Driver's door latch
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 434
Likes: 49
Driver's door latch
Recently it's been getting harder for me to open the driver's side door, requiring more jiggling to get it to open. The battery in my fob seems to be fine. I remember reading on this forum, a few years ago, about someone solving this problem by cleaning the inside of the latch. I cannot locate that thread. Does anyone here have any experience with this problem, or the knowledge of how to clean the latch?
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 4,303
Likes: 2,055
From: Margate, FL
Are you talking about the door pad / button? I put Door Dogs on my C7 pretty quickly after purchasing it because I hated that silly hidden button. Now its so much easier to open (and close) the door using the little lever.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,453
Likes: 173
From: San Jose Ca
I haven't looked to see if the door pads/buttons are the same as the C6, but on those the pad was removeable and you could take it apart and clean the contacts. But be careful because they're somewhat fragile inside. I don't think replacements are very expensive but I'd try a cleaning first. Is it an outside car?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 434
Likes: 49
Yes, I'm talking about the pad. What are Door Dogs?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 434
Likes: 49
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 4,303
Likes: 2,055
From: Margate, FL
https://www.sandyeggodesigns.com/pro...ette-door-dog/
It is a lever that pushes the pad. Now if the contacts in the pad itself are bad the Door Dog will not help, but I found the pad too small and not sensitive enough. The Door Dog address those issues. It just makes opening and closer the door so much easier. This is one area where GM chose form over function and made getting in and out of the car harder then necessary.
It is a lever that pushes the pad. Now if the contacts in the pad itself are bad the Door Dog will not help, but I found the pad too small and not sensitive enough. The Door Dog address those issues. It just makes opening and closer the door so much easier. This is one area where GM chose form over function and made getting in and out of the car harder then necessary.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 434
Likes: 49
I eventually found the video, and it looks easy enough. I'd have to buy a can of contact cleaner for about $8.00 vs buying a new pad for less than $20.00,- I think I'll just replace the pad. Some people who cleaned the contacts said the problem returned not long afterward. Thank you all for your input.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,009
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From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
https://www.sandyeggodesigns.com/pro...ette-door-dog/
It is a lever that pushes the pad. Now if the contacts in the pad itself are bad the Door Dog will not help, but I found the pad too small and not sensitive enough. The Door Dog address those issues. It just makes opening and closer the door so much easier. This is one area where GM chose form over function and made getting in and out of the car harder then necessary.
It is a lever that pushes the pad. Now if the contacts in the pad itself are bad the Door Dog will not help, but I found the pad too small and not sensitive enough. The Door Dog address those issues. It just makes opening and closer the door so much easier. This is one area where GM chose form over function and made getting in and out of the car harder then necessary.
Yes, there are several areas where GM chose form over function. And the form isn't very impressive either.
I call them the "WTF were they thinking?" issues.
We love our C7 and wouldn't go back to any previous generation, but the "newer but worse" stuff is annoying.
Last edited by Gearhead Jim; Jul 22, 2020 at 02:30 PM.