The dreaded "door handle won't present."

[MarkS22]

So, today, the annoying "handle won't present" struck my driver side rear passenger handle. It's a P85D with ~15,000 miles.

I called service and they'll take care of it, but it's going to be over two weeks. Seems like a long time to wait for a 1-2 hour fix. Gotta say, it does concern me that we'll soon have 3 to 4 times the cars on the road. I hope they build out those service centers quick enough.

What's everyone else seeing with door handles and service center waits?

 

[FlyingJat]

Use something plastic to pry the handle out, wrap a string around the handle. Now you can pull it out with ease til you get it to SC.

 

[theatwar99]

Just had this happen to us -- called the service center, but they're so slammed that the next available appointment was 3-4 weeks. Thankfully the manager called me back and sent out a Ranger the next day, he swapped out the handle in about 20 minutes. Perhaps your local service center could offer that solution?

 

[MarkS22]

Just had this happen to us -- called the service center, but they're so slammed that the next available appointment was 3-4 weeks. Thankfully the manager called me back and sent out a Ranger the next day, he swapped out the handle in about 20 minutes. Perhaps your local service center could offer that solution?

I'll see if that's an option. Seems like a huge hassle for a 20 minute fix. Thanks.

 

[bmah]

OP, how did this work out for you?

I just had this problem yesterday (S85D, 25K miles, ironically just had its second "annual" service). At least for you it was a rear door...on my car it's the front drivers side door, so I have to get in on the back and climb between the seats, or get in on the passenger side and scoot over. I took my car to the Dublin (CA) Service Center but they don't have the parts...I'm probably going to be calling other service centers tomorrow.

Thanks,

Bruce.

PS. On the lighter side, I briefly thought that if I left the front drivers window down, I could do the "General Lee" thing from "The Dukes of Hazzard" and hop in the window. Then one of my friends reminded me that I'd probably hurt myself trying this.

 

[patrick40363]

You can pry the handle open and put a string behind it. You should be able to use the door. Mine failed on my 85D at 15K miles.

 

[bmah]

You can pry the handle open and put a string behind it. You should be able to use the door. Mine failed on my 85D at 15K miles.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'd read this idea in other threads, but stupidly I didn't actually understand it until your posting. Don't know why. Clearly I'm neither a car guy nor a mechanical engineer.

I just trying using a spudger that I bought with my Abstract Ocean interior lighting upgrade (IMHO still one of the best bang-for-the-buck aftermarket upgrades...big shout out to @pete8314). It slips perfectly into the crack between the handle and door and has just enough leverage to pull the door handle out. Rather than tie a string onto the handle (which looks kind of weird) I think I'm just going to bring the spudger with me when I go out. It doesn't take much longer than pulling on a string, the only downside is that if someone's watching me it looks like I'm trying to break into my own car.

Still need to call some alternate service centers. I'm fortunate to have 8 service centers in range, you'd think someone should have the parts to fix this.

Cheers,

Bruce.

 

[jelloslug]

Still need to call some alternate service centers. I'm fortunate to have 8 service centers in range, you'd think someone should have the parts to fix this.

Cheers,

Bruce.

Now you are just bragging...

 

[jmsurpri]

I have a feeling my drivers side rear door handle is about to go. It makes a funny metallic sound when opening now. Has anyone else noticed a weird sound before imminent failure?

 

[bmah]

I have a feeling my drivers side rear door handle is about to go. It makes a funny metallic sound when opening now. Has anyone else noticed a weird sound before imminent failure?

Not in my case, although I wasn't necessarily paying attention to it. For me it was working fine, I did a drive of about a block, and then it wouldn't open anymore. Nothing intermittent, no warning signs that I could remember.

Bruce.

 

[jelloslug]

I have a feeling my drivers side rear door handle is about to go. It makes a funny metallic sound when opening now. Has anyone else noticed a weird sound before imminent failure?

From what I understand the failure mode is a wire breaking.

 

[wamochi]

we had 2 failures at around 32k miles on our S60.

1. rear passenger door - not presenting about 80% of the time. if the door was opened from the inside, the handle would present. nothing worked from outside - pressing on the handle, key fob, unlock button on screen, etc. etc.

2. driver door - presenting just fine, but if you closed the door and reopened it before it had retracted, it wouldn't pull open.


a ranger came out within a few days for Item 1, as i was complaining that my kids could not get into the car during the hectic pick up curb at school, which was a major inconvenience. when he was at the house, we showed him Item 2 and then he said he was only booked for 1.5 hours but could get to the next customer first and then come back after with no time limit. he also said they store multiple handles on the truck. took him about 3.5 hours total to remove and replace the two handles. and then we traded in that car, but at least the next owner won't be dealing with faulty handles.

anyway, my feeling is that door handles are high priority for service calls. especially driver door - that one should be addressed immediately!

 

[RDoc]

The lack of service centers and the scarcity of spare parts does worry me. The Boston area has only 2, actually more accurately 1.5 since the Watertown center is tiny and 4-6 week waits have become the norm.

Given the frequency of repairs for these cars, I dread to think what's going to happen as Tesla ramps up production.

 

[scottm]

When Tesla ramps up production (of Model 3) they won't have auto-retracting and auto-presenting door handles.

They have learned the lesson. But not only that, they're expensive compared to a chrome flap that you use hand power to open them.

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

my passenger front did this last night. this is the kind of thing that tends to piss one off after spending $80k!

 

[scottm]

my passenger front did this last night. this is the kind of thing that tends to piss one off after spending $80k!

Oh, you've only got the 80K model. No wonder.

Most people here are more pissed off because they have the 100K model.

That's 20K of extra-piss!!

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

Oh, you've only got the 80K model. No wonder.

Most people here are more pissed off because they have the 100K model.

That's 20K of extra-piss!!

well, I think it was 94 new, but I bought CPO.... so... you know..

I think at any price point the thing should JUST... WORK... e

 

[Zaphod]

Seems like the better failure mode would be to have the handle stay extended, versus being stuck in. Wonder if there was a particular reason it was designed that way? If I recall, the handle has a spring and motor (oversimplification) in which the motor overcomes the spring force when the handle is extended. I guess if it was the other way around, the motor would have to work against the spring all the time when retracted. But I'm sure a mechanism of some sort could have been made to "unload" the motor force and hold the spring force.

 

[bmah]

Update: I talked to the Burlingame Service Center yesterday and they had both parts and available appointment slots. So they fixed the problem this morning...took about an hour to fix (including paperwork etc.) so I just waited for it. All is well now.

Thanks,

Bruce.

 

[Maximapolak]

Update: I talked to the Burlingame Service Center yesterday and they had both parts and available appointment slots. So they fixed the problem this morning...took about an hour to fix (including paperwork etc.) so I just waited for it. All is well now.

Thanks,

Bruce.

That's good to hear. Does it have the actual cost printed on the paperwork, just to get a reference for when the car goes off warranty?