Driver's inside door handle loose
01-08-2004, 06:24 AM
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Driver's inside door handle loose
Is there something like a plastic insert (that presumably is a cheap POS) that should be holding the hinge, and therefore the handle, of the inside door handle tight?
After 3 years and 54Kmiles, suddenly, the driver's inside door handle stopped being tight and precise; it's now wobbly. Luckily, the door still works, so I'm not "Dukes of Hazzarding" it to get in and out.
Is my door handle self-destructing, or is it just loose from a loss of something like an insert?
I've had mixed feelings about this car. It handles and drives fantastically in the wet and dry, but the support equipment to make it a complete automobile is horrible. Two washer pump cracked casings that dumped all of the fluid, a faulted coolant temperature sensor, three low beams and a brake light burned out (My in-law's SLK230 lights haven't been any more reliable. As an EE, it's obvious to me that German electrical circuitry design is lacking; the starting surge currents overstress the bulbs; that's ****-poor engineering) and now this cheap-*** door handle. I'm very careful with the car, too; I don't abuse anything on it.
My wife's RSX is 100% trouble-free after one year of commuting and 30 Kmiles. I'm gonna hold out for a while to see just how reliable the Acura remains.
The Infiniti G35 is f'ugly, which overrides the enticement of more bhp and its new AWD. If Acura comes out with something like the TL in an AWD, I'll likely trade in the A4 without any further debate.
Germany has gotten to be such a lazy, socialist society. I waited 6 months too long for my A4 to be built and paid a total of $36K too much for a substandard automobile built by lazy, fat Germans.
Meanwhile, my extended family's Acuras, Lexus, Infiniti, Nissans, and Subarus have all been trouble-free. Does anyone besides the Japanese engineer and manufacture a car with any pride and competence?
After 3 years and 54Kmiles, suddenly, the driver's inside door handle stopped being tight and precise; it's now wobbly. Luckily, the door still works, so I'm not "Dukes of Hazzarding" it to get in and out.
Is my door handle self-destructing, or is it just loose from a loss of something like an insert?
I've had mixed feelings about this car. It handles and drives fantastically in the wet and dry, but the support equipment to make it a complete automobile is horrible. Two washer pump cracked casings that dumped all of the fluid, a faulted coolant temperature sensor, three low beams and a brake light burned out (My in-law's SLK230 lights haven't been any more reliable. As an EE, it's obvious to me that German electrical circuitry design is lacking; the starting surge currents overstress the bulbs; that's ****-poor engineering) and now this cheap-*** door handle. I'm very careful with the car, too; I don't abuse anything on it.
My wife's RSX is 100% trouble-free after one year of commuting and 30 Kmiles. I'm gonna hold out for a while to see just how reliable the Acura remains.
The Infiniti G35 is f'ugly, which overrides the enticement of more bhp and its new AWD. If Acura comes out with something like the TL in an AWD, I'll likely trade in the A4 without any further debate.
Germany has gotten to be such a lazy, socialist society. I waited 6 months too long for my A4 to be built and paid a total of $36K too much for a substandard automobile built by lazy, fat Germans.
Meanwhile, my extended family's Acuras, Lexus, Infiniti, Nissans, and Subarus have all been trouble-free. Does anyone besides the Japanese engineer and manufacture a car with any pride and competence?
01-08-2004, 06:30 AM
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Geez, just trade the A4 in for a rice burner
and quit yer bitchin' =)
Audi's have their quirks, but lots of people here have learned to deal with them. I love my car regardless of it eccentricities.
Audi's have their quirks, but lots of people here have learned to deal with them. I love my car regardless of it eccentricities.
01-08-2004, 06:32 AM
#3
you need a new one...
there is a small mounting boss for a spring that breaks. The spring is what keeps the handle tight. It will work fine, just loose.
Dont like your Audi? Spend a week in an chevy impala rent-a-car....
Dont like your Audi? Spend a week in an chevy impala rent-a-car....
01-08-2004, 06:53 AM
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Z28
Thanks for the advice. I'll get a quote during the 60Kmile service and decide whether to have it fixed.
I bought the A4 and sold a Camaro Z28. I know how bad American cars are, but I was hoping the German car would be better. It turns out that German autoworkers are just as shoddy as UAWs in America.
I've spent a decent amount of time in Japan. I've found the Japanese to be the most biggotted racist culture I've ever had the misfortune of being forced to visit.
Decent cars cost too much to trade in, often. I really didn't want to buy my wife's Acura because I really didn't want to pay money to a Japanese company for a car. I try not to buy Japanese products whenever I have a reasonable choice in alternative sources. However, after seeing the issues my wife's parents have with their Mercedes, too, I'm fast losing faith that there's any choice but for my next purchase to be Japanese in order to get a car that won't nag me. I've got a wife to nag me; I don't need nagging from an expensive car.
I bought the A4 and sold a Camaro Z28. I know how bad American cars are, but I was hoping the German car would be better. It turns out that German autoworkers are just as shoddy as UAWs in America.
I've spent a decent amount of time in Japan. I've found the Japanese to be the most biggotted racist culture I've ever had the misfortune of being forced to visit.
Decent cars cost too much to trade in, often. I really didn't want to buy my wife's Acura because I really didn't want to pay money to a Japanese company for a car. I try not to buy Japanese products whenever I have a reasonable choice in alternative sources. However, after seeing the issues my wife's parents have with their Mercedes, too, I'm fast losing faith that there's any choice but for my next purchase to be Japanese in order to get a car that won't nag me. I've got a wife to nag me; I don't need nagging from an expensive car.
01-08-2004, 07:49 AM
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Mine lasted 70K mi. You replace the lever and plastic insert, you move over your tweeter...
to the new part, IIRC. The part is about $30. Read the tech article on removing the door panel.
Vic 99.5 1.8T Tip APR Stg 1
Vic 99.5 1.8T Tip APR Stg 1
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01-08-2004, 09:39 AM
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Could your standards be any lower?
Anyone who'd accept failure as an "eccentricity" is a person of low standards and is not the type of consumer whom Audi claims to target and serve. How did Skoda and Saab miss out on you?
It is neither the consumers' obligation nor responsibility to accept failure. It is Audi's responsibility to succeed in their promise of products to meet exacting standards.
Audi has done a fantastic job on their engines, suspensions, braking, and transmissions. It's shameful that Audi has not displayed the same effort in designing and building the rest of the car.
It is neither the consumers' obligation nor responsibility to accept failure. It is Audi's responsibility to succeed in their promise of products to meet exacting standards.
Audi has done a fantastic job on their engines, suspensions, braking, and transmissions. It's shameful that Audi has not displayed the same effort in designing and building the rest of the car.
