It can happen to the fanciest of cars: you approach your car, having already unlocked the doors with your remote key fob. Upon grabbing the driver's door handle and tugging it outward, as you've done hundreds of times before, instead of unlatching the door, the handle comes off in your hands. You, of course, are horrified. Luckily, when you try the front door on the passenger side, it opens normally, but now you need to make the effort to climb over the center console and into the driver's seat.
How did this happen? Why did this happen to you? And perhaps most importantly, what kind of repair bill are you potentially facing? While we will spend a little time addressing the first two questions, our real intent is to show you how you might be able to complete this fix yourself and save yourself some money on the repair. We also wish to point out that the question "how do I fix my car's broken door handle?" is one of the most popular searches on both Google and YouTube and so we want to be of service to you, our avid CARiD readers!
Exterior door handles are more likely to break compared to interior handles. Most modern vehicles have exterior door handle designs that require you to pull up and/or out. From the outside, you're standing as you pull on the handle, and it's all too easy to put your entire body weight into the effort. On the inside, you're sitting down and not able to put as much force on the release mechanism. It's also a fact that more and more automotive components are made of plastic, strong plastic to be sure, but a material that may fatigue and fail after a few hundred cycles. Depending on the age, mileage, and overall condition of your car, if your exterior handle broke, one can say that it simply reached the end of its lifecycle. From our experience, 90% of the time it is the driver's door handle which breaks first as that door gets the most use.
There is good news, though. Repair parts are available, and for the semi-experienced DIYer, an exterior door handle replacement can be accomplished in your driveway in just a few hours. Follow along with our step-by-step repair procedure below (applicable to the majority of late-model vehicles on the road), check for availability of repair parts, and you'll have the broken exterior door handle fixed quickly.
Items Needed:
- New door handle
- Hand tools, which will vary based on the year and make of the vehicle (screwdrivers, sockets, ratchet wrench, Torx bits, plastic pry bars)
- Masking tape
Step One: Get The Door Open
With the broken handle in your hand, it's likely that the door is still shut. Enter the car through another door and open the door from the inside. If the door won't open, make sure first that it's unlocked. If it still won't open, the problem is more than just a broken outside handle and may require professional assistance.
Step Two: Assess The Door Handle Attachment Points
Before you start ripping things apart unnecessarily, check around the door handle to determine how it's attached. If you're lucky, there are attachment screws accessible from the outside, in which case, the interior door panel doesn't need to be removed. On some cars, a plastic panel that appears to be part of the door panel can be popped off with a screwdriver or plastic pry bar.
These screws are likely to be small, and may be Philips head or Torx screws. The Torx screw bits are a less common size. If you don't have them, we have them available here.
If you don't see any exterior attachment points, then you have no choice but to remove the inside door panel. But don't fret! This task is not as complicated as you might think, although car makers have gone to great lengths to 'hide' the door panel fasteners. You will need to check the panel with your eyes AND your hands, looking for screws, clips, small plastic covers, and similar attachment items. Once you're convinced that the screws and bolts are removed, try tugging gently at one corner of the panel until the plastic clips holding the panel pop loose from the door skin. A best practice is to use a plastic pry bar specifically made for such a job. Work slowly and carefully, then lay the door panel aside where it won't get damaged.
Step Three: Remove The Broken Handle
If the screws are outside, first line the door handle area with masking tape which will help avoid inadvertent paint scratches. Remove the screws, and check if there are levers or rods attached to it, as these will need to be unclipped. Most vehicles use plastic clips to make these connections, and you may not even need any tools to pop the clips loose. Make some notes for yourself regarding how they are attached; you can try to take a photo with your phone camera, or perhaps sketch a diagram. Finally, at this point you may need to slide the handle forward or backward to free it from the door skin.
If the screws are inside, with the door panel off, a good flashlight will help you peer into the darkness of your door shell, and you should see the door handle screws (usually no more than two). Using the appropriate screwdriver or socket, extension, and ratchet, loosen and remove the screws, being careful not to drop them into the door. If you do, a magnet can help you retrieve them again.
With the screws out, disconnect the levers or rods as discussed above, and the door handle will come off the car. Again, you may need to slide it one direction or the other to completely free it.
Step Four: Determine If The Key Cylinder Can Be Moved To The New Handle
Many cars still have a key-operated lock cylinder in the driver's door. In such a case, you have an extra step to consider: do you transfer the cylinder to the new door handle, or do you replace the cylinder?
If you do decide to move it over, one best practice to keep in mind is that the key should be inserted into the cylinder before you pop it out, or the cylinder itself may not come out, or may fly apart into many pieces if it does! On the other hand, if you replace the cylinder, that is one extra part to purchase, and you then will have a different key for the driver's door.
Step Five: Install The New Handle
As the repair manuals state, installation is the reverse of removal. And it really is. However, before you begin to bolt things back together, does your new handle require paint? Some vehicles have a gloss black or matte black finish on the handle, while others color-key the handle to the car. If the handle needs paint, we have the auto paint to match, so take your time and do a thorough job!
Once the paint is dry, you can begin to reinstall it. We trust that you were careful enough with the attachment screws that you can put your hands on them again. As with any assembly, start each screw by hand (if possible) to avoid stripping threads, and alternate the tightening procedure so that the new handle assembly is torqued down evenly. Reattach any levers or rods that had been unclipped. But before you go further, go to Step 6.
Step Six: Check Functionality And Finish Reassembly
If you've removed the door panel, check the function of the door handle next. You don't want to waste time reinstalling the panel only to find out that a rod didn't get reconnected the correct way. The new handle should operate correctly. If it does, reinstall the door panel, remembering that the top of the panel may hook over the top of the door frame first. Double check everything to ensure that all screws, cover plates, etc., are reinstalled. Let's hope you didn't leave any tools inside the door panel!
Exterior Door Handles We Sell
At last count, we offered exterior door handles from over 50 (51 to be exact) different brands. Obviously, your search will be done based on the year, make and model of your vehicle, so your search results may give you one or a dozen products. Below, we will highlight just a few.
Dorman has been a major player in the automotive aftermarket for most of the 20th century, and that continues well into the 21st. Their exterior door handles are available to fit a wide variety of domestic and import brands.
ACDelco offers GM Original Equipment parts for General Motors brand vehicles, so you know you're getting the right part and the right fit.
Sherman is a big name in restoration parts for older cars; they also provide parts for newer cars. A door handle for the Chrysler 300 is shown below; note that you have a choice between a chrome finished handle or one that is primed and ready to paint, whichever one matches your vehicle.
You should feel a great sense of accomplishment now that you've replaced your own exterior door handle. Speaking from our own personal experience, every job that you complete on your own car or truck gives you the confidence to tackle "the next thing" that needs fixing. Keep up the good work!