[QUOTE=11hhrlt;734451]I have had my 2011 only a few weeks and I'm noticing things that need
"improvement". I've already dealt with the air filter. Today, the doors.

Driving down the highway a few days ago there was noticeable wind noise
coming through the driver's door seal. Pulling on the door while driving proved it.
So I decided to take a look at all the door catches. Here's what I found:

Adjusting the catches will produce doors that will be slightly out of plumb
(the seam where the rear door meets the front door, it will be slightly out of level).
That's the tradeoff.



* Be VERY careful. Adjusting the front doors in too much will cause rear doors to bind up on the front doors when the rear doors are opened. The tolerances are slim.
Experiment. The whole job, without the learning curve, takes about a half an hour.
You'll need a T40 bit.


Can't the body catch be also adjusted a little up or down as Well as In to keep it level?

SF

 

"Can't the body catch be also adjusted a little up or down as Well as In to keep it level?

SF"

You're right. But if you use the catch to "lift" the door, the catch and/or the latch will wear out quickly. And you'll put stress on the hinges. It's possible, too, that the hinges are worn. Lifting up the door (if its hanging) will tell you if that's the problem. I'm pretty sure there are kits you can buy that include replacement hinge pins and bushings.

 

"Adjusting the catches will produce doors that will be slightly out of plumb
(the seam where the rear door meets the front door, it will be slightly out of level).
That's the tradeoff."



In this case...
For me, Beauty over function!

Don't think I want my door "out of level", I will just turn the radio up.
Now if you can figure out the spots I need to add extra weather strips, to fill the needed gaps. I might be sold.

 

How about take some pics a write a how-to and post it to the How To Library?

 

"In this case...
For me, Beauty over function!

Don't think I want my door "out of level", I will just turn the radio up.
Now if you can figure out the spots I need to add extra weather strips, to fill the needed gaps. I might be sold."

To each his own. But the difference - the out of level - is not really noticeable, maybe 1/8 inch at most. It doesn't bother me. You bring up a good point about weather stripping. It's possible the rubber has compressed or wasn't thick enough to start with.

 

I might try to post some pictures. Never had a lot luck with that, though
(me and Microsoft, we don't get along). The adjustment really is a simple process. Just a T40 bit.

 

Door looking sloppy is unacceptable, in my opinion.

 

Most people that come to this site have no idea what a T40 is. It took me several readings of your thread starter to figure out what you were doing.

M$ has nothing to do with posting pictures. Easiest way may be to upload to your gallery here, then treat them as attachments in a post.

 

Mine did that too, it was the side skirt that needed the adjustment, you might look at that.

 

For me, that means...
1. Take pictures and hope they are in order and relevant.
2. Get all the necessary pictures onto computer and hope I didn't leave anything out.
3. Upload the pictures, putting them all in order and hope I didn't leave anything out and everything is relevant
4. Then, if I didn't leave anything out and everything is relevant , add all the necessary captions and hope everything makes sense.

No, I'll definitely screw that up.

Better for me to make vague, excited remarks about hhr "improvements".
Seriously though, in hindsight, I guess I took it for granted that the door adjustment thing would be naturally understood. I'll keep that in mind.

If anyone is interested there are tutorials on the net. Search "How to adjust car doors". By the way, proper terminology for a "catch" is "strike", which just goes to show how much I know.