Passenger Side Door Handle Gets Stuck

heliotropehead · 05-19-2005, 10:21 AM

My front passenger side door handle gets stuck and makes it hard to open the door. Is this something for the service dept. @ the local Toyota, or do I just spray it with some WD-40? Thanks!

DanMan32 · 05-19-2005, 01:19 PM

If it is still under 3/36 warranty, have the dealer look at it.

bobc · 05-19-2005, 04:27 PM

Dan's got the best advice but if you wanted to look at it yourself, it wouldn't take much. There's three parts: the handle, the release mechanism and the cable connecting the two.

The handle or the cable would be easy to troubleshoot, less so for the release mechanism that actually unlatches the door from the car. To look at the former two, it's just a matter of taking the door trim off. Here's the steps:

The door comes apart very easily: Start with the tweeter. Pull it straight out from the door. Two clips hold it in.

Look at the door release handle. There's a plastic piece that serves as the back of the cubby hole. Tape up a flat screwdriver (to protect the plastic) and pry it out by laying the screwdriver against the door lock knob. 3 claws hold it in place. Remove the screw behind it.

Remove the screw in the door pull handle.

This next step is optional but it's not hard to do: Remove the plastic trim that has the door lock/window/mirror buttons. You eventually need to disconnect the harnesses associated with these controls. So, either pull this off now and disconnect or wait until you have the door trim pulled and finagle it that way. To remove, pull this plastic trim straight up. It's held in place by 6 clips. You can get your fingers around it and pull or pry it up with the taped screwdriver. Concentrate on the two main clips which are at the front and back of the plastic trim (relative to the front/back of the car).

Remove the inside door trim by pulling it straight out, away from the door. Start at the bottom. There's 8 clips holding this in. WARNING: Two of the clips are right where the dark and light door trim panels meet. It's very easy, when you're pulling the door trim off to break these plastic welds. Best to use your taped up screwdriver and get in there and pry those clips up.. You'll be able to look in there and see them if you've got the lower clips pulled free. Protect the screwdriver so as to not scratch the paint.

Remove the door release handle. The claw at the rear is the only one you need to release. It'll pull free once this claw is disengaged. You can then remove the handle from the cable and check these out individually.

The photo below shows the door with the trim off. The handle is still attached to the door. The cable with the green end is the one you would want to check out. I use white silicon as a lubricant instead of WD-40. The latter is just too oily and collects dirt which makes worse what it should be correcting.

Cheers,

There you go! It may sound like a lot but it's all really straightforward...

heliotropehead · 05-19-2005, 05:10 PM

Wow. Thanks!!
It seems a little intimidating, but I might give it a shot.

Jaguar88 · 05-22-2005, 08:07 PM

WD-40 is a good product for its intended purpose but don't use it for everything. While is does provide a light lubricant, it solvent properties remove heavier lubricants. If you need to use it relube with a suitable lubricant. Its great once a year in door locks or breaking something loose.

mark_hamrick · 05-22-2005, 09:52 PM

My driver's door is doing the same thing. It started closing a bit oddly, sounds almost like it is not closing completely.

05-19-2005, 10:21 AM	#1
heliotropehead Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: New Orleans, Louisiana Posts: 701 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Passenger Side Door Handle Gets Stuck My front passenger side door handle gets stuck and makes it hard to open the door. Is this something for the service dept. @ the local Toyota, or do I just spray it with some WD-40? Thanks!

05-19-2005, 04:27 PM	#3
bobc Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Durham, NH Posts: 360 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Passenger Side Door Handle Gets Stuck Dan's got the best advice but if you wanted to look at it yourself, it wouldn't take much. There's three parts: the handle, the release mechanism and the cable connecting the two. The handle or the cable would be easy to troubleshoot, less so for the release mechanism that actually unlatches the door from the car. To look at the former two, it's just a matter of taking the door trim off. Here's the steps: The door comes apart very easily: Start with the tweeter. Pull it straight out from the door. Two clips hold it in. Look at the door release handle. There's a plastic piece that serves as the back of the cubby hole. Tape up a flat screwdriver (to protect the plastic) and pry it out by laying the screwdriver against the door lock knob. 3 claws hold it in place. Remove the screw behind it. Remove the screw in the door pull handle. This next step is optional but it's not hard to do: Remove the plastic trim that has the door lock/window/mirror buttons. You eventually need to disconnect the harnesses associated with these controls. So, either pull this off now and disconnect or wait until you have the door trim pulled and finagle it that way. To remove, pull this plastic trim straight up. It's held in place by 6 clips. You can get your fingers around it and pull or pry it up with the taped screwdriver. Concentrate on the two main clips which are at the front and back of the plastic trim (relative to the front/back of the car). Remove the inside door trim by pulling it straight out, away from the door. Start at the bottom. There's 8 clips holding this in. WARNING: Two of the clips are right where the dark and light door trim panels meet. It's very easy, when you're pulling the door trim off to break these plastic welds. Best to use your taped up screwdriver and get in there and pry those clips up.. You'll be able to look in there and see them if you've got the lower clips pulled free. Protect the screwdriver so as to not scratch the paint. Remove the door release handle. The claw at the rear is the only one you need to release. It'll pull free once this claw is disengaged. You can then remove the handle from the cable and check these out individually. The photo below shows the door with the trim off. The handle is still attached to the door. The cable with the green end is the one you would want to check out. I use white silicon as a lubricant instead of WD-40. The latter is just too oily and collects dirt which makes worse what it should be correcting. Cheers, There you go! It may sound like a lot but it's all really straightforward...

05-19-2005, 05:10 PM	#4
heliotropehead Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: New Orleans, Louisiana Posts: 701 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Passenger Side Door Handle Gets Stuck Wow. Thanks!! It seems a little intimidating, but I might give it a shot.

05-22-2005, 08:07 PM	#5
Jaguar88 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: La Crescenta, CA Posts: 172 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #3 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Passenger Side Door Handle Gets Stuck WD-40 is a good product for its intended purpose but don't use it for everything. While is does provide a light lubricant, it solvent properties remove heavier lubricants. If you need to use it relube with a suitable lubricant. Its great once a year in door locks or breaking something loose.

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05-19-2005, 01:19 PM	#2
DanMan32 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Tampa Bay, FL Posts: 3,775 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	If it is still under 3/36 warranty, have the dealer look at it.

05-22-2005, 09:52 PM	#6
mark_hamrick Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Littleton, Colorado Posts: 103 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	My driver's door is doing the same thing. It started closing a bit oddly, sounds almost like it is not closing completely.