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 are:

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

Reply to
Mark
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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.

Reply to
Alec

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.

-T> My car is a 2001 Passat Sedan B5

Reply to
tonyw

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.

t> Hi,

Reply to
Mark

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:

Reply to
tonyw

Reply to
none2u

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