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Front doors don't stay open

Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 1:28 pm
by islander
Did a search and didn't find a post about it.
For a long time the front doors of my 94 L don't want to stay open . Does anyone has a solution?
Thanks in advance.

Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 3:49 pm
by professor
the door straps are worn, they have a little spring mechanism that holds the door open. Sometimes the spring part breaks completely inside the door.

the best way to replace them is to go to a junk yard and search for good ones. I would guess that many subarus have the same ones

Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 6:11 pm
by Legacy777
Yeah, my doors don't stay open either. I'd love to replace them, but I haven't looked into how difficult it would be.

More then likely anything you find in the junkyard on similar legacies will be worn out as well.

Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 6:22 pm
by professor
you may have to remove the door cards to get them out, not sure, but two bolts and the cotter pin and they are loose

wonder what the dealer charges... the junk yard ones might not be much better, sorta like buying air cylinders for the lift gate there, half way to junk more than likely

Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 6:37 pm
by rallysam
It might be worn out, but I think Subaru doors are just like that compared to other cars. The doors are just less "notchy" or "sticky" than other brands, so they always smack you on the ass when you are trying to load stuff.

Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 6:57 pm
by Legacy777
I'll have to look into the cost of new door straps.

Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2005 2:32 am
by islander
I'm going to the Subaru parts store tomorrow to see if he can get them (whatever the part is/are). Maybe I can see some diagram there but does anyone has the OEM shop manual that can post a scan or a pic to help me out? I already looked at my Haynes :oops: manual and that sub-assembly is not described there.
rallysam Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2005 10:37 am Post subject:

It might be worn out, but I think Subaru doors are just like that compared to other cars. The doors are just less "notchy" or "sticky" than other brands, so they always smack you on the ass when you are trying to load stuff.
Yes, they always were less notchy than any car I have had and I hate :evil: when they hit me. I use anything on hand to keep them open. People use their feet to hold them and the speakers cover already show it.

Thanks professor but what do you mean by the "door card?

Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2005 5:47 pm
by Legacy777
It's officially called Checker Assy in the factory parts manual.

The part # is 62090AA060

Cost is $21.56 @ www.subarugenuineparts.com

Also, if you want to replace the lock pin, that part # is 60152GA090. Cost is $3.13

Part is the same for both left & right side.


Door card = door panel

Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 5:05 am
by islander
Legacy777 wrote:It's officially called Checker Assy in the factory parts manual.

The part # is 62090AA060

Cost is $21.56 @ www.subarugenuineparts.com

Also, if you want to replace the lock pin, that part # is 60152GA090. Cost is $3.13

Part is the same for both left & right side.


Door card = door panel
Yes, that's the name I found but part no was 62090-AA0070
Too bad I didn't check your post before because I ordered them at $31 each. :cry: Anyway he, local guy, has been of great help to me. He has stored a door that I bought from someone else for over a year, one time he reopened the store to sell me the water pump and another time he waited for me to get a part that fall and broke while changing the timing belt.

Thanks anyway because next time I need a quote for a part I will look there first.

Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 5:10 am
by Legacy777
Let us know when you get them in, and if it solves the door problem.

I'm thinking about ordering them for mine. I want doors that stay open :)

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2005 4:26 am
by islander
The Checker Assy were not available in the local warehouse and were ordered. I checked the rear doors and they have the same problem.

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2005 4:55 am
by evolutionmovement
I like being able to walk away from the car on a hill and having the door shut automatically. Only my driver's is that worn, though.

Steve

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2005 6:08 pm
by Legacy777
I ordered the assemblies, and will probably have them in a week or so. I'll update when I put them in.

Posted: Sun Aug 21, 2005 1:59 am
by islander
Legacy777 wrote:I ordered the assemblies, and will probably have them in a week or so. I'll update when I put them in.
Mine arrived yesterday but could go to get them today. I will have to wait until next Saturday to get them.

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 3:55 am
by Legacy777
I put in these guys tonight. It's pretty amazing to have doors that stay open :)

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 6:14 am
by islander
Legacy777 wrote:I put in these guys tonight. It's pretty amazing to have doors that stay open :)
I haven't install mine since there been too many things happening every weekend since I received them and it seems the same happened to you since it took you so long to do it too.

How difficult it was? What tools will I need?
Any hint is welcome.

BTW, the rear doors in my 94 need them too.

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 2:56 pm
by Legacy777
Yeah, I didn't put them in until I had the motor in.

As for tips, you'll need to remove the door panel. My method for removing the door panel is to remove the screws below the arm rest and at the top of the handle, as well as the three around the speaker grill. The trim piece around the handle has three clips. There are two clips at the pivot point of the lock button. Use a small flathead to un hook them. The top clip press the screwdriver up, the bottom clip, press the screw driver down (hopefully that makes sense). The front clip will unhook itself if you press the entire plastic trim piece forward.

I recommend putting the window down, as it makes removing the door panel easier. Once that is done, pull the door panel away from the clips. To remove the door panel, pull it back and up. You need to unhook it from underneath the black mirror piece. Before you undo the connector for the power windows, put the window back up.

Remove the door speaker.

Take a hammer to tap out the pin on the body side of the car. Use a 10mm wrench or socket to remove the two nuts. Once that is done, slide the old one out, and put the new one in.

There is a little dust foam thing. You need to swap that over to the new piece. On one side, it stayed in, on the other side, it came out. The checker assemblies do have a correct orientation for the particular side they are going on. FL will be facing up on the driver's side, and FR will be facing up on the passenger's side.

It's pretty straight forward, you should be ok.

Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2005 1:18 am
by islander
Legacy777 wrote:Yeah, I didn't put them in until I had the motor in.

As for tips, you'll need to remove the door panel. My method for removing the door panel is to remove the screws below the arm rest and at the top of the handle, as well as the three around the speaker grill. The trim piece around the handle has three clips. There are two clips at the pivot point of the lock button. Use a small flathead to un hook them. The top clip press the screwdriver up, the bottom clip, press the screw driver down (hopefully that makes sense). The front clip will unhook itself if you press the entire plastic trim piece forward.

I recommend putting the window down, as it makes removing the door panel easier. Once that is done, pull the door panel away from the clips. To remove the door panel, pull it back and up. You need to unhook it from underneath the black mirror piece. Before you undo the connector for the power windows, put the window back up.

Remove the door speaker.

Take a hammer to tap out the pin on the body side of the car. Use a 10mm wrench or socket to remove the two nuts. Once that is done, slide the old one out, and put the new one in.

There is a little dust foam thing. You need to swap that over to the new piece. On one side, it stayed in, on the other side, it came out. The checker assemblies do have a correct orientation for the particular side they are going on. FL will be facing up on the driver's side, and FR will be facing up on the passenger's side.

It's pretty straight forward, you should be ok.
Thanks. Like you said it seems pretty easy.

Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2006 11:26 pm
by islander
After 6 months of posting about it and 5 of buying the part I installed them. Now you have to pull hard the doors to close them and it was easy to do it. The only thing I would add to what Legacy777 posted is that you will have to raise the window to remove the old one and to install the new one.
Thanks to all!