Door Handles
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[hr]Here's a question...Why do some LX models come with black and some with color-matched handles??[hr]
[hr]Here's a question...Why do some LX models come with black and some with color-matched handles??[hr]
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Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Torrance, California, US
Rep Power: 0 I have a white LX and I changed my black door handles to the white ones.
Here is what I did, I started with the passenger side first.......
Take off the interior panel inside the car door.
1. Pop off cover inside door latch and remove screws.
2.Pull back door latch, then detach metel connecting rod inside from clip, then pop off metel rod from underneath, remove door latch.
3.Remove power window switch panel. Remove small screw in middle of door handle. Use flat head screwdriver to pop out from rubber handle, and slide foward. Remove two screws from there. Detach power window wiring.
4.Pop out black triangular piece in corner by power mirror, its very easy, just don't break it.
5. Pull with fingers by inserting into front bottom of door panel and give it a good tug. The door panel will come out, just don't be afraid to give it a good pull.
6. Once door panel is off, remove a portion of the plastic weather from adhesive, don't worry, it will stick later when you put it back.
7. If you look to you upper right you will see the inner side of the door handle. Remove the two nuts with a ratchet. Even if you remove those two bolts, it will still feel like the handle is still attached. It's just the lock and door rod that is still holding it in.
Now here is the hard part.
8. The lock is being held to the handle by a metal clip, but you can't see it from your angle, because a piece of metel is blocking it. On the EX handle you bought, you will see it, but you must remove the LX one to get the lock off. The way I did it was to push one side of the clip down from the top, it may be a small hole but you can feel it. Push as hard as you can and the bottom of the clip will create a space to pry a flat screwdriver to remove the clip. The only way to remove the clip with the screwdriver is from outside the door. Since you removed the two nuts, the door handle should move on the outside. So you can see the bottom of the clip from the outside. Once the clip is out, the lock should move right out.
9. You also have to remove the metel rod attached to the handle, this is very hard as well because it won't budge out of the clip. Just keep trying, if not, I resulted in just cutting the handle the rod was attached to with a small saw, this helped loosen it up to remove. From there you should be able to get the LX door handle out.
Reinstall the EX handle..
10.Put the EX handle in, the best thing to do is to tape the handle on the outside so it won't move when reinstalling the lock. Install the two nuts you took out first. Use your best judement when installing the clip that holds the lock because you can't see it actually attaching, you know when the lock is fully installed if you can't move the lock from the outside. The best way is to install it from the bottom, there is a small hole through the piece of metel to push the clip up.
11. After lock is installed, install metel rod that opens the door, this should just pop right in. Make sure the outside has no clearance from the door, meaning, no gaps.
12. Restick the plastic on the door and reinstall door panel. Make sure door lock works, and door handle works.
These instructions may be difficult, but I had to find everying out without any help. Its alot of work, but I think it is worth it.
If you have any questions, just post it.
I hope this helps.
Here is what I did, I started with the passenger side first.......
Take off the interior panel inside the car door.
1. Pop off cover inside door latch and remove screws.
2.Pull back door latch, then detach metel connecting rod inside from clip, then pop off metel rod from underneath, remove door latch.
3.Remove power window switch panel. Remove small screw in middle of door handle. Use flat head screwdriver to pop out from rubber handle, and slide foward. Remove two screws from there. Detach power window wiring.
4.Pop out black triangular piece in corner by power mirror, its very easy, just don't break it.
5. Pull with fingers by inserting into front bottom of door panel and give it a good tug. The door panel will come out, just don't be afraid to give it a good pull.
6. Once door panel is off, remove a portion of the plastic weather from adhesive, don't worry, it will stick later when you put it back.
7. If you look to you upper right you will see the inner side of the door handle. Remove the two nuts with a ratchet. Even if you remove those two bolts, it will still feel like the handle is still attached. It's just the lock and door rod that is still holding it in.
Now here is the hard part.
8. The lock is being held to the handle by a metal clip, but you can't see it from your angle, because a piece of metel is blocking it. On the EX handle you bought, you will see it, but you must remove the LX one to get the lock off. The way I did it was to push one side of the clip down from the top, it may be a small hole but you can feel it. Push as hard as you can and the bottom of the clip will create a space to pry a flat screwdriver to remove the clip. The only way to remove the clip with the screwdriver is from outside the door. Since you removed the two nuts, the door handle should move on the outside. So you can see the bottom of the clip from the outside. Once the clip is out, the lock should move right out.
9. You also have to remove the metel rod attached to the handle, this is very hard as well because it won't budge out of the clip. Just keep trying, if not, I resulted in just cutting the handle the rod was attached to with a small saw, this helped loosen it up to remove. From there you should be able to get the LX door handle out.
Reinstall the EX handle..
10.Put the EX handle in, the best thing to do is to tape the handle on the outside so it won't move when reinstalling the lock. Install the two nuts you took out first. Use your best judement when installing the clip that holds the lock because you can't see it actually attaching, you know when the lock is fully installed if you can't move the lock from the outside. The best way is to install it from the bottom, there is a small hole through the piece of metel to push the clip up.
11. After lock is installed, install metel rod that opens the door, this should just pop right in. Make sure the outside has no clearance from the door, meaning, no gaps.
12. Restick the plastic on the door and reinstall door panel. Make sure door lock works, and door handle works.
These instructions may be difficult, but I had to find everying out without any help. Its alot of work, but I think it is worth it.
If you have any questions, just post it.
I hope this helps.
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