W124 - do I just need to change the door handle?
 

Hi folks,

Since I got my 1995 124 wagon the driver's door has always been a pain to open from the outside:

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RV_v_GLpYb4" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I'm assuming it's just a case of swapping the door handle out. Could it be anything else? I've changed the door catch and it didn't improve anything. Opening the door from the inside is fine, it's just the outside that's an issue.

Thanks!

I’d take the door card off and see what’s going on in there. Probably something rubbing on the rod mechanisms

Here we go:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...2a4248ee_c.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...fd0ac3cd_c.jpg

Aside from looking a little crusty in there there doesn't look to be anything out of place to me. Having said that, this is the first time I've looked into a W124 door handle... :D

Anything look amiss?

Now I'm looking into this, when I pull on the other door handles (which all work fine), I can feel tension after about a 1/4" of movement. On the driver's side there's no tension all the way to the end of the movement...

Any thoughts?

as noted above, there is either a bent actuating rod or the handle itself is worn. probably needs to come off and be inspected

Something to do while I drink my coffee later this morning then.. ;)

i was cracking up watching the video because i have a parts car w124 with a grey interior that had the same cup holder on the drivers door

Haha, when I watched the video back I noticed how nasty the door panel looks! It drives me up the wall to be honest but there's more important things to solve before sorting that out :D

There is a distinct lack of storage/places to put things in the 124 I find. My recently sold W115 was way more practical for what I needed ;)

Handle off:

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/W_nSrUnBTZs" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The handle itself looks fine to me:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...3363e4eb_c.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...fabe9c6c_c.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...5fb15d9e_c.jpg

i had the one sold from my parts car until i saw that black monstrosity screwed right through it! the guy asked me to take it off and see how bad it was and it had like 8 screws holding it on!! i thought the guy must have like huge drinks or something...

i think that internal part of your door lock mechanism is defective. i can take a look at one later and see but i don't think there should be that much travel in that before it does anything

Give it a good blast with WD40 to clean it up .And try it again all the parts inside are bone dry .A bit of lube will help it along .

can't hurt but the length of travel without effect would lead me to believe it isn't only that.

Yeah, it seems like it's the metal pull rod is bent or something. The door opens easily when you pull that directly, but with the door handle it doesn't like it. I think it needs to be bent backwards into the car a bit!

j-galap, if the front passenger door handle works properly you may want to consider comparing the difference between the two. Then adjust the driver door handle accordingly. Try lubricating with Wurth HHS 2000.

I wanted to top this as I figured out why the handle was not operating properly and how to fix it in approximately ten seconds! Hopefully it'll save some other W124 owners a whole world of messing around... :)

Long story, short: I've been parting out an E420 for a buddy. While doing that, I decided to take the driver's door apart to figure out my problem.

I pulled out the entire door handle mechanism from the inside:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...5092bdf0_c.jpg

Note the cream coloured plastic crosshead piece. When you turn that, the metal arm above it adjusts inwards and outwards.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...1a6d7795_c.jpg

That crosshead is normally accessible from the lowest hole of the three covered holes in the door (pictured above). So, all you need to do to fix your door is remove the rubber bung and adjust the screw until the door opens normally. No need to take apart the entire door like me :rolleyes:

That's it. Easy as pie thanks to Mercedes' excellent engineering as always. If only I knew this four months ago :D