Door mis-alignment B5 Passat - Window by B-Pillar

My car is a 2001 Passat Sedan B5

I have recently noticed a slight misalignment ( mis-alignment) of the
door. The spot is at the top of the window at the rear of the driver's
door right adjacent to the B-pillar. The door does not quite go all the
way in (as observed by the weather stripping sections not being flush
to each other)

I know that this was not there a few years ago when I purchased the
car. I know this because I rejected a similar car on which I noticed
the problem.

** My questions a

Can I fix this by loosening the bolts that hold the hinges on and
turning the door slightly?

Has anyone else had this problem... and fixed it?

Other suggestions?

I think I would have to take the front fender off in order to gain
access to the hinge bolts. I do not wish to start this process without
some confirmation that this would work.

I think that a little bit of wear over time in the hinge region is
probably the cause of this issue.

btw, I did try adjusting the door catch in and that only will make the
door a little to tight to close and does not exactly solve the
alignment issue.

Thanks in advance

> ** My questions a
>
> Can I fix this by loosening the bolts that hold the hinges on and
> turning the door slightly?
>
> Has anyone else had this problem... and fixed it?
>
Does the door move on the hinge pins ?
If not then I suggest, as it is only a mm or so, that you bend the top of
the door frame in a little. Just by hand.
Drop the glass down before you do.

Hi,
Did you by any chance have your car towed? I watched one time as a
tow truck driver was readying a car for towing. To get into the vehicle
to release the hand brake, he used a wedge to wedge open the car door
enough to get a wire down to pop the lock. He used enough force I think
to bend the door in the process. What I'm getting at is if there's any
change your door has been wedged open, then the suggestion to bend it
back (with glass down) might work. You might also want to check out a
body shop and get an opinion.

-Tony

Mark wrote:
> My car is a 2001 Passat Sedan B5
>
> I have recently noticed a slight misalignment ( mis-alignment) of the
> door. The spot is at the top of the window at the rear of the driver's
> door right adjacent to the B-pillar. The door does not quite go all the
> way in (as observed by the weather stripping sections not being flush
> to each other)

No towing job. I am quite confident that this is a gradual occurrance
with time. It is a subtle thing - probably just 2mm.

I really do not think that the door can be bent by hand. This a pretty
good steel door. I believe that the hinges have worn slightly. I do
not know if it is possible for steel to creep over a period of 5 years
but that is another thing that could explain the position of the door.



tonyw wrote:
> Hi,
> Did you by any chance have your car towed? I watched one time as a
> tow truck driver was readying a car for towing. To get into the vehicle
> to release the hand brake, he used a wedge to wedge open the car door
> enough to get a wire down to pop the lock. He used enough force I think
> to bend the door in the process. What I'm getting at is if there's any
> change your door has been wedged open, then the suggestion to bend it
> back (with glass down) might work. You might also want to check out a
> body shop and get an opinion.
>
> -Tony
>
> Mark wrote:
> > My car is a 2001 Passat Sedan B5
> >
> > I have recently noticed a slight misalignment ( mis-alignment) of the
> > door. The spot is at the top of the window at the rear of the driver's
> > door right adjacent to the B-pillar. The door does not quite go all the
> > way in (as observed by the weather stripping sections not being flush
> > to each other)

Hi,
I tend to keep my cars for a long time (original owner of an '85 and
a '90 Golf). I've never observed the hinges to creep as the creep would
be evident is a displacement of the hinge in the original paint job. As
for the door shape changing, I haven't noticed. I find the part that
wears out is the covering on the pin on the striker plate or that the
striker plate moves on the pillar from repeated closings.

Sounds like it's an aesthetic issue and it would be nice to have the
lines of the door and frame align. But if water leakage isn't an issue,
is it an option to leave it?And other than a discerning eye, would
anyone else notice a 2 mm displacement. I'm being the practical devil's
advocate here as a downside could be ending up scratching the paint or
causing a mis-alignment elsewhere.

-T

Mark wrote:
> No towing job. I am quite confident that this is a gradual occurrance
> with time. It is a subtle thing - probably just 2mm.
>
> I really do not think that the door can be bent by hand. This a pretty
> good steel door. I believe that the hinges have worn slightly. I do
> not know if it is possible for steel to creep over a period of 5 years
> but that is another thing that could explain the position of the door.

The door can be bent by hand. The window frame can certainlty be bent by
hand. The hinges may be worn too. If the door is perfectly aligned at all
points and the door gap all the way around is the same , and the body lines
are aligned, the window frame is bent. Id bend it in by hand with the window
down. If there's scratches at the top of the door or on the body, or the
seal is torn, somebody bent the frame trying to get in with a coathanger,
slimjim, or wedge. If something's not lined up, the hinges are worn. Also
misadjusted windows , can put tension on the frame over time and help create
this problem. The hinges can be adjusted also .Open the door and grab it at
the bottom and see if it will rock up and down. Barely open the door and see
if it will move side to side at the hinges. If there's play , Id loosen the
top hinge , barely , so it wont move easy. close the door, push it in until
the gap is gone. Open the door without moving the hinge, retighten it. Or
you could get a 1/16 inch piece of weatherstrippingand put it on the body
where your gap is. If you don't want to mess with it. The body shop will do
this work too if you wish.
"tonyw" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Hi,
> I tend to keep my cars for a long time (original owner of an '85 and
> a '90 Golf). I've never observed the hinges to creep as the creep would
> be evident is a displacement of the hinge in the original paint job. As
> for the door shape changing, I haven't noticed. I find the part that
> wears out is the covering on the pin on the striker plate or that the
> striker plate moves on the pillar from repeated closings.
>
> Sounds like it's an aesthetic issue and it would be nice to have the
> lines of the door and frame align. But if water leakage isn't an issue,
> is it an option to leave it?And other than a discerning eye, would
> anyone else notice a 2 mm displacement. I'm being the practical devil's
> advocate here as a downside could be ending up scratching the paint or
> causing a mis-alignment elsewhere.
>
> -T
>
> Mark wrote:
>> No towing job. I am quite confident that this is a gradual occurrance
>> with time. It is a subtle thing - probably just 2mm.
>>
>> I really do not think that the door can be bent by hand. This a pretty
>> good steel door. I believe that the hinges have worn slightly. I do
>> not know if it is possible for steel to creep over a period of 5 years
>> but that is another thing that could explain the position of the door.
>