The Aspens doors are like garage doors, so you would thing that the handle you pull on to close it would be solid as a rock. Mine seems to flex the door panel out between 1/4 - 1/2" when I pull the door closed.

Is this typical or do you think I have a missing (or worn) nylon pin. You know, those ribbed white pins that wear out when you take the door panel off 1 too many times. I've only had the car a few weeks and haven't had the door panel off, so I'm not sure what's behind it.
Thanks!

 

There may be screw missing. Most door panels have a screw in the pull area that goes right into sheet metal. Maybe the previous owner liked to slam the door? Your panel doesn't use pins. It's like the Ram truck door panels. They use molded hooks on the panel that slide into slits in the door frame. So...if you take it off to look don't yank it. Take out scres and lift upwards.

 

Thanks for the tip. Sounds pretty easy to take off. I'll see if I can pop it off and take a look at what's doing there. Maybe one of the slits is out or bent.

Thanks again!

 

My 08 Limited does the same thing - although I don't think it's quite that much - but it does indeed flex as you observe.

 

Thanks for thr reply... still trying to figure out if this is normal or if mine has issues. I took another look at it and I'd say the flex in the handle is more like 1/4", not 1/2".

 

It's normal. I had a 2004 Durango that did it, and my 2008 Aspen does it as well. For some reason, Chrysler wasn't compelled to make the connection between the interior door panel and the door itself more solid.

 

It's normal. These door panels are a piece of cake to remove. I can do it in under 1 min. Also, there's 0 factory sound deadening in the door.

 

Interesting, interior is still pretty quiet with the windows up.

 

I should have clarified: I know there's no dampening in the rear door panels. Maybe there is in the front? I had a rear panel off to look at the Alpine mid. It's actully pretty nice and beefy for an OE driver.

 

I haven't been inside either the front or rear door, but just closing the rear you can tell it has no sound deadening as it is really tinny.