Hi,
My driver side exterior door handle has recently decided to stop working! Pulling up (when unlocked) does nothing - there is no resistance so it feels like it has become disconnected from the interior mechanism.

Luckily the interior handle works fine but it's a bit annoying to have to go round to passenger side to open driver door every time.

Would anyone know how best way of diagnosing issue. Thought I would have a look myself before taking to local garage. I am assuming I would have to remove the interior door panel but not sure where to go after that.

Any hints, tips or advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Euan

p.s. it's a '93 4L Coupe in case details are not shown

 

Remove the door panel and look up at the door handle as you operate it.
My drivers side was broken when i purchased the car.
If it feels absolutely free of load the handle probably broke. Look for a tab coming off the handle inside closest the door jamb. These are pot metal and is probably sheared off.

If not watch the linkage operating, the little plastic bushing could have broken and is allowing too much movement for anything to happen.

These have both happened to me, they are sort of fiddly to fix properly. My new handle was from a different car. I have NEVER seen this noted anywhere on any forum, blog, article, or otherwise, but pre-facelifted XJSs either have "square handles" or "round" handles. All this means is the inside part that you press against to open the door is either rounded off or very square.

My new handle was rounded and required a different adjustment than before. Even with the linkage tightened all the way there was too much play. It require me drilling a hole in the linkage assembly and moving the adjuster up so that there was proper spacing.


Didn't mean to go off on a rant, just trying to give you some first hand info.

My bet is the handle sheared off and you need a replacement.

 

I had the same thing, turned out the linkage had disengaged itself from the handle to the lock due to a baggy clip, same as no.13 in pic PART NO.BD44650. there is a few of these on your lock, bit tedious to fit new ones, but I changed all of them, I see they are no longer available from jdht (I must have had the last 10) prob still have one or two, if that is what you need, let us know.

 

Hope you found a good place to get them I paid 10 bucks for just 2 of them...and I broke one!! Had to steal one off my MGB

 

when jag had them in stock on the 05/21/2013 the minimum order was 10 &
the total cost £6.35p post free. so I guess I was lucky to get them.

 

Thanks both for the advice. I'll take the door card out this weekend when it's light and try and see which of the above it is. Do I need to take anything off other than panel? Any specialist tools required?
Thanks again

 

No not really, there is enough give in the panel that you don't really need any plastic panel removing tools to pop it off. You may want some tape though.

Basically there is the mirror controls that have to come out, the metal tab closest the door hinge that presses the door light switch and then a large philips head screw at the base of the armrest/door pull.

After all of those screws are out you can pull around the edges up the panel to pop it free and lift it UP and off. You can look at the back afterwords to see the clips where you had to pull it up.

The screw on the door pull is at the thin base with the chrome collar around it, you need to pop this off, which i guess could require plastic, but you should be safe with a wide straight blade screwdriver with some cloth.You will want to wrap the door pull in tape to protect the leather, the collar can scuff it up.
It is very important to use the proper #3 (big) philips head screwdriver, or you risk stripping the head.

Sorry if that sounds like a lot, it takes about 1 minute if you have done it before, no big deal.

 

Thanks for all the info. Managed to get panel off ok and have a snoop inside. One thing for sure is that the link from handle to mechanism is gone. Found a link part, which may not be the original, in bottom of door.
From what I can tell it's number 9 in image below and I dont think I have a part 10.

Anybody ever replaced these parts - they are very hard to get to. Does it have to be done while in the door?

 

The rod may have just come lose from the clip. I had this happen on my '91. It is a real PIA to fix. need extra elbow

 

is this a face lift model? I have only done the pre facelift and I think I only removed the lock from the car to change the links. it is a hand damaging operation, as already mentioned, some links are still available new, best check on this Door Handle, Lock and Actuator-With Flat Key - Parts For XJS from (V)179737 to (V)226645 | Jaguar Classic Parts UK
I can post a couple of clips to you if you are in the uk oxford.
the parts you don't have should be somewhere in the door cavity

 

Larueb - agreed, can't see how I could get arm deep enough into cavity to actually clip in link, if I could get one. Need some lengthy pliers or extremely long fingers. Rgp - many thanks for the kind offer. Yes it's facelift and yes, near oxford in uk. Let me try and locate replacement link and then I may well take you up on it. Thanks again all, much appreciated.

 

Number 10 is what the linkage hooks to in order to operate the door from the outside...so thats def your problem.

In order to replace that you'll need to unhook all the clips and remove the lock mechanism with the 3 (or 4?) #3 phillips screws.

getting some of them on requires a mix of reaching your hand up from underneath, pliers, and flat blades to snap things into place

 

My 1987 XJ-S is going through the same thing (left side door, can't open from the outside). I took the inside panel off and am still scratching my head wondering how I'm ever going to be able to reach it.

Does it come out in any way?

Thanks,
John

T