Broken car door handles - what to do?

A door handle is a small detail on a car body that is often overlooked. As long as it works, everything is fine, and you quickly forget about it. But if one day she refuses to do her job, good advice is worth a lot now: the car suddenly refuses to let you in or makes it very difficult. It's true that car door handles rarely break at the same time. However, it is annoying to have to clumsily climb into the car through the passenger side or even through the rear seats. Read in this article how to act systematically in this case.

Door handle - complex design

The car door handle is much more complicated than you think. It contains many moving parts in a very small space. Parts:

– Upper shell: decorative element attached to the handle. - Handle: movable or rigid, depending on the type. – Base carrier: the component that holds all the other components. – Lock cylinder: the key is inserted here. – Stop bolt: it hangs on the locking cylinder and transmits the rotational movement to the lock. – Springs and seals .

These components are made of wire, plastic, sheet metal and die-cast aluminum . Since they are subject to weather conditions and vibrations, their service life is limited.

door handle life

Difficult to estimate door handle life . It really depends how often the pen is used and how well it is cared for . However, starting from the age of the car from 12 to 15 years old , you can expect the inner component to break. Luckily, doorknobs are easy to repair. .

Door handle repair

1. Interior

The door handle transfers the force of the hand to the mechanism inside the door.

• Outside this mechanism acts directly on the lock.
• Door handle on the inside usually associated with a wire connection. From this side, the components of the door lock are also made quite lightly and filigree.

If the door can no longer be opened from the inside, the side panel must be removed. . In this case, it's usually not the doorknob itself that's the cause, but the wiring inside.

With any luck, it will only break in one place and can be fixed in a few simple steps. However, it also often happens that cable eyelet on inside handle is torn off or broken . In this case just replace the whole handle . Do-it-yourself solutions with glue usually only have a temporary effect.

Removing interior trim can be a little tricky . It differs depending on the type of vehicle. Usually on the armrest there is two screws, which can be easily found and unscrewed. What can be surprisingly stubborn, so This is the power window handle . If there is no screw, then it's a clamping mechanism . The ring on the underside of the crank serves to fix it. It should be pressed in one direction, then the crank can be removed.

The door handle itself is usually fixed with clips in the side panel. . The side panel is attached to the bottom and sides with screws. It is also fixed with using various clips and plastic rivets . Special tools are available on the market for this purpose. With them, connections can be disconnected without damage.

Finally, the side wall is attached to the window frame only with a groove . There is a sealing lip that you just need to remove. The sidebar can now be pulled up.

The inside of the door is lined with plastic wrap. . It is very important not to damage or repair this film before reinstalling the interior lining. In no case should it be removed, otherwise the car will be flooded with water the next time it rains.

You now have access to the internal mechanics of the door and can replace damaged components.

2. Outer part

Although the exterior door handle is much more complex than the interior, it is much easier to remove. . In most cases, the entire unit is secured with just one screw. It is located at the height of the doorknob on a metal sheet that ends in a frame. When the door is open, the screw usually cannot be overlooked. He just spins . The entire door handle can now be turned forward.

On old cars traces of time are now clearly visible: the springs are probably a little rusty and the aluminum components are also a little oxidized . So it's worth it first completely disassemble and clean the door handle . However, if important components are broken, replacing the entire assembly is the most reasonable measure. The door handle is a fairly inexpensive component. One pen costs from 12 pounds . Full set available from £25 . If you really want to save money, you can also buy a repair kit for 3-5 pounds . This includes seals, lock cylinder and springs. 

Depending on vehicle type it can be quite a challenge to properly hook the lever back into the lock cylinder. But with a little patience, you will get there.

It depends, of course, on the type of door handle you need . A Fiat or Volkswagen door handle is much cheaper than a Mercedes door handle. In the latter case, you can expect to pay up to 45 pounds just for the lock cylinder.

However, it is important to pay attention to the door lock when replacing it. . Often replacement door handles also come with new locks and keys. If your own lock is still in order, you can continue to use it. This will save you from having to constantly add keys to your keyring. You can also avoid the annoying question " Which key goes where? ". ".

Conversely, with older used cars, you only get one key because the other spare keys have been lost over time. Of course you can make duplicate keys. . However, if the door lock or door handle is faulty, it is wise to replace the keys entirely. So you have a new set of locks again with a full set of keys on the car. To make this completely consistent, you can also replace the ignition switch. But it's usually not worth it, especially on older cars.

Conclusion: Inexpensive repairs for those with patience

The complexity of such repairs is limited. It can be easily mastered by a home craftsman with little experience. Care must be taken when removing door panels as they tend to break. . A spare set of rivets can also help here. With the replacement of door handles and repair of the mechanics, the car will be in good condition for the rest of its life.

This way you can enjoy your old treasure for a long time.