannot confirm the part number, mainly as different markets can have different door actuators based on the locking type. There are single stage locks you press the lock or turn the key in the driver's side lock and all the locks unlock. Then there is 2 stage locks where you unlock the car with the fob once with the key or fob in the driver's door lock, and it just opens the driver's lock. Then you unlock again and it unlocks the rest of the doors and trunk lock.

Then there are deadlock and non-deadlock options. Never fully understood those. I would recommend calling a dealership and give them your Vin# from the plate on the top of the dashboard on the driver's side viewed from outside, or on the plate in the engine compartment on the side behind the battery on the inner fender.

From that they can identify which locking system your car has and the part number it should be. You can then look up what cars they are fitted to as they may be fitted to other cars like V/S70's of similar years. That may allow buying a good used one.

My apologies, I did not notice your car is a C70. I would be careful playing with the door mechanism in those doors. They are complicated and hard to work on. The sedan and wagon versions are simpler as they use mechanical window opening mechanisms. The C70 uses are wire system that is easy to upset.

You may want to ask a specialist to do this swap if you are not experienced. Parts for the LHS door are now scarce to repair.

Good Luck!

Neil.

Hello Neil, thanks for the info, mines has deadlock and one stage unlocking, sadly volvo dealers in France are kinda a bunch of a**holes, they won't help giving out part numbers or documentation for old cars... But i did find a volvo specialist (sadly 400km away) that also said the same thing about the window mechanism. I decided to just live with it as i just need to "turn the key" for the driver's door and when i'll get the opportunity to go to this specialist, i'll pay him to fix it, he's very experienced with c70s.

Thanks a lot for your help !

[scot850]

I wish you the best of luck! There are times when it best left to those who have a lot of experience for certain repairs. I still take our cars occasionally to the dealerships local to us, mainly as I know the people there and they know if I bring them something it will be a challenge! It is unfortunate that in so many places dealerships today think we owe them a living and it is ok for them to try to rip customers off.

I have suggested to our local dealerships how to engage enthusiasts and those with less money in a way that hopefully as their lives improve they may get them to buy newer cars from them. Do they listen? No.

Fortunately the newer of the 2 dealerships not far from me I know the service manger and he is also the parts manager. He is a master Volvo tech as well and got his work clothes on to try to figure out a new challenge I sent them. It was a strange fault but I believe they found the unlikely issue.

I believe if people take the time to talk to their dealers and try to maintain a relationship, they do try to help you out more than regular customers.

Neil.

[Rias]

I wish you the best of luck! There are times when it best left to those who have a lot of experience for certain repairs. I still take our cars occasionally to the dealerships local to us, mainly as I know the people there and they know if I bring them something it will be a challenge! It is unfortunate that in so many places dealerships today think we owe them a living and it is ok for them to try to rip customers off.

I have suggested to our local dealerships how to engage enthusiasts and those with less money in a way that hopefully as their lives improve they may get them to buy newer cars from them. Do they listen? No.

Fortunately the newer of the 2 dealerships not far from me I know the service manger and he is also the parts manager. He is a master Volvo tech as well and got his work clothes on to try to figure out a new challenge I sent them. It was a strange fault but I believe they found the unlikely issue.

I believe if people take the time to talk to their dealers and try to maintain a relationship, they do try to help you out more than regular customers.

Neil.

Thanks a lot,
I also wish that i could find a dealership that would be nice with all kind of customers and not just the one buying their EV volvos...
I still remember the one time i went to another volvo dealership (had a coolant reservoir leak so i needed some coolant asap). When i arrived on their parking lot, a mechanic walking toward some customer's car double looked at my C70 and said "Damn that is beautiful volvo, never ever seen that model before"... Seems like most volvo mechanics today have never seen older volvos.

[scot850]

With the last P80 built in 2004, many mechanics were barely born then. The mechanics I know at the 2 local dealers here often drive old Volvos as they like their relative simplicity.

Neil.