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Driver side door handle not working

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Kyle McL

Proven Member
62
0
Jun 28, 2014
Rierside, Pennsylvania
I cleaned the linkage since the lock was not working. I then lubricated it with white lithium grease. I finally took it out. However when I went to the gas station. I tried opening it and it did not work. I tried unlocking it and it still did not open. I had to open it from the inside by entering the passenger door. I removed the door panel and really am not sure on what to be looking for. I have a slight idea on what needs to happen for it to open. However, I don't see what I need to possibly do to get it fixed.
 
It is possible the handle is broken on the hinged portion. It could also be out of adjustment where the arm connects to the actuator inside the door.
 
Just so you know a set of brand new door handles cost me 30 bucks at autozone. They come black. Pretty good deal. I had someone try to steal my car and broke my drivers handle. Pissed me off.
 
A new handle won't fix a misaligned or bent linkage though. With the door panel off pull up on the door handle and make sure you have good tension. Shine a flash light in there and see if anything looks broken. With the door open you can test the release mechanism by using a screwdriver while lifting the handle. If nothing looks broken and release mechanism isn't open up with the door handle raised you probably have some misalignment or bent linkage.
 
I started to take the linkage off but stopped since I am worried of breaking the piece the connect to the handle. I tested it and seems to be tight. I will try to make sense of what I am about to say next, it may be confusing and I will try to describe the best is can. The one part of the linkage that connect to the handle. That goes to the main assembly of the linkage and pushes a piece that opens, does not pus it as far as it needs to go. Looking at the handle. I noticed it is slightly worn into the plastic. Not enough where I think it will make a difference. I will TRY to take photos and upload them. To better show but it will be hard to do.
 
I bet it is the part of the handle that connects to the linkage. I bealive your linkage should be fine but the plastic connector that connects it to the handle may have became stretched or bent. Its happened to me before. You can buy a new gloss black handle from amazon for maybe 15 dollars. They look nice when installed. The install kinda sucks if u have big hands like me. Just be patient and you will get thru it.
P.s I've broke 2 handles already. Haha
 
When there is not enough travel to actuate the main assembly, then the metal tab the linkage attaches to is bent upward (on the door latch itself), and over time the point at which the door opens becomes higher and higher in pulling up the handle. Eventually the plastic portion of the handle comes into play and begins to bend on each handle pull and eventually breaks the handle off. Nothing to do with handle strength or the slot in the linkage.

Buy or mod your current handle. Set it on the bench and dismantle it partially to isolate the spring. Take a dremmel and thin out the coil body of said spring pretty good, just before flat, and you're good to go for a long time. And a plus- handle is easier to pull up on. No more cheap plastic feel because it's trying to flex against the strong spring.

Merry Christmas
 
When my handle didnt work I looked at the mechanism and there is a forked rod that pushes down on a peg to open the latch. For some reason some aftermarket door handles dont pull as far as OEM ones. So what I did was put two huge heavy duty zipties around the top of the fork to effectively make it longer. I have heard of a small bolt being used for this, but i didnt see any way to get my hands back there to put a bolt and nut on it. The zipties have been on for 4 months or so and havent let me down yet.
 
Looking at the Handle, I determined it was the handle itself. As NHerron said. It was bent upwards. I will get a new Handle tomorrow or Saturday. Do to the Auto store being closed because of it being christmas. I however managed to lose the little piece that holds the lock in. Kind of a down side to this Christmas. Does anybody know if it can be found with a magnet? It fell on the cement garage floor which has other dirt and stuff and I just cant see it with my eye. Thank you all for the help on this and have a Merry Christmas.
 
I cleaned the linkage since the lock was not working. I then lubricated it with white lithium grease. I finally took it out. However when I went to the gas station. I tried opening it and it did not work. I tried unlocking it and it still did not open. I had to open it from the inside by entering the passenger door. I removed the door panel and really am not sure on what to be looking for. I have a slight idea on what needs to happen for it to open. However, I don't see what I need to possibly do to get it fixed.
I bought new door handles and some handles are cheaply made check to see if the piece your rod attaches to on the handle is flexing had that happen on mine and I used jb weld to strengthen the bracket works well now
 
I bought new door handles and some handles are cheaply made check to see if the piece your rod attaches to on the handle is flexing had that happen on mine and I used jb weld to strengthen the bracket works well now


I have had the exact same issue with that POS flimsy little tab. Can you take pictures or be a little more detailed on what you did? Did you just slather it all over front and back or just one side?
 
Tab doesn't need be stronger FYI, reach in the door and manually push that rod down, it doesn't take much to actuate the assembly.

Just take a dremel with a sanding drum or whatever and grind down the coil body diameter pretty good. Reassemble a couple times until you like the amount of pull it takes to pop the lock. I had pictures but seems I lost them...

You're basically making the spring weaker. If you were to stretch out the spring to be one long piece wire, and it measured 3mm thick, you would grind down to 2mm or less.
 
I have had the exact same issue with that POS flimsy little tab. Can you take pictures or be a little more detailed on what you did? Did you just slather it all over front and back or just one side?
Hey sorry it took so long for a reply, on vacation with the family here are some pics about what I did with the jb weld the key is to make sure you attach the metal tab with the jb and also to make a gusset in the corner so it keeps the bracket from being able to flex.It's super strong make sure to allow plenty of time to cure too
I have had the exact same issue with that POS flimsy little tab. Can you take pictures or be a little more detailed on what you did? Did you just slather it all over front and back or just one side?
I bought new door handles and some handles are cheaply made check to see if the piece your rod attaches to on the handle is flexing had that happen on mine and I used jb weld to strengthen the bracket works well now
I have had the exact same issue with that POS flimsy little tab. Can you take pictures or be a little more detailed on what you did? Did you just slather it all over front and back or just one side?
 
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