How long does an exterior door handle last?

Regardless of the make or model of the car, it has door handles. You have a door handle located both inside the car and outside. While we don't often think of it as a big, important part of our car,…

Regardless of the make or model of the car, it has door handles. You have a door handle located both inside the car and outside. While we don't often think of it as a big, important part of our car, the fact is that without a door handle, we wouldn't be able to get into our car. The outside door handle is pretty shabby. Not only do we constantly open and close the door, the outside handle is exposed to all sorts of weather conditions.

Not surprisingly, over time, the outer door handle can fail and break. It may not even be a handle, but a door latch that has broken. In any case, this is not a problem that you can ignore. Repair is usually not possible, instead you will have to replace the outer door handle. As for the timeline, every car is different so there is no set mileage they are rated for. If you have a car for an extended period of time, there is a good chance that a replacement will be needed at some point.

Here are some classic warning signs that an exterior door handle has reached the end of its expected life and needs to be replaced.

• You can't force your door to close. This may signal a problem with the door handle or latch assembly.

• You cannot force your door to open. This again signals a problem with the door handle or latch assembly.

• Some people resort to getting in and out of the car through the window if the doorknob is broken. This is clearly undesirable and can even be dangerous, as it often falls out and does not gracefully crawl out. At the same time, you don't want to drive, especially at high speeds, with a door that can't close properly.

The outside door handle is an important part of your car's door system. Once this part fails, you will not be able to open or close the door and will have to resort to getting in and out through your car window. This is far from ideal. If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms and suspect that your exterior door handle needs to be replaced, get a diagnosis or have an exterior door handle replacement service from a professional mechanic.