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Wordmanjay
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2023
Posts: 7
Location: OH
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 Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2024 10:07 am Post subject: Inside and outside driver door handles broken |
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Isn’t this a pickle?
My inside driver door handle has been broken since I bought it.
Now, the outside door handle broke and the door is closed.
How do I get the door open to work on the mechanism?
Thanks in advance for the help. |
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kourt
Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2013
Posts: 1952
Location: Austin, TX
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| Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2024 10:38 am Post subject: Re: Inside and outside driver door handles broken |
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I would dismantle the inside handle assembly and pull the small steel rod (with a small 90 degree bend on the end) that interfaces with the interior door handle mechanism. You can see the interface point below:
Start by using a plastic body panel tool to pull the cover of the door grab handle up and off, away from the door card. Then unscrew the screws (two or three Philips head) to get to the door opening handle. Remove it--it pries out, I think levering from the aft end of the handle.
Use a needlenose pliers or other tool to pull the rod--probably pulling it forward towards the front bumper.
New handles are fairly cheap on Amazon or other sources. I always carry a spare, because I have broken quite a few of them.
kourt |
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Wordmanjay
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2023
Posts: 7
Location: OH
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| Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2024 7:07 am Post subject: Re: Inside and outside driver door handles broken |
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Thanks.
That worked great…until the bar to the inside handle came out of the door.
Now there’s no bar, no inside handle, and the outside handle is broke.
Next time I get it open, I’ll have a new handle in hand for sure.
How can I get it open now? |
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kourt
Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2013
Posts: 1952
Location: Austin, TX
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| Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2024 3:23 pm Post subject: Re: Inside and outside driver door handles broken |
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Remove the door card. You're already halfway there.
Link
kourt |
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Wordmanjay
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2023
Posts: 7
Location: OH
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| Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:26 pm Post subject: Re: Inside and outside driver door handles broken |
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But my door is closed.
The bar to the inside handle came out/off.
So how can I open the door? |
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HeyCrutch
Samba Member
Joined: August 12, 2022
Posts: 124
Location: Asheville, North Carolina
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| Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2024 3:40 am Post subject: Re: Inside and outside driver door handles broken |
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| Wordmanjay wrote: |
But my door is closed.
The bar to the inside handle came out/off.
So how can I open the door? |
I feel for you right now. What I'm about to write is only for your consideration if you end up with no other options.
I had a different situation last year where the outside handle wasn't broken but was stuck in a slightly, partially open / partially closed position that wouldn't let me open the door, even though the inside handle worked fine. It would only open an inch. I was able to get the outside black cover off because I had very limited access to the inside of the door jams (only about 1 inch like I said - but it was enough). My issue was a clear piece of plastic in the handle had gotten in the way of the interior rotational mechanism. Unfortunately it doesn't sound like you can get the door open, so you won't be able to remove the screws from the jamb side of the door the way I did.
If your situation is such that the door is closed, neither handle is working, and the horizontal bar has detached (which is what it sounds like you're describing), you may end up having to cut the door card - maybe just enough to access the bar to hopefully re-engage with with the main handle/lock mechanism. If you can't access the horizontal bar, then perhaps cutting the card enough to access the main handle mechanism directly. This sounds like an Absolutely Terrible option, and I hesitated to even suggest it, but a replacement door card can be purchased on eBay if this ends up being your only way out. Simply trying to help you brainstorm your way through this problem. If you end up with no other option but this, I'd suggest removing both passenger and drivers seats (meaning their bases) so that you'd have the best point of attack.
So sorry you're facing this difficult issue.
Here are the only 2 photos that I captured during that repair in case they prove helpful at all.
pic #1 -- the portion of the main door handle that I was able to remove from inside the metal framing of the door (card removed I think). The horizontal bar connects to this somewhere but I can't remember exactly. Hopefully the video someone attached earlier helps with that crucial piece of info. Either way you're wanting part of that metal mechanism to rotate, to open. (Kourt may be able to pinpoint more details here).
pic #2 -- Seats removed, if you have to go nuclear with the door card (thankfully I did not)
PS - Brainstorm Edit (because I really don't want you to have to cut your door card) - if you unscrew the black cap off the lock/unlock rod at the top of the card, you could then pry out the small black trim piece that surrounds the cap. Be careful to not lose access to the rod as it is hinged and will sway to either side without the trim and cap, Once the cover is off you'll have about an inch access thru the top of the card - this may be enough to insert something to try and rotate the main handle mechanism. Or it may be a dead end. As I said just trying to help, b/c I remember how frustrating this felt.
PPS - found two more photo ...
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Wordmanjay
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2023
Posts: 7
Location: OH
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| Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2024 10:04 am Post subject: Re: Inside and outside driver door handles broken |
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Anybody know where I can purchase the plastic end to the inside door handle bar? |
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Wordmanjay
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2023
Posts: 7
Location: OH
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| Posted: Sat Apr 06, 2024 6:14 am Post subject: Re: Inside and outside driver door handles broken |
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| Anybody know where to get that part? |
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bikes!
Samba Member
Joined: April 27, 2014
Posts: 97
Location: Central CA Coast
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| Posted: Sat Apr 06, 2024 8:50 am Post subject: Re: Inside and outside driver door handles broken |
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If you mean the small white plastic bit on the end of the rod, that’s available from the dealer or most aftermarket parts shops.
It’s part 2A (pn 171837199) in this illustration. door mechanism
If that’s not it, the part diagram may help you find the right part number even if it’s shown as not available. |
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