Sticky passenger door handle ford focus

GalacticaActual

Hello everyone.

I have recently noticed that my passenger door handle on my 07 focus sport is very stiff. You really have to pull it to open it from the outside. It opens fine from the inside though.

all other door handles are fine. Its also central locking.

Anyone know if there is fix to make the door handle a bit less stiff? it feel like you are going to break the thing when you o pull on it to make it open!

Thanks

car-man

Is it stiff to pull if the door is open? If it is then you need to get some WD40 into the hinges of the handle and work it until you get some lubrication into the hinges and keep working it until the handle frees up....you may need to take the door card off to get at the handle's hinges.
You should also spray WD40 into the opening on the door where the fork that locks the door is located and keep clicking the fork into position and keep working the handle.

If the handle is only stiff to open when the door is closed then you need to adjust the catch on the door frame...undo the 2 screws and move the catch out a small amount.

GalacticaActual

HI ,

Thanks for that, Its only stiff when closed. The handle has a lot of travel when you pull it and then its really stiff like something is trying to stop it. All other doors open really easy.

There is no problem when trying to open it from the inside when the door is closed. if the catch needs adjusting wouldn't that affect the inside as well as the out side ?

car-man

The first steps are lubrication. Lubricate the handle mechanism and the fork at the side of the door.
It may not need adjustment, it's just an option...it only takes a couple of minutes to adjust it.
There are 2 linkages used to open the door, obviously the inside operated one is working well, but the outside one and it's mechanism is faulty for some reason, most likely due to rust and lack of lubrication...remember, water gets inside the doors on all cars.

You need to lubricate everything or take the door card off and see what is causing the problem...being a Ford, you may have to remove an anti theft shield covering the mechanism.

GalacticaActual

Thanks for that.

I will have a good spay about with penetrating oil the weekend and see what happens. If not its a door card off job and its the wrong weather for that at the moment ! ( dont have a garage for it to be done in so would be working out side ) LOL

GalacticaActual

Tried giving it a good oil last night. bit limited in what can be sprayed without taking the door card off so that looks like its going to be the next job.

How easy is it to take it off? it has electric windows if that makes any difference?

Thanks.

car-man

There are a few how to videos on youtube, but from memory....split the arm rest apart at the centre seam and take out the screws behind it. Take out the torx screw from the panel behind the door mirror and remove the small panel. Take out the frame from around the door catch and then unclip the door card from the door.
If possible use plastic tools for unclipping the arm rest, door handle frame and the door card clips, but if not use flat blade screwdrivers, but be careful not to break anything.
You need to get lubricant inside the right hand side of the door where the operating mechanism is.
You should see a metal frame held on by a ring of bolts...try not to take this off unless you know what you are doing....on the earlier version there is a big hole where you can access the mechanisms, but the later ones only have limited access.