Ford Focus (00-07) Exterior Handle Fail (manual locking models)? Try This

*01/2016 update-
Almost a year and a half later, and still no problems since last being inside the driver's side door. Just have to be gentle with it and not muscle the handle. :)
2002 Ford focus zx3 exterior door handle on driver side did not engage latch. Blew $70 in parts to find out I didn't have to. Hoping this will help someone!

[@ramonaneyrinck2292]

OMG! Thank you so much. I have this issue with my Ford Focus!! Now i know i can get it done.

[@keyas00]

Sorry for the delay. Yes nyne that's exactly what I did.. Push away on that bend to give it some more length to get the actuator moving enough. Glad this has been helpful. Just as a note, 8 or 9 months later and still no problem. Just be gentle with the handle and it'll be great. Even though cold and icy Pennsylvania winters, still no problem. Make sure you grease up the components with some pb-blaster or wd-40 while you're in there to keep everything moving freely for months to come.

[@skylabryant8279]

This is the only video I found on trying to figure out why my rod was broken and I found what I needed! Thank you! And about the tab. Very much appreciated 💕🐬

[@petermills3639]

Thanks - Really helpful. You are a star. My 2002 Focus in UK has a slightly different connection at the top of the push rod that allows some adjustment. The threaded end of the rod runs through a greyish plastic piece. It is held in place by a white plastic piece that clips into this other piece. If you pry the white piece out then you can adjust the effective length of the rod (a couple of threads worked for me) and then push the white bit back into to lock it in place. I was really nervous about prying out apiece of plastic that is now 16 years old. The white piece is held in place by 4 clips that go into holes that go all the way through the greyish piece. I bent up 4 paper clips that I could then push in from the back to release the clips (mostly) so they didn't break when I pried it out. So far the 2 threads of extra length seems to have done the trick. I did have to get the whole handle/latch assembly out to do this.

[@colinwilliams1968]

This helped fix my door handle. I found the rod that pushes the latch but couldn't work out how to adjust it. Didn't think of just bending it a bit. Door's working now, thanks!

[@ensjesse]

The clip that holds the rod to the lock mechanism is part # W702246-S300.

[@DyadoPopets]

You helped a lot! I was doing whatnot in order to get that think working, then I found your video and bent it to extend the rod and now it works perfectly!

[@benjammin8373]

Thank you very much........a perfect fix to my sons door opening / close problem, spot on fix bro !!...............you saved us a pretty pound in trying to guess what the problem was, you sure are a diamond geezer lol............thanks again mate !!

[@keyas00]

+Ben Jammin no problem man! It's now been well over a year since bending that back in place and spraying it with some penetrating oil, and still no problems.

[@mohammedfarooqui9358]

You Sir are Scholar and a Gentleman. Thankyou very much!!! Peace & One Love from the UK.

[@katiealderman525]

Your voice is dreamy and my car is fixed!!! Thank you for posting this!

[@zuperman2002]

Just fixed my sons SVT the same way today. I didn't see anything broken and it just seems like the rod was going down enough. Bent the top curve inwards and no both doors work great!

[@ummadghauri3490]

Great vid. Had the same problem and it was very frustrating. Did what you said and its fixed. Thanks

[@bill7853]

Thanks for the video . I have a 2002 1.8 tddi focus and the driver's door finally stopped opening after years of yanking on the handle. The problem was not so much the length of the rod ,which I couldn't adjust without loads of work , but the white block pivot was very wobbly after 17 yrs of use and so wasn't directly pushing down . I tried lots of bending the rod and finally found a position where it stopped the pivot wobble and hey presto ..all is good. Took a lot of trial and error but got there in the end. I expect a lot of other well used cars will have the same problem with the white block pivot having lots of play. ( think yours is yellow and slightly different ) .

[@FrankFriedrich-lc6ie]

Thanks 👍 your's was the most easily understood demonstration

[@DrHecubus]

This video is EXACTLY what I needed! Thanks a bunch!

[@darabzsolt642]

Very useful! Thankx a lot. Off to repair mine! 👍👍

[@johnzehrbach820]

Thanks, I also sprayed T-9 on all the moving parts.

[@mpe5101]

Great video. Thanks for the help. I will see if I have the same problem!

[@Jaysoncitou]

Your video helped me a lot! Thanks man! 💪

[@maventenney6123]

Thank YOU intelligence

[@kb5zcs]

Thanks for the video you made,It did really help me out Thanks.......

[@billbailey9684]

What would help me is where to get the white housing piece that holds the rod in place. The one in the car I was working on was broke off.

[@cabo7907]

You the man. Thanks brother

[@stayyoungfitness2328]

i need the piece that holds the arm down in the oval latch that needs to be pushed down. On second 3:15 in the video you will see the arm going down and through the oval and its being held there by what looks like a washer or some sort. i need to hold that arm there. please help!

[@ensjesse]

W702246-S300

[@benjammin8373]

opps Hi Ryan lol im Ben, Thanks Again Mate !!

[@andrewedwards3426]

Hey Ryan! I'm on FocusFanatics too! Great video, really seems to point me in the right direction. I have an 03 zx5, and my girlfriend has an 03 sedan. Anyway her doors are pretty much all doing this (her rear doors both won't open from the outside, and her front two are about to go lol). Anyway good on ya, and I like repetition too!

[@andrewdrabble8939]

Mine has the same problem. Cheers mate

[@TheNator1985]

I have a 2003 focus but my problem I don't see the other rod behind the rod connected to the actuator

[@KingsCrewOE]

Rod fell out of latch component. How to put it back on. HELP

[@elihu217qd5150]

That was great, thank you.

[@Myata51]

Any idea what the part number is for the reinforcement part? My 2006 has broken the metal arm the door handle interacts with so I need to replace that one. I see that the original author of this got a replacement part. Any idea of the part number or at least what it's called? Thanks.

[@nicksvaik]

I bought the Dorman 81970 as my '07 has the same problem, not too excited to go tearing intothe door though...

[@Summernightsandneonlights]

NickTime Ya ain't it though ? there is a auto glass place by my house and I feel sorry for them guys that have to remove and replace the window motors and linkages on car doors all day.That sucks getting all cut up trying to get your arm into a car door.

[@dwaynerogiers6668]

Thanks

[@MegaTraker]

It sure did open my way of thinking and did spent 100 dollars for nothing the old reinforcer was ok but what do I know?? I will try that way to fix.

[@davidrichards6363]

Outside Door Handles Stiff to Open: All 4 of my doors ("02 Focus) open & close reliably, but 3 of the outside handles must always be yanked very hard when being opened from the outside. Driver's handle is very easy, must have been fixed or replaced by previous owner. Lubricating from the outside hasn't helped with the stiff handles. Wear items? Seems to be getting worse over the years I've owned it. Any ideas? Thanks.

[@ryanle3050]

Hi David, If it's a really long ride on the handles before the latches are disengaged, it sounds like the actuator rods (The things I suggest bending in the video) are out of shape and need to be bent back in. I'd suggest popping the worst door interior open and taking a look at it -- it's also possible that the actuator isn't moving freely and should be lubricated.

[@btsouthmost]

thank you!

[@ryanle3050]

+ronnie lerma Np! Hope it was helpful!

[@krishnatrejo9164]

Hello.. Do you know what the hook is called?? I've been trying to replace it and auto store parts have no idea what it's called.

[@daniel25u]

How did you remove rods

[@andrewwrotethis]

Hey, I'm trying to replace the door handle reinforcement. I can't find any good directions of videos explaining what I need to do. Do you think you could get me a link or explain how you did it?

[@ryanle3050]

Hey Andrew sorry for the delay, did you figure it out? KZbin search for 1A Auto Parts' focus door handle videos.. They have multiple. I've fixed so much crap on my own and saved hundreds by learning off their videos. It's real easy but take a mental note of how it all looks on the old one and where the screws/connections are before pulling it off, and careful not to lose any screws dropping down in the door. They're a real PITA to find. Also if you have power locks, probably completely different.

[@nyne7lac]

I'm having the exact same problem. Just for clarification you just bent the rod back into place?

[@8o4h10essohess6]

The door handle is stopping the rod from pulling down far enough to unlatch the door. Any suggestions?

[@keyas00]

jekim1990 where or how is the door handle stopping the rod? The actuator is responsible for pushing the rod down when the handle itself is physically opened.

[@8o4h10essohess6]

@@keyas00 the handle stops the actuator from moving far enough to push the rod down.

[@keyas00]

jekim1990 is there anything broken on either the handle or the reinforcement assembly itself? You might have to take the parts out to actually look, that doesn't sound right though. If the handle is pulled and the reinforcement flap is moving, is it not moving all the way? Does it stop? Can you feel tension as you pull on the handle or is it really loose? You may need to get a new reinforcement assembly if it's not engaging the rod.. But there's not a whole lot to the parts involved. They're pretty failsafe. That long rod with the bend in the video..that's another story. It's a piece of junk.

[@8o4h10essohess6]

@@keyas00 nothing broken. If I take the door handle off everything functions. The door handle is just loose no matter how I put it on it's new. Just gets in the way and doesn't work.

[@keyas00]

jekim1990 sounds like you've had the door gutted and observed - if you watch the inside of the reinforcement assembly as you're pulling on the handle, does that flap move to push down on the rod? Or can you see that the rod is going down as the handle is pulled?

[@TheTJVance]

HI, before you began fixing the handle problem what was your handle doing? Like when you pulled on the handle did it just stayed pulled out and not go back into place? That is what is happening on my wife's car. I think the spring or the arm broke, I have not been able to get inside it yet. Just trying to gather a little info before I tear of the door panel. Thanks!

[@keyas00]

+Thomas Vance Hi Thomas, so I would pull on it, but nothing would happen as far as the door latch -- BUT my handle would go back in place. I would say, IF the handle does NOT go back in place, it's the reinforcement assembly which I show in the video (the black metal thing with the springs and flaps). It's likely the spring is either worn or broke. If you're going to replace that, I'd also suggest replacing the exterior handle and lock covers since they are of minimal expense. While you're in there, you may also want to spray some penetrating oil down inside the door where the latch engages/disengages like I did. Hope this helps.

[@Blastfence1]

I have the same problem with my 2001 ZX3 and I can't fix it.

[@ismaelhernandez2484]

Does anyone know how to replace the reinforcement part in it

[@DS-hn7jw]

been trying figure this out myslef

[@timzrcmore8020]

Same lol