How Much Does A Car Door Weigh Complete Guide For Every Vehicle

Trying to ship a replacement part or just curious about your vehicle’s construction? You’re likely wondering how much a car door weighs, and the answer is more complex than you might think. Getting this wrong can lead to surprise shipping fees or, worse, an injury during a DIY repair.

An average car door weighs between 50 and 120 pounds (23 to 54 kilograms). This weight varies significantly based on the vehicle’s type, its materials, and whether it is a “loaded” automotive door assembly with all its components or just a “stripped” door shell.

Based on an analysis of current OEM parts data and hands-on repair experience, this guide breaks down every factor. You’ll discover the precise weight of individual components, see how different vehicle types compare, and learn the critical safety steps for handling one yourself.

Key Facts

• Average Weight Range: An average car door’s weight falls between 50 and 120 pounds, demonstrating a wide variance depending on the specific vehicle model and its features.
• Vehicle Class is Crucial: A door from a full-size truck like a Ford F-250 can weigh over 90 pounds, often double the weight of a 50-pound door from a compact sedan.
• Safety Features Add Mass: A significant portion of a modern door’s weight comes from safety components, with the internal steel side-impact beam alone weighing between 10 and 25 pounds.
• Shipping Weight vs. Actual Weight: For freight calculations, you must add 15-25 pounds to the door’s actual weight to account for protective packaging like boxes and pallets.
• Garage Door Disambiguation: It is critical to distinguish a car door from a garage door, which is substantially heavier, typically weighing between 100 and 400 pounds.

How Much Does A Car Door Weigh on Average?

An average car door weighs between 50 and 120 pounds (23 to 54 kg). This standard car door weight serves as a general guideline, but the precise measurement depends heavily on whether you are weighing a “loaded” door or a “stripped” door shell. A fully loaded door includes all its components, while a stripped shell is just the metal frame.

A stripped door shell, which is just the metal structure, is significantly lighter and often weighs only 35 to 60 pounds. The additional weight comes from glass, window regulators, speakers, and safety features. As we will explore, factors like car body types and the specific automotive materials used cause this wide weight range.

Crucial Clarification: A car door should never be confused with a garage door. A standard residential garage door is a much larger and heavier assembly, typically weighing between 100 and 400 pounds.

What Are The 7 Key Factors That Affect a Car Door’s Weight?

The primary factors affecting a car door’s weight are its material, size, window glass, safety features, electronics, soundproofing, and interior trim. Understanding these seven elements explains why the weight of a door assembly can vary by over 100 pounds from one vehicle to another. From our hands-on experience, the biggest contributors are almost always the material and the built-in safety reinforcements.

1. How Does Material (Steel vs. Aluminum vs. Carbon Fiber) Impact Weight?

Material composition is the single most significant factor in a door’s weight. The choice involves a trade-off between cost, strength, and mass.

• Steel: This is the most common and cost-effective material. A standard steel car door on a sedan weighs between 70 and 90 pounds. It offers excellent durability and protection but is the heaviest option.
• Aluminum: Used in many modern and luxury vehicles to improve fuel economy, an aluminum car door is typically 30-40% lighter than a steel door of the same size. This can save 20-30 pounds per door.
• Carbon Fiber: Found on high-performance and supercars, a lightweight carbon fiber door offers the most dramatic weight reduction, often weighing 50-70% less than a steel equivalent. However, its extremely high cost makes it impractical for mainstream vehicles.

2. Vehicle Type & Size

The larger the door, the more it weighs. A long door from a two-door coupe is heavier than a shorter door from a four-door sedan. A door for a full-size truck is significantly larger and built with heavier gauge steel than one for a compact car, contributing directly to its higher weight.

3. Window Glass & Mechanism

The side window glass itself can weigh between 8 and 15 pounds. Furthermore, a power window door contains a motor and a heavier regulator assembly, adding another 5 to 10 pounds compared to a lighter, simpler manual window crank system.

4. Safety Features

Modern car doors are packed with safety technology. The most significant is the reinforced impact bar, a high-strength steel beam that can weigh 10 to 25 pounds alone. This beam is engineered to protect occupants during a side-impact collision, and its presence is a primary reason modern doors are so heavy.

5. Electronics & Speakers

A base model door may have minimal wiring. In contrast, a luxury vehicle door contains extensive wiring harnesses for power mirrors, heated mirrors, puddle lights, blind-spot sensors, and premium speakers. A large door speaker with its magnet can easily add 2 to 5 pounds.

6. Sound Deadening Materials

To create a quieter cabin, manufacturers apply sound-deadening materials to the inner door skin. These dense, asphalt-based sheets or foam pads reduce road noise and vibrations but can add 5 to 15 pounds to a fully-treated door.

7. Interior Trim Panel

The final piece of the puzzle is the interior door panel. This plastic or composite panel houses the armrest, door handle, and window switches. While relatively light, a complex panel with built-in storage and trim can weigh between 5 and 8 pounds.

How Much Do Individual Car Door Components Weigh?

A car door’s side window glass typically weighs 8 to 15 pounds (4-7 kg), while a steel side impact beam can add another 10 to 25 pounds (5-11 kg). For anyone doing a DIY auto repair or calculating shipping costs, understanding this component-level breakdown is essential. Stripping a door down to its shell reveals just how much mass is added by its internal parts.

Based on professional installer advice and parts data, here is an approximate weight breakdown for common car door components:

• Door Shell (Stripped): 35-60 lbs (16-27 kg)
• Side Window Glass: 8-15 lbs (4-7 kg)
• Side Impact Beam: 10-25 lbs (5-11 kg)
• Power Window Regulator/Motor: 5-10 lbs (2-5 kg)
• Door Speaker: 2-5 lbs (1-2 kg)
• Interior Door Panel (Trim): 5-8 lbs (2-4 kg)
• Side Mirror Assembly: 2-5 lbs (1-2 kg)

When you sum these parts, you can see how a 40-pound stripped door shell quickly becomes a 90-pound loaded door assembly.

How Does Car Door Weight Compare Across Different Vehicle Types?

A full-size truck door, like one from a Ford F-250, can weigh between 90 and 150 pounds, while a compact sedan door typically weighs only 50 to 70 pounds. This comparison highlights how vehicle class is a dominant factor. Larger vehicles not only have bigger doors but also use more robust, heavy-duty components.

The following table, based on OEM parts data and field-tested weights, provides a clear comparison of approximate car door weights across common vehicle types for 2025.

As the data shows, there’s a clear upward trend in weight from smaller passenger cars to larger utility and commercial vehicles. This information is critical for logistics coordinators arranging freight and for technicians preparing for a replacement.

Can One Person Safely Lift a Car Door?

It is not recommended for one person to lift a car door alone, especially a heavier one from a truck or SUV. While a single person might technically be able to lift a lighter 50-70 lb sedan door, its large, awkward, and unbalanced shape makes it extremely unstable. This creates a high risk of dropping it, which can scratch the paint, dent the shell, or cause serious personal injury.

From our hands-on experience in the shop, attempting a solo lift is one of the most common mistakes DIYers make. Here are critical safety steps to follow:

1. Always Have a Helper: This is the most important rule. A second person is essential to balance the door and guide it off or onto the door hinges safely.
2. Use a Floor Jack for Support: Place a floor jack with a soft pad or a block of wood under the bottom edge of the door before unbolting the hinges. This supports the weight and prevents it from dropping suddenly.
3. Disconnect Electronics First: Before unbolting, make sure the wiring harness that runs between the door and the car body is fully disconnected.
4. Protect the Paint: Drape the fender and rocker panel with thick moving blankets to prevent accidental scratches during removal or installation.
5. Lift With Your Legs: When lifting with a partner, use proper lifting posture by bending at the knees, not your back, to avoid strain.

For any truck, van, or large SUV door weighing over 90 pounds, having two people is not just a recommendation—it is essential for safety.

FAQs About How Much Does A Car Door Weigh

Why are modern car doors so heavy?

Modern car doors are heavy primarily due to safety features. They contain reinforced steel side-impact beams (10-25 lbs), complex airbag systems, and robust latch mechanisms designed to meet stringent NHTSA safety standards. Additionally, features like power window motors, speakers, and sound-deadening material add significant mass compared to older, simpler doors.

How much weight does soundproofing add to a car door?

A full sound-deadening treatment can add 5 to 15 pounds per door. This typically involves applying constrained layer damper (CLD) tiles, which weigh around 0.5 lbs per square foot, and closed-cell foam. While improving cabin quietness, this added mass can affect door sag and hinge wear over time.

Is a truck door heavier than a car door?

Yes, a truck door is significantly heavier than a standard car door. A loaded door from a full-size truck like a Ford F-250 can weigh 90-150 lbs, whereas a door from a compact sedan weighs only 50-70 lbs. This is due to the truck door’s larger size, thicker steel, and more robust components.

How much does a car door with glass weigh versus without?

The window glass alone adds approximately 8 to 15 pounds to a car door’s total weight. A stripped door shell might weigh 40 lbs, but once you add the glass, the weight increases to 48-55 lbs before accounting for the regulator, motor, and other components.

How much weight can a car door hinge hold?

Car door hinges are engineered to support 2-3 times the static weight of the door. For a 90 lb door, the hinges are designed to handle 180-270 lbs of static load to account for dynamic forces like opening on a hill or wind gusts. However, excessive weight or abuse can still lead to sagging hinges.

How much does a replacement car door weigh for shipping?

For shipping calculations, use the “loaded” weight and add 15-25 lbs for packaging. A 70 lb loaded sedan door should be quoted at 85-95 lbs to account for the box, bubble wrap, and protective pallet materials. Always confirm with your freight carrier for precise freight quotes.

Is a carbon fiber car door worth it?

For racing and high-performance applications, a carbon fiber door is worth the cost for its significant weight savings. A carbon fiber door can be 50-70% lighter than its steel counterpart, improving acceleration and handling. For daily driving, the high cost and reduced durability often outweigh the benefits.

How much does an armored or bulletproof car door weigh?

An armored car door can weigh between 200 and 500 pounds, or even more. This extreme weight comes from ballistic steel or composite armor panels and bullet-resistant glass, which is many times heavier than standard tempered glass. These doors require heavily reinforced hinges and frames.

Does a front door weigh more than a rear door on a sedan?

Yes, on most 4-door sedans, the front doors are slightly larger and heavier than the rear doors. They are typically 5-10 pounds heavier to accommodate larger windows, more complex electronics for the driver, and larger speakers.

How much does a car door shell weigh?

A bare, stripped car door shell typically weighs between 35 and 60 pounds. This is the weight of the metal structure itself, without any glass, trim, electronics, or safety components. Truck door shells will be at the higher end of this range.

Key Takeaways: Car Door Weight Summary

• Average Weight Range: A typical loaded car door weighs between 50 and 120 pounds (23-54 kg). Do not confuse this with a much heavier garage door (100-400 lbs).
• Vehicle Type Matters Most: A full-size truck door (90-150 lbs) can be more than double the weight of a compact sedan door (50-70 lbs) due to size and material differences.
• Components Add Significant Mass: The bare door shell is only about half the total weight. The side impact beam (10-25 lbs) and window glass (8-15 lbs) are the heaviest individual components.
• Safety Is The Primary Reason For Weight: Modern doors are heavy because they contain steel reinforcement beams, airbag systems, and robust latches to meet federal safety standards.
• Lifting is a Two-Person Job: Never attempt to remove or install a car door alone. Its awkward shape and weight (especially for trucks/SUVs) create a high risk of injury and paint damage.
• Material Dictates Weight: An aluminum door is about 30-40% lighter than a steel equivalent, while a carbon fiber door can offer a 50-70% weight reduction at a premium cost.
• Plan for Shipping Weight: When shipping a door, add 15-25 pounds to the loaded weight to account for the box, padding, and pallet, and always use a freight calculator for an accurate quote.

Final Thoughts on Understanding Car Door Weight

Understanding a car door’s weight is more than just trivia; it’s essential knowledge for planning safe DIY repairs, calculating accurate shipping costs, and making informed decisions about vehicle performance. By recognizing that the total weight is a sum of its parts—from the steel shell and impact beams to the window glass and electronics— you are now equipped to handle any project with confidence and safety. Always prioritize having a helper, as the risk of damage or injury from mishandling this heavy and awkward component is not worth taking.