Trouble Shutting the Doors

[htc]

I've always had issues with shutting the doors on my Festiva, driver's and passenger's side. I don't think it's an issue with the locking mechanism, but air pressure. If the windows are up, and you try to shut a door like a "normal person" you'll have to give the door a second jerk or open and slam it to get a good latch. If you roll the window down an inch or so, you can be a normal person again. Anybody else have this problem?

I never really cared before, but when I load the baby in her car seat from the passenger's side the last thing I want to do is slam the door (or hip check a dent into it).

[KingFish]

Try keeping the vents on recycle. The vent door is cable operated, so it will stay open even with the engine off and will provide a way for the air pressure to equalize.

[Safety Guy]

Or keep your windows down about a quarter inch, which should not be enough to let in rain and snow in most circumstances.

It's also possible your window frames are bent inwards too much. If so, you should be able to bend them outwards a bit if you do it carefully with the glass rolled down.

Karl

[crazyrog17]

There are vents on each C-pilar, next to the back window when the hatch is shut. Those 'should' let air escape when you close the doors, I don't know how they could clog or lose function.

[Oren09]

Same thing for mine. More of an issue with the passenger side door. My window frames are bent about right. Although from the wind noise, I suspect one or both could use a little more bending inwards.

[drddan]

I keep my window down ever so slightly so it will shut. I have an automatic reflex to push on the window crank to open the window when I get in the car so the door will shut! lol

[GenevaDirt]

holding onto the door all the way till closed works for me, applying pressure through the whole closing motion.

Kind of a weird problem for a car that has so many air leaks and noises as it goes down the road....eh

[Oren09]

Yeah. But there's a proportional lack of mass to the door

[Prafeston]

I have this issue just with my passenger door...I do have my drivers side vent escape in the back window area plugged...wonder if this is somehow only effecting the passenger door..