Passenger Exterior Door Handle Not Working

  • Thread starter Thread starter Knewfie
  • Start date Start date
  • Replies Replies 7
  • Views Views 2K
Knewfie

Knewfie

New Member
Hi There!

We have a 2021 Kona Electric Ultimate. Has anybody had an issues with the door handles? The passenger exterior door handle seems to have stopped working. It worked fine this morning, but this afternoon we have been unable to open the door using the exterior handle. Interior handle works fine. The manual says locking mechanisms may not work properly in cold and freezing conditions. We live in northern Newfoundland and it's been pretty cold and snowy the last day or so, but this seems a little unexpected. I've been looking online and I can't seem to find anyone else with a similar issue. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance.
 
Update: Tried again this morning as I was out cleaning the snow off the car. Still no luck. My wife then drove to work (30km)...tried it once she got there and it worked fine. Hmmm..loose connection somewhere or ice?
 
Best I can think of, is to try locking and unlocking the door a few times.

Some car door locks work by modifying the linkages so the levers of the door handles don't engage the lever/cam that actually releases the latch (which is why you can pull on the handles and feel nothing when locked). It's entirely possible that the mechanism is sticking due to the cold, and the linkages aren't falling back into place like they're supposed to. Cycling the latch mechanism a few times may jostle it loose again.

If that is in fact the problem, then re-lubricating the latch mechanism would be the permanent fix.
 
Just to chime in since you asked: I'm in Eastern Ontario, plenty cold and icy. I've never had the problem and I have never seen it come up on any other online forum. Looks like you're an outlier. :(
 
I actually had a similar issue on my previous car; on cold days the driver side door would sometimes not unlock using the keyfob. Pressing the unlock button a few times to work the solenoid usually fixed it, which is why I suggest the same here.

Being an old car and a somewhat rare problem I never fully investigated it, much less tried to fix it. I'm only guessing what the actual problem might be.
 
Knewfie said:
Hi There!

We have a 2021 Kona Electric Ultimate. Has anybody had an issues with the door handles? The passenger exterior door handle seems to have stopped working. It worked fine this morning, but this afternoon we have been unable to open the door using the exterior handle. Interior handle works fine. The manual says locking mechanisms may not work properly in cold and freezing conditions. We live in northern Newfoundland and it's been pretty cold and snowy the last day or so, but this seems a little unexpected. I've been looking online and I can't seem to find anyone else with a similar issue. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Are you using the 2 press unlock function(can be changed in the cluster menu), also can you hear the actuator disengage?
 
I tried all the ways I could to unlock it, FOB, button on outside door handle, button on inside door handle passenger's side, driver's side, every way I think. Yes I could hear the actuator working. I didn't check it when my wife got home but will in the morning to see if it still works. In all honesty I've never had a door latching mechanism freeze on a car. Door freeze to the door seal almost weekly on our other vehicles. It's what I thought had happened first. But never had a mechanism freeze. Whatever it is I hope it's a one off cause the nearest dealer is 475km away with the first level II about 300km.
 
Last edited:
Also the handle felt like it does when the door is locked. Didn't have that extra tension u feel when it's opening the door. Thanks guys for the responses!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top