Replacing External Car Door Handles

There is nothing more frustrating than when a car door handle breaks. It is an obvious problem to diagnose, as you will not be able to get in your vehicle. Even though you can probably find a temporary work around that involves a little acrobatics, you’ll want to change the handle pretty quickly.

Fortunately it is not too difficult to change over the handle in your car’s door, however there are a number of steps and many of the operations involved are nothing short of a little fiddly. Make sure you put aside a whole afternoon – preferably on a Sunday when you are feeling relaxed and up for a challenge – to complete this job.

You will need: spanner or socket set, screwdriver, replacement clips

Get Prepared

First you’ll need to remove the inner door panel to gain access to the locking mechanism. Then with the window’s electrics still connected, turn the car’s system on and use the control switch to move the door window into the most upright position. Turn the system off and gently remove the inner door lining.

Remove the Old Door Handle

Unclip the main control rod for the door handle using the access hole in the car’s door. This should allow you to find the lock control rod, which can be disconnected with the help of a screwdriver to remove the clip that holds it in place. You can now remove the bolts that attach the door handle. In some makes and models of car there is an access hole that allows you to get to the tricky bolts. When you have unfastened all the bolts, carefully manipulate the old lock out of its seating.

Retain your Lock

Now you have taken the handle out of the door you will need to remove the locking cylinder. Using a small screwdriver unclip the retainer that holds this in place. Push the cylinder out of its seating. Take the new door handle and push the old lock into the seating so that your old key still works and allows access to your vehicle.

Check Lock Clips

There will be a number of plastic clips around the body of the lock. Make sure that you inspect these to see which of them have been broken when you removed the part from the car. Change all of these for new clips and the handle should be ready for installation.

Replace Handle Unit

Gently place the handle back into the car door frame taking care not to damage the paintwork. When you are satisfied with its seating, bolt the handle into place using the mounting bolts. Next reconnect the control rods to the handle and secure them in place using the replacement plastic clips. Now is the ideal time to check that the key works in the lock and the handle activates the door’s mechanism properly.

Finish Off

The final step in the job is to simply put the door panels back in place. When this is complete, you should be able to open and close the door properly with the handle. Give the door a small nudge from the inside when it is shut to ensure that the locking system is properly engaged.

When the handle is back in place you should be able to shut and open the door easily. Remember as with all replacement parts it make take a short time to start working easily with your car and there may be a little stiffness, requiring you to make an extra effort over the first few days of use.