# Doors do not want to stay open..



## Jaycruze (Jul 11, 2011)

Yes this happens to me if i dont "hold" the door for a sec once its in one the stopper grooves. The doors are very heavy and if you fling it open then let go the force just makes it fall back towards you. If its not sitting in the groove when you let go the momentum just brings the door back towards you.

I just got used to it, Fling the door open but leave my hand out for a second while the door catches the groove and rests. The doors also have a very stiff feeling to me as well, My wife has a hard time with these doors sometimes lol.


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

Yeah im always rushing so i never stop and wait for the door to settle. I have never had to do this in any cars i've owned, so i can't get used to it cause i've made it such a habit.. I don't fling it, i just open it and it falls back -_-..


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## GoldenCruze (Dec 18, 2011)

Not really a problem for me, but there are times when I need the door to stay open so that I can get in and out. I never "fling" or throw car doors open because it can be rough on the hinges over time. I just simply open the door and makes sure the first or second catch engages. Takes no time at all, really.


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## CHUV (Jun 25, 2011)

I have the same issue!! I HATE IT!! I've been looking to replace the door stay mechanism with either a hydraulic or with one that has infinite stay points. (high end vehicles like porsches have this. It's friggn incredible and super convenient).


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

YES! Even my moms lil Toyota Yaris has better doors than this thing.. I'm about to put lambo doors, (not serious)


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## Jaycruze (Jul 11, 2011)

Sorry I probably shouldnt have used the word "fling" I promise I am very gentle with this car.... darn thing is so finicky I have to be! lol

But ya i guess the easiest way to explain it is the grooves that the door hinge rests in arent deep enough to support the weight of the heavy door? its like you're always opening the door while youre on a hill haha.


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## Mick (Dec 31, 2011)

I second this. I swear car wants to decapitate me. 
Where's the guy that was going to design us some hydraulic mechanisms?


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## gman19 (Apr 5, 2011)

Is this strictly a 2011 thing? I don't have this issue on my 2012...


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## CHUV (Jun 25, 2011)

I seem to remember the 2012 being the same when I had one as a loaner. 

Trust me. I'm so annoyed by this I went and looked for hydraulic mods to replace the stays. I don't even know where to start anymore. 

Search for my "hydraulic door stays" thread. Or something along those lines.

Do we have any engineers around that would be willing to install?


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

gman19 said:


> Is this strictly a 2011 thing? I don't have this issue on my 2012...


I guess it is, whenever i go to service i am going to try a 2012 and see if the same thing happens 



CHUV said:


> I seem to remember the 2012 being the same when I had one as a loaner.
> 
> Trust me. I'm so annoyed by this I went and looked for hydraulic mods to replace the stays. I don't even know where to start anymore.
> 
> ...


With the right amount of money i am sure someone will, but i'd rather something cheaper


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Since I park on a moderately steep hill all my cars have done this. As a result I learned years ago to hold the door momentarily before getting out. I also have to be very careful to ensure I leave enough space when I back in to allow the door to fully open or I'll hit my wife's car with the door. As a result I didn't even notice the Cruze door tendency to "bounce back" when opened too fast so I checked. I can't get my Cruze's driver door to bounce back on me unless I really fling it open. I figure if I do that the car has every right to bite back for being mistreated.


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

obermd said:


> Since I park on a moderately steep hill all my cars have done this. As a result I learned years ago to hold the door momentarily before getting out. I also have to be very careful to ensure I leave enough space when I back in to allow the door to fully open or I'll hit my wife's car with the door. As a result I didn't even notice the Cruze door tendency to "bounce back" when opened too fast so I checked. I can't get my Cruze's driver door to bounce back on me unless I really fling it open. I figure if I do that the car has every right to bite back for being mistreated.


But what i've noticed, is that it has two "steps" The first one there is no way i can get out and i am not a wide guy (lol). And the second is usually too far for me to hold it, and i do have long arms and its pretty painful on my lower back -_-.

I can live with out, until it gets me one day in a VERY bad mood, where i will yank the door off and drive with drapes as doors.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

iKermit said:


> But what i've noticed, is that it has two "steps" The first one there is no way i can get out and i am not a wide guy (lol). And the second is usually too far for me to hold it, and i do have long arms and its pretty painful on my lower back -_-.


Every GM I've owned has had two stops. The first one appears to be for nothing more than opening the door for air flow while waiting for your wife/girlfriend to shop.:eusa_clap:


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## GoldenCruze (Dec 18, 2011)

I have no problem with the "two step" thing and I'm six foot tall. I let it catch in the first step and then get in or out. That's usually all the space there is between cars in a parking lot anyway. There's no fighting this design, so it's best to resign ourselves to working with it. Train yourself to open the door a little more carefully and it'll quickly become second nature and a non-issue. That's what I did.


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

GoldenCruze said:


> I have no problem with the "two step" thing and I'm six foot tall. I let it catch in the first step and then get in or out. That's usually all the space there is between cars in a parking lot anyway. There's no fighting this design, so it's best to resign ourselves to working with it. Train yourself to open the door a little more carefully and it'll quickly become second nature and a non-issue. That's what I did.


My problem is, that even carefully opening it, it falls right back. As if the step doesn't even hold it.


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## tjh68 (Apr 24, 2012)

yes! my driver side door almost always comes back at me when I open the door; the passengers don't have this problem.


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

Awesome there is a lot of other owners with this problem, i no longer feel retarded.


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

I would suggest if you are having this issue that you take your Cruze into your dealer and have them look into this for you. They should be able to take care of this for you. If anyone has any questions please feel free to contact me.
Thank you,
Stacy Chevrolet Customer Service


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

Will be on my next oil change, thanks Stacy.


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## ahmed89x (Mar 9, 2011)

my mom keeps saying when she tries to exit the car, "WHY THE HECK THIS DOOR HATES ME!" 

i just got used to this door although i agree it's annoying


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## Camcruse (Oct 4, 2011)

Freakin door tried to take my foot off today when "it" decided to close on its own.


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## CHUV (Jun 25, 2011)

Looking at the mechanism its actually a very simple design. It uses a ball bearing that slips into a U groove at the specific stop points. The rail it runs along is angled to allow the door to close on its own without much force. Almost like when you tilt a fridge back so the door closes itself. 

The cheapest way to solve our problem would theoretically be to remove the angled rail and have it reshaped or recut to our liking. I'd have it at no angle, with 5-6 deeper grooves for the ball bearing to stop in. Dammit if I was still in school I could have done this with one of the CNC mills....


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## Mick (Dec 31, 2011)

Or we can go back to design number 1. No grooves and hydraulic/gas strut. 

Wish I had smarts. :\


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## CHUV (Jun 25, 2011)

Yeah it's just a matter of fitting a bracket to an infinite hold point hydraulic strut that's the right size.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

I to have noticed the heavy doors on the cruze(I park on a hill daily), but think this really is a non-issue. Every cars doors open & close differently & take some getting used to. I always keep one hand on the door so it A. doesn't fall into my leg in a wind gust & B. doesn't fling out into street traffic or another parked car. 

The inward tenancy of the doors is so nice when parking on a steep downhill usually you open the door & it almost gets away from you, not in the cruze. This is especially nice when someone not familiar with the cruze rides to the store in my car, I have no worrys they are going to bang the door into the car next to me when getting out.


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

Funny story:

My friend got out of my car and the door kept closing on him, he commented:

"I look like humpty dumpty getting out of this thing." Makes me only want to fix my side and enjoy the passengers having trouble to get out.



CHUV said:


> Looking at the mechanism its actually a very simple design. It uses a ball bearing that slips into a U groove at the specific stop points. The rail it runs along is angled to allow the door to close on its own without much force. Almost like when you tilt a fridge back so the door closes itself.
> 
> The cheapest way to solve our problem would theoretically be to remove the angled rail and have it reshaped or recut to our liking. I'd have it at no angle, with 5-6 deeper grooves for the ball bearing to stop in. Dammit if I was still in school I could have done this with one of the CNC mills....


Yeah same, or my last job where we had like 4 CNC machines. And i doubt anyone i know here will know what i am talking about, and i am more afraid of them just messing them up..


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

I checked both my front doors this morning. They both have three "hold" points when open. The drivers door's hold points aren't as "deep" however, which translates into easier motion in and out of these points. I noticed the bar with the hold points is hard plastic, so I'm wondering if the real issue isn't with this bar prematurely wearing out.


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## CHUV (Jun 25, 2011)

THAT BAR IS PLASTIC?!?!? Ugh! 

Though that might make it easier to modify.


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## mrsamiam (Jun 3, 2012)

My 2012 Cruze does this also. My driveway is level and I can't tell you howe many times it has closed on my leg or hit me when I lean in to get something.


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## Gus_Mahn (Aug 16, 2011)

My '12 does this. The door stops are almost useless. This and the backwards convention of the heater controls and remote fob annoy me quite a bit.


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## GoldenCruze (Dec 18, 2011)

​I have no problem with the door stops and I'm often parked on an incline.


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## Camcruse (Oct 4, 2011)

Gus_Mahn said:


> My '12 does this. The door stops are almost useless. This and the* backwards convention of the heater controls and remote fob annoy me quite a bit*.


Great!!! I just realized that also...AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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