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twopoint6khz



Member Since: 18 Aug 2011
Location: North Lakes
Posts: 652

United Kingdom 2005 Defender 110 Td5 CSW Java Black
Door closure ball-ache
Now that's it's cold the doors have stopped closing properly on my 110 Rolling Eyes

They tend to catch, but not shut properly, requiring a firm push to actually latch closed. Slamming them doesn't work, as they just bounce off.

I've adjusted the door strikers til I'm blue in the face but this seems to have made little difference. From what I can see, the thing that may be stopping them is the vertical door seal. Where it runs over the shoulder-line of the vehicle (i.e. just above the level of the door handle) there is a 'stiff' portion where it feels like the normally hollow foam has something in it. This is the same on all 4 doors. Do other people's Defenders have this too? Vehicle is a 2005 110 CSW.

I guess in the cold this solid portion of foam goes extra hard meaning the doors just bounce off it.

Short of taking a Dremel to the seals to try and smooth this out, any suggestions from previous experience? Bow down
Post #100281 16th Nov 2011 11:09am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 16892

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
On my DC, I found that water was getting into the hollow section of the seal. When I closed the door (the second row doors were more prone to this than the front) a squirt of water would shoot out of the drain holes in the seal and onto my trousers! I imagine that if there is water in the seal and the water is freezing, the doors won't close at all well.

There are drain holes in the door seals to let the water out, but on mine they were not in the right positions. Careful work with a sharp knife sorted this out for me.

Might be worth checking.
Post #100289 16th Nov 2011 12:05pm
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twopoint6khz



Member Since: 18 Aug 2011
Location: North Lakes
Posts: 652

United Kingdom 2005 Defender 110 Td5 CSW Java Black
Thanks, yes one of the rear doors does this and most amusing it is too! However I'm sure it's not trapped water, as there are holes around the offending area, and anyway it's not actually freezing yet, only hovering around 3-6 degrees. The offending area is 'squidgy' but not hollow as the rest of the seal seems to be.

Last edited by twopoint6khz on 16th Nov 2011 1:22pm. Edited 1 time in total
Post #100300 16th Nov 2011 1:09pm
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Denis O



Member Since: 04 Oct 2011
Location: Maidstone
Posts: 30

2002 Defender 90 Td5 SW Zambezi Silver
My 90 passenger door was struggling to close and whilst in my indy he adjusted the latch and removed a couple of shims and now it closes perfectly. Another option he mentioned, if adjustment didn't work, was to open a window to reduce pressure inside as the door closes.

No wonder I saw so many cars with dents around the door handles when they can be so hard to shut properly.
Post #100306 16th Nov 2011 1:22pm
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VOD80



Member Since: 10 Nov 2011
Location: Toulouse
Posts: 17

France 2003 Defender 110 Td5 CSW Zambezi Silver
I'm a noob here but I've had my Td5 Defender for quite a while. I've got the same problem - shut the door and it won't close, slamming definitely no good, much to the dismay of my wife!

It seems that the problem is the latch inside the lock sticking, in my case because of the grease used by the garage. Getting in there with a good blast of WD40 should clean things out.
Post #100309 16th Nov 2011 1:54pm
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chiefstoker



Member Since: 11 Oct 2010
Location: Weston-super-Mud
Posts: 893

England 2005 Defender 90 Td5 HT Zambezi Silver
I had this problem in the sub zero temperatures last winter, something to look forward to again I guess. I thought it was the latch mechanism not the rubber though.
I found that shutting the door, then sturdily pushing the door closed worked well - but not easy from the inside Mad 2005 TD5 90 Hard Top

Beer 'n Sex 'n Chips 'n Gravy

Post #100571 17th Nov 2011 7:22pm
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twopoint6khz



Member Since: 18 Aug 2011
Location: North Lakes
Posts: 652

United Kingdom 2005 Defender 110 Td5 CSW Java Black
Having searched other forums it seems I'm not alone, and others seem to think the latch mechanism is at fault. Apparently a strip of the (crap) grease and a good WD40 can help things, so I'll be doing that.

To add insult to injury, one of the rear door lock buttons has snapped off so I can't open the o/s rear door Big Cry
Post #100590 17th Nov 2011 8:25pm
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richuk



Member Since: 13 Nov 2011
Location: Dorset
Posts: 201

United Kingdom 
This used to drive me up the wall with my DC Tombraider Mad . Have now sold that Big Cry and have a 10 plate tdci CSW, so really hoping it doesn't suffer the same problem. If it does it will be off to the stealer Evil or Very Mad Rich

semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat
Post #100614 17th Nov 2011 9:29pm
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VOD80



Member Since: 10 Nov 2011
Location: Toulouse
Posts: 17

France 2003 Defender 110 Td5 CSW Zambezi Silver
Very Happy

It was the stealer that messed it up for me!

Horrible white grease all over the place. WD40 is a temporary repair. I'm just plucking up courage to strip the doors down to get at the lock and strip the grease off and replace it with something better!

Cheers
Post #100618 17th Nov 2011 9:47pm
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Szpet



Member Since: 26 Oct 2011
Location: Västra Götaland
Posts: 4

Sweden 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SW Chawton White
WD40 fixed it for me.
Post #100709 18th Nov 2011 1:29pm
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Peter



Member Since: 04 Mar 2012
Location: Kent
Posts: 153

United Kingdom 2005 Defender 90 Td5 SW Epsom Green
shutting the door
This saves me starting a new topic.
Need to tell mechanic next week not to use lithium grease in the lock mechanism. We managed to shut the door be lifting up as its pulled shut, as gives the same symptons as a hinge dropped door, although they have not. Also spraying with wd40 before leaving vehicle over night in freezing temp helps.
Post #192909 12th Dec 2012 10:08am
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geobloke



Member Since: 06 Nov 2012
Location: Nottinghamshire
Posts: 4410

United Kingdom 
Gentlemen, this is a real pain in the rear and has been driving my passengers and myself (well only when I have passengers funnily enough when it is just me in the 110 it is not a problem... Wink) to despair over the last few winters. Have a look at this article I wrote, it may help you out - http://forum.landrovernet.com/content.php/...How-to-Fix

Good luck and gods speed Thumbs Up
Post #192912 12th Dec 2012 10:26am
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Gareth



Member Since: 12 Dec 2011
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 1038

England 2003 Defender 90 Td5 CSW Oslo Blue
Well, I was on the Land Rover factory tour last week, and we were ushered around in their stretched Defender (150?) and it too was having door trouble, the guide did say it was the same whenever it got cold.

My TD5 has been ok since I fitted a new door seal. 2021 Defender 110 X-Dynamic HSE D300 MHEV
1966 S2a 109 aka Betsy
1968 S2a 88 aka Bob
2014 Jaaaag F Type 3.0 Supercharged.
Post #192913 12th Dec 2012 10:28am
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VOD80



Member Since: 10 Nov 2011
Location: Toulouse
Posts: 17

France 2003 Defender 110 Td5 CSW Zambezi Silver
Hi geobloke,

Excellent article there, thanks and I'll give it a try over the Christmas break as the WD40 solution is getting a bit hit and miss now!

Thanks!
Post #193254 13th Dec 2012 8:41pm
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GREENI



Member Since: 22 Aug 2010
Location: staffs
Posts: 10363

United Kingdom 
I have a tip....

The other day, I took my door panel (card) off and took the rubber boot off the top of the lock solenoid and liberally sprayed wd40 into the solenoid.
My locks were going up and down very slowly, in the cold they were moving, but not enough to lock/unlock. Now when I press the key fob, it is really zips up and down really quick.
Post #196810 27th Dec 2012 8:44pm
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