Ford Focus Door Handle Sometimes Not Working on Outside

athtrasna · 15-05-2014 6:14pm #1

I have a 04 Focus Hatchback and I've noticed in recent weeks that sometimes when I pull the drivers door handle from the outside it doesn't grip and doesn't open the door. I can open the other doors (so it's not the locking mechanism) and open the drivers door from the inside but not the outside. My NCT is next week so I'm nervous about this and want to get it sorted. Any idea what it might be, if it's a DIY thing or if I need a garage?

Thanks!

martinr5232 · 15-05-2014 9:36pm

athtrasna wrote: »

I have a 04 Focus Hatchback and I've noticed in recent weeks that sometimes when I pull the drivers door handle from the outside it doesn't grip and doesn't open the door. I can open the other doors (so it's not the locking mechanism) and open the drivers door from the inside but not the outside. My NCT is next week so I'm nervous about this and want to get it sorted. Any idea what it might be, if it's a DIY thing or if I need a garage?

Thanks!

Your door lock is on the way out eventually it wont open at all.

CrabieCrawford · 15-05-2014 10:52pm

This happened in my focus recently, stopped working completely after a while.
Thought I was going to change the lock, tried some wd40 for a few days over the course of a week and and seemed to do the trick. Been ok for a few months.

Try pulling the handle outwards and getting the nozzle into any gaps behind.

Not sure if this will be any help to you but worth a go if it only costs you the price of a can.

athtrasna · 17-05-2014 9:27am

Thanks guys, will try the WD40, I have a can somewhere.

greasepalm · 17-05-2014 9:36am

have you tried the slow pull to not open door or quicker pull to open?

obezyana · 17-05-2014 3:36pm

Had this problem on the girlfriends old car I took off the door card and sprayed lubricant on the handle springs inside the door and it never gave an ounce of bother again.

athtrasna · 18-05-2014 6:52pm

greasepalm wrote: »

have you tried the slow pull to not open door or quicker pull to open?

When it happens there's absolutely no resistance on the handle, pulling fast or slow doesn't make a difference it needs to be opened from the inside.

Have done the WD40 thing over the weekend so fingers crossed!

greasepalm · 18-05-2014 9:14pm

no resistance might be sticky/rusted lever inside but others have said lock.

Plug · 20-05-2014 12:37pm

There is a rod on these that can be adjusted. Will sort it.

Vertical · 20-05-2014 8:47pm

Use the straw on the wd40, open the door and shove the straw into the gap beside the lock mechanism and give a good spray. Handle should work straight away, you may get wd40 leaking out of the external trim on the door and the bottom of the door.
This saves taking off the door card but is not a permanent fix.

athtrasna · 26-05-2014 6:24pm

Still working fine since I did the WD40 thing and passed my NCT yesterday. Thanks guys!

Ford Focus Door Handle Sometimes Not Working on Outside

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