DIY C6 Unresponsive Door Handle Fix (easy)
11-24-2016, 12:51 PM
#43
Tech Contributor
Just did this 5 minute fix...geez I've fooled with the doors trying to get them open longer than it took to fix both doors. Now the doors open with just a slight tap on the rubber buttons.
Thanks for the post MacT13!
Thanks for the post MacT13!
11-24-2016, 09:00 PM
#45
Tech Contributor
11-24-2016, 09:16 PM
#46
Burning Brakes
I did mine a few weeks ago. It's so simple. If you can figure out how to turn a screwdriver, you can easily clean them up without wasting money on new ones. They open so easily now.
11-25-2016, 07:33 AM
#47
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Member Since: Feb 2007
Location: Columbia MO
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It sounds like moisture is getting past the seal. Would it help to put a thin layer of grease or gasket maker on the seal to try and keep moisture out in the future, if so many people are having this issue? I know I need to take my drivers door one apart today and clean it.
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QAS (10-28-2017)
11-25-2016, 11:55 AM
#49
Team Owner
Rather than trying to seal the entire switch from humidity, some kind of corrosion resistant coating on the contact surfaces is important and will make the cleaned switch better than a new one with nothing to prevent corrosion.
11-25-2016, 12:54 PM
#50
Melting Slicks
Did both doors in about 20 mins... Slight coating of dielectric grease on the printed circuit side is preventive maintenance. Just a very slight pressure is all that is required now.
11-26-2016, 02:25 PM
#51
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Complete the drivers door handle last night and it works great now. With the amount of corrosion in the handle, even if you did replace the handle I would pull the new handles apart and apply a thin layer of dielectric grease on them before installation. Otherwise you will just have to replace them again in the future. Now I just need to clean the passenger door handle today.
12-09-2016, 09:08 PM
#52
Melting Slicks
caution when doing this
well I tried this last night. unfortunately in disassembly, the "silver" side of the contacts separated from the rubber. I cleaned the copper side and silver side then tried to place it back in the right spot and re-assemble.
everything seemed good once re-installed. but then I tried to get out of the car at work this AM and for some reason the inside door button is acting up. the window indexes down but the door doesn't release. I had to get out using the emergency lever.
this afternoon, the inner door button worked again but the outer button was acting up a bit. I think the silver side has slipped around and is not positioned correctly.
the silver side is located on the rubber via 5 or 6 little 'nubs'. mine all came off.
I've simply ordered a new switch at this point. $15.
everything seemed good once re-installed. but then I tried to get out of the car at work this AM and for some reason the inside door button is acting up. the window indexes down but the door doesn't release. I had to get out using the emergency lever.
this afternoon, the inner door button worked again but the outer button was acting up a bit. I think the silver side has slipped around and is not positioned correctly.
the silver side is located on the rubber via 5 or 6 little 'nubs'. mine all came off.
I've simply ordered a new switch at this point. $15.
12-10-2016, 03:36 PM
#54
Heel & Toe
Member Since: Jun 2009
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Drivers Door Won't Release
Hello CF, the door handles on my c6 (2006) were becoming unresponsive to the touch. I finally decided I couldn't live with it, so I fixed it and decided to make a tutorial in case others are having this problem (I tried to be as thorough as possible). So, let's begin!
[U The supplies you will need are:[/U]
-Contact cleaner (I used brake cleaner, does the trick)
-Fine sand paper
-Scotch Brite pad
-Rag
-2 Phillips screwdrivers (one small and one large)
First, you will remove the 2 screws that attach the door handle to the door.
Once the screws are removed, simply pull the door handle away from the door.
Once the handle is pulled away, a clip and harness will be revealed on the wiring, unclip the harness and remove the handle completely.
Now the handle and pad will be off the vehicle.
The touch pad assembly will now separate from the door handle housing.
Once separated, we will be concerned with the touch pad assembly, on the side opposite of the rubber pad, there will be 6 small screws, remove these.
With the screws removed, the assembly will split in half and you will see a copper side and an aluminum side which if your handle is being unresponsive to the touch, is most likely corroded, like mine was.
Now, we start to remove the corrosion. Spray some contact cleaner on the copper side and rough up the corrosion with the fine sand paper, this will remove most of the corrosion from the plate. Don't be afraid to spray more contact cleaner as you sand, it makes life easier.
After sanding for a little while to loosen the corrosion, I went over the plate with my Scotch Brite pad to help clean it up a little bit.
Next after removing the corrosion I wiped away the left over contact cleaner and goo that remained on the plate with my rag.This was the final product after removing the corrosion versus the other side door handle that I had yet to do.
It may take a few repeats of the previous 3 steps in order to get the plate this clean, just keep sanding, until the corrosive material is removed.
Now that you have finished the copper side, move to the aluminum side and repeat the steps, this won't take nearly as much work as the copper side since there will be far less corrosion.
This is my final product after cleaning both sides.
To prevent future corrosion issues, add dielectric grease to the contacts! (Thanks Zarnperformance)
Now, reassemble the pieces to the touch pad by fastening the 6 small screws, seat the touch pad assembly back into the door handle housing, reattach the harness to the pad assembly, slide the handle back onto the door, and put the 2 large screws back into place and your touch pad should work like new! Work backwards through the pictures if you need help to see how to reassemble the housing and handle.
Hope this tutorial helps you!
Feel free to ask questions, I will respond as soon as possible!
-Mac
[U The supplies you will need are:[/U]
-Contact cleaner (I used brake cleaner, does the trick)
-Fine sand paper
-Scotch Brite pad
-Rag
-2 Phillips screwdrivers (one small and one large)
First, you will remove the 2 screws that attach the door handle to the door.
Once the screws are removed, simply pull the door handle away from the door.
Once the handle is pulled away, a clip and harness will be revealed on the wiring, unclip the harness and remove the handle completely.
Now the handle and pad will be off the vehicle.
The touch pad assembly will now separate from the door handle housing.
Once separated, we will be concerned with the touch pad assembly, on the side opposite of the rubber pad, there will be 6 small screws, remove these.
With the screws removed, the assembly will split in half and you will see a copper side and an aluminum side which if your handle is being unresponsive to the touch, is most likely corroded, like mine was.
Now, we start to remove the corrosion. Spray some contact cleaner on the copper side and rough up the corrosion with the fine sand paper, this will remove most of the corrosion from the plate. Don't be afraid to spray more contact cleaner as you sand, it makes life easier.
After sanding for a little while to loosen the corrosion, I went over the plate with my Scotch Brite pad to help clean it up a little bit.
Next after removing the corrosion I wiped away the left over contact cleaner and goo that remained on the plate with my rag.This was the final product after removing the corrosion versus the other side door handle that I had yet to do.
It may take a few repeats of the previous 3 steps in order to get the plate this clean, just keep sanding, until the corrosive material is removed.
Now that you have finished the copper side, move to the aluminum side and repeat the steps, this won't take nearly as much work as the copper side since there will be far less corrosion.
This is my final product after cleaning both sides.
To prevent future corrosion issues, add dielectric grease to the contacts! (Thanks Zarnperformance)
Now, reassemble the pieces to the touch pad by fastening the 6 small screws, seat the touch pad assembly back into the door handle housing, reattach the harness to the pad assembly, slide the handle back onto the door, and put the 2 large screws back into place and your touch pad should work like new! Work backwards through the pictures if you need help to see how to reassemble the housing and handle.
Hope this tutorial helps you!
Feel free to ask questions, I will respond as soon as possible!
-Mac
Have to release it manual by the leaver to open door.
12-10-2016, 03:37 PM
#55
Heel & Toe
Member Since: Jun 2009
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For your problem was it not releasing from the inner button and also the outer? I'm having this problem were neither button will release, but I can hear it trying to release.
Have to release it manual by the leaver to open door.
Have to release it manual by the leaver to open door.
05-23-2017, 09:12 PM
#59
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Location: Olympia WA
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St. Jude Donor '16-'17, '19
Easy Peesey!
Tutorial is great. Took me all of about 15 minutes to take it off, clean and sand, and reinstall. Did the Dielectric grease on the surface of the copper section to help with keeping moisture out of the contact area - great idea!
The only thing I did a tad differently was to use a couple of small strips of Gorilla tape to hold the switch assembly to the trim piece so that as I positioned the trim piece against the edge of the door, the switch assembly stayed in-position.
All this said, I did order a back-up switch off of eBay ($13 shipped) for "just in case..." down the road.
The only thing I did a tad differently was to use a couple of small strips of Gorilla tape to hold the switch assembly to the trim piece so that as I positioned the trim piece against the edge of the door, the switch assembly stayed in-position.
All this said, I did order a back-up switch off of eBay ($13 shipped) for "just in case..." down the road.
