Hello.First post.My wife and I are the proud owners of a new 2009 H3 and new 2009 H3T Adv.My wife drives the manlier H3T with the black wheels. I was wondering if anyone one on here knows how to adjust the rear door on the H3. I know it is new,and still under the adjustment period.I am very picky about the paint and the possible damage that could be caused by the dealer adjusting it.I worked at an import dealership for over 10 years,in sales and later as an advisor.I know what can happen.It looks very simple.Two bolts in both the upper and lower hinge bolted to the door frame.The top of the door is angled too far in toward the roof,and the lower part of the door (just above the crease and bulged out area,and to the bottom)sticks out too far.Just clearing the front door when the back door is opened with the front door closed.There is enough clearance.It is just noticeable that it sticks out too far.It creates a huge ripple effect on the side of the vehicle when walking towards it from an forward/rearward angle.It gives off a dented appearance at that angle/distance.It freaked me out the first time I walked toward it from an angle.I thought someone backed into it.When the front door is opened there are circular indents in the sheet metal running down the door frame.The hinges are so far from the indents on the passenger side and noticeably closer on the driver's side.The driver's side is the door that sticks out.My main question is about whether the inner door panel has to be removed,in order to properly retighten the hinge bolts? It appears that if the bolts are loosened enough,the door could be pulled out a little at the top and the bottom pushed in to align it better.Again,my main concern is after I loosen the bolts,are they going to tighten properly without removing the door panel,and having someone else hold the nut to tighten the bolts properly.Am I incorrect to think that the bolt holes are kind of slotted to allow adjustment? Sorry to ramble on.Please let me know if anyone has any input. Thanks for your time.

 

i understand your concern, you have more interest in getting it right
because its yours and you live with it.

a heavy handed mech. just wants it out the door,AND will think you are butting in. ive been there,looking ahead to what can go wrong.
id be patient and try to get help,do it yourself if possible.its not hard to know more than the "experts"

if you discuss it first with the dealer,they MAY have concern as you do.
good luck.

tom

 

Thanks for your reply drtom! I am still unsure as to whether the inner door panel needs to be removed in order to retighten the hinge bolts after they are loosened to adjust the door. I have called my dealer,and was told it may or may not need to be removed,and also that it might not be able to be adjusted enough,to align it.I really do not want to drive 1.5 hours for them to look at it,before they schedule it. I also called about 4 other dealers and was mostly told that it was a body shop repair,and that no H3 doors have ever needed adjustment. That may be true after it had a proper PDI. I worked at an Audi,VW,Volvo,Mitsubishi dealer for 10 years and I know of different doors that needed aligned during PDI.Thanks again for your response.

 

To clarify: It is the left rear (side)door,not the rear/hatch door.