My door handle on my driver's side stopped working today. I had an accident earlier this week:

https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/lounge-42/now-driver-cobalt-s-193442/

i was hit on my driver's side so i'm hoping these two incidents are related. I can't open my car from inside or outside on the driver's side. It seems as though the handle is loose. Has anyone had their door handle just stop working or do you think it might be accident related? Any help would be appreciated, thank you!

 

Happened to me too. Except I was IN the car. I sprayed the door latch with a spray lubricant and it seemed to work better.

 

I was in the car too and I had to climb over the passenger's seat to get out. I'll try the spray lubricant and see if that helps fix my problem! Thanks!

 

does it have tension?

 

no it doesn't, it's so loose

 

it's possible the cable popped out of the handle.... try removing the screw cover behind the handle with a flathead and using a phillips to remove the screw....then gently pry around the handle to pop it out from the door panel.....if the cable is not attached, you'll know....a black piece clips to the top-rear of the handle to hold the cable in place......if it's attached, then you'll probably have to tear into the door to see where the issue lies, but pull on the cable (detached from handle) and see if it opens the door....the cable may be stretched

let me know if you need anything else!

 

a few hours after i told you that it was so loose, my door started working again but when i tried to close it, it wouldn't close! as much as i wish i had the ability do fix it myself, i don't. since i got into that accident last week and my car went into the shop today, i'm gonna have them check out my door while it's there. thank you for your help though

 

I am having the exact same issue with my driver's side door.. let me know what you find out, please!

 

the only thing i can suspect so far is that there's something wrong with the solenoid but if i find out anymore information i will let you know!

 

faulty door latch assembly?just a guess

 

mine did this 2 weeks ago and i was never in an accidient. i climbed in via passenger door (worked) and started playing with the lock and unlock button like i was in a race to hit 1000000 times in less than a minute and boom it fixed it and never happened since than... so go have it at.

 

lol wut

 

i got my car back yesterday and the door has been fine so far. they replaced my outside door handle as a result of the accident so i'm hoping this solved my problem!

 

ive had the same problem, but mine happens only sometimes and if i bang on the door a little bit it usually fixes itself. lol. or if i pull really hard on the inside handle.

i actually pulled the outside handle so hard that i cracked the plastic base on the little thick piece of plastic that actually pulls the cable. lol.

so that door handle doesnt sit flush anymore.

 

i don't want to get too aggressive with my door handle because i don't want it to break but last night my door started malfunctioning again. it's not so bad when the door doesn't want to open, what's worse is when i open the door and it won't close. i have to fight with the door until it closes and oddly enough the door doesn't want to close when i have places to go

 

just got my cobalt have the same problem its F*ckign annoying!!!!!!!!! it seems like a faulty latch, i lubed it and even moved it by hand it seems fine! i dont wanna take off my panel i have no time

 

it's very easy to fix this stuff. if a car comes into my shop and someone asks me to fix a door handle there's no way in hell it's leaving til it's fixed. and it won't break until someone hits it with a heavy blunt object. sounds like something's broken and the guy half assed it. just pull off the door panel and use some common sense. it;s really easy to figure out how the cables work!

 

i have yet to learn the skills to do all these cars things, that's what the men in my life are for

 

lol. I am just saying it's not hard at all! most of it is common sense and if you can take apart a pen and re-assemble it you can do this too. give it a whirl, the worst that can happen is you gotta bring it to a shop and they'll fix it which is what you wanna do anyway.

 

true, i trust you since it sounds like you know what you're talking about

 

I had this problem awhile ago with passenger side door, i searched and its more common than you think...Ultimately someone told me to fix it with WD40 on the part of the door that latches to the car NEVER HAD THE PROBLEM AGAIN...so for those of you that still have this happen off and on just WD40 it, easy fix

 

lol I like that. I wish wd40 fixed everything.

 

the easy way to do things, i like it!

 

Anyone ever figure out what part(s) are needed to fix this problem?

 

mine broke where it holds the cable by chrome plated plasic and if the cable that releases the door is fine just buy the whole inside door handle. the whole thing only costs about $23.00 (for me @ dealership) but you will have to take the door panel off to find out if you have to buy the mounting bracket and screw ( i re-used mine ).

***BTW***
im pretty sure its caused by the power door locks malfunctioning and wear n tear so im just more gentle with it these days, i should'nt of ever bothered with Craigslist and such waiting 2months for a 23 dollar part lol