Door handle acting funny

[Queensviper89]

How’s it going everyone, I was hoping one of you fine gents could point me in the right direction. So I have a 14 gts with 22k miles that I’ve owned for about 2 years now. It’s an awesome car and I love it. Unfortunately I noticed last week I had some trouble opening the driver side door. When I pull the handle down from the outside of the car doesn’t always open. It’s a rare occurrence but it’s been happening more. But if it doesn’t work it won’t open for a few try’s when I unlock it with my fob from the outside of the car. Then intermittently it starts to work again. I can open it no problem from the inside.

I live in queens ny and I go to chuck tator to get my viper serviced. He’s a great guy, he advised that he can’t fix it due to mopar “software” and said i possibly need a recall for the door handles to get done. He told me to see a dealer but I can’t find a viper tech anywhere. He told me to call the dealership in Carmel New York but the service is horrible. I keep getting bounced around and get put on hold.

Any help in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.

[GTS Dean]

Vipers are, at their core, Chrysler corporate products. That means they share a lot of switches, basic electrical control routines and computers, corporate parts bin pieces with slightly different "wrappers" around them. The engineers come up with new solutions and the bean counters try to spread the joy and cost over lots of different products in the line.

[Doug Levin Motorsports]

BTW, Great car and Chuck Tator is awesome.

When you apply the outside handle can you feel an odd clicking in the mechanism? Have you tried to find a spot in the handle where you lightly push or slowly release the door pops open?

If this relates to your problem(s) then it appears the switch became dislocated in the handle. If your answer is none of the above then it's related to software.

If the switch dislocated it can be repaired but NOT under warranty. I remove the handle and hard wire the switch in-place. It won't dislocate again. I'm sure Chuck could do it but not sure if there are any ramifications or a desire for him to do so.

Best of Luck!
Doug

[SLYBRI]

If I recall, the Gen V has an odd electro/mechanical latch whereby it’ll open mechanically if the electric assist fails. Are you able to consistently open from inside the car? If so, does it require more effort / angle of pull on the inside handle? Either could indicate the electric portion of the latch has failed. I believe it was required for the interior to have mechanical backup (verified by increased pull angle/effort) to allow occupants to open the door in case of electrical failure; I don’t believe the same applies for the outside handle. Maybe someone more in the know than I could chime in

[SRT_BluByU]

There is a door module and rain shield recall for the early gen v vipers. They install a shield over some component to keep from happening again. Sorry cant help with what local dealer to go to.. the tech is more important than the dealer itself. Great dealer with shitty tech is not a good idea.. great tech at shittY dealer can be manageable. Ideal is great tech and great though some might say thats a unicorn

[Queensviper89]

Thanks for the reply. So as you said I don’t hear an odd clicking in the mechanism. It either opens or it doesn’t. The first time I’ll unlock the key fob and open the drivers side door from the outside it won’t work at all. If I keep trying after awhile it will eventually work. It’s more intermittent that anything. Most of the time it doesn’t even happen. It will work regular, but now I’m noticing more and more when the car sits the door doesn’t want to open the first time

I don’t think it has to do with the recall because the recall stated doors were opening during travel which isn’t the case
So you think it could be the drivers side latch or door module?.

[Queensviper89]

I can open no problem from the inside of the car. It’s just the drivers side door where it intermittently happens. I’ll hit unlock on the fob and I won’t be able to open from the outside. It’s like something inside the door isn’t picking up. If I keep trying it will eventually work and then will be good and won’t happen again

It’s almost like it’s happening when the car sits off for some time

Thanks again for the input

[ViperGeorge]

Are you certain the key fob is in fact unlocking the door? A weak key fob battery could cause the car not to unlock. Have you verified that the passenger side works normally? There was a recal for the door switch on early Vipers although I think the problem was the door could pop open at low speed. The water infiltration problem referred to above usually caused window problems not door problems but I guess anything is possible. The fix was a TSB that replaced the wiring harness, door node, and placed a plastic shield over the node. TSBs are typically only honored during the factory warranty period. The door node problem was fixed in model year 2016.

[SRT_BluByU]

Thanks for the reply. So as you said I don’t hear an odd clicking in the mechanism. It either opens or it doesn’t. The first time I’ll unlock the key fob and open the drivers side door from the outside it won’t work at all. If I keep trying after awhile it will eventually work. It’s more intermittent that anything. Most of the time it doesn’t even happen. It will work regular, but now I’m noticing more and more when the car sits the door doesn’t want to open the first time

I don’t think it has to do with the recall because the recall stated doors were opening during travel which isn’t the case
So you think it could be the drivers side latch or door module?.

When i had a ‘14 i had this same problem and it was fixed under the recall. I think they replaced the door module and added the rain shield.

[Queensviper89]

I’m positive it’s not the fob, both my key fobs have brand new batteries. Also when I unlock the passenger side always opens no problem. It’s just the driver side. I think it possibly has something to do with water. It’s never out in the rain; but I do have it washed at least once a month

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Thank you, the hardest part is finding a viper tech! Dealerships are horrendous!

[Queensviper89]

Are you certain the key fob is in fact unlocking the door? A weak key fob battery could cause the car not to unlock. Have you verified that the passenger side works normally? There was a recal for the door switch on early Vipers although I think the problem was the door could pop open at low speed. The water infiltration problem referred to above usually caused window problems not door problems but I guess anything is possible. The fix was a TSB that replaced the wiring harness, door node, and placed a plastic shield over the node. TSBs are typically only honored during the factory warranty period. The door node problem was fixed in model year 2016.



I have an extended warranty that I purchased through mopar! So I might get lucky, only problem is finding a viper tech

[AZTVR]

He told me to see a dealer but I can’t find a viper tech anywhere.
Any help in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.

Did you try the recommendation in the last sentence of the first post here: https://driveviper.com/forums/threads/25690-A-Warning-About-Meadowlands?p=402734&viewfull=1#post402734

[sadil]

I have the exact same issue with the passenger side. It’s a toss up if it’s going to open or not. 33% it will. 66% it won’t. Locking and unlocking works sometimes. Some days passenger side door just doesn’t open from the outside.

With the left side window making weird noises and the right side sounding like it’s about to fall off, it’s been an amazing over the last month as the cold arrived in Michigan ������

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I have the exact same issue with the passenger side. It’s a toss up if it’s going to open or not. 33% it will. 66% it won’t. Locking and unlocking works sometimes. Some days passenger side door just doesn’t open from the outside.

With the left side window making weird noises and the right side sounding like it’s about to fall off, it’s been an amazing ownership experience over the last month as the cold arrived in Michigan

[Policy Limits]

On early models we were told not to get the area too wet, particularly during a wash. Perhaps something to consider once sorted.

[StrokerAce]

On early models we were told not to get the area too wet, particularly during a wash. Perhaps something to consider once sorted.

My window indexed and won't mkve and the mirror stopped working after a good wash the other day. Handle is working fine though.

[Queensviper89]

Did you try the recommendation in the last sentence of the first post here: https://driveviper.com/forums/threads/25690-A-Warning-About-Meadowlands?p=402734&viewfull=1#post402734


Thanks for the awesome info. I’ll definitely keep Bedford hills in mind which is actually less than an hour from me.

I found jessy who is a viper tech at suresky dodge a little farther north and made an appointment to drop off to him. I’m hoping he resolves this, in the case it doesn’t I could always try Scotty who per the post is at Bedford now

Thanks for the help guys, I’ll let you know if and when it gets resolved

[cubeman]

Sorry I wasn't in this thread earlier. I had the same issue it required a door module replacement not sure if it was something on the handle or in the door.

Bedford Hills - Scotty is great. I was just with him this morning as we had a Demon hood replacement in my shop. He serviced my old Gen V and now my ACRE

[Queensviper89]

Sorry I wasn't in this thread earlier. I had the same issue it required a door module replacement not sure if it was something on the handle or in the door.

Bedford Hills - Scotty is great. I was just with him this morning as we had a Demon hood replacement in my shop. He serviced my old Gen V and now my ACRE


Thanks for the info, I dropped off my viper this morning at the dealer in suresky. The mechanic is also a viper tech, name is jessy.

From what the service guy told me they also think it’s a door micro switch which I think translates as a module. Either way we will find out. I’ll definitely keep an open mind to Scotty as well, he’s actually closer to me

[Queensviper89]

So it has been determined that I need a new door handle switch, in addition the window was making some noise while going up and Jesse the viper tech determined it needs a New window regulator. In addition there was a small leak on an oil line which is being replaced as well

Since I have an extended mopar warranty they confirmed all the work is covered under that and I’m only responsible for the $100 deduct

I’ll let you guys know how the repair goes and my experience with this viper tech. So far they seem to be doing the right thing