Door handle seal caution

[wingman]

**I know you can't reply but this is worth a read if you intend changing your door handle seals.**

The 'whateveritis' that locks the door handle trim to the door has a range of movement. All the threads that I've read about changing the seals state that it moves about 1/2 inch. This is true but it actually moves further. My caution relates to locking the trim back into place once the seal has been changed. Quite simply you can pull the 'whateveritis' back towards you and the trim will lock into place BUT if you don't lock it back all the way your door handle will foul on the trim and result in a sticking door handle and loss of paint! I learn't this the hard way so hopefully you can benefit from my misfortune. For what it's worth the job of changing seals is simple and the result is priceless!!!

[John B.]

I found that heating the door handle assemble with a heat gun/hair drier after installing the new seal made it much easier to pull the clip all the way back. I did mine in a cold garage & the clip would only come back about half way. Once warmed up the rubber compressed & gave the clearance required to move the clip back easily.

[Paul in NZ]

I will have to try tha again.I have had several attempts ,even with a wire "tool" to hok the latch and pull it back i couldnt get it all the way back.I need to replace the whole trim because the old one fel off after i investigated how it worked....I will try leaving the whole assembly out in the sun for a bit.

[genphreak]

Not sure if mine is doing what you say though.

One doesn't work properly after changing the seals either.

However then again it never did! Am not sure if it is in the handle assembly or the whole assembly is not properly locked as you say. When you talk of loss of paint, are you talking about risk to the black paint on the handle itself or the surrounding door material?

On mine the handle fouls with the handle surround when you lift the handle to open the door. Sometimes the handle stays 4mm ajar after opening the door (and releasing the handle) due to there being no clearance with the surrounding plate.

The seal and the door itself are fine.

Cheers, Nick

[wingman]

Not sure if mine is doing what you say though.

When you talk of loss of paint, are you talking about risk to the black paint on the handle itself or the surrounding door material?

On mine the handle fouls with the handle surround when you lift the handle to open the door. Sometimes the handle stays 4mm ajar after opening the door (and releasing the handle) due to there being no clearance with the surrounding plate.

The seal and the door itself are fine.

Cheers, Nick

This was the problem I was having but only on the fronts. The paint I lost was the black of the surround. With the trim fully locked in there was no further problem.

[wingman]

even with a wire "tool" to hok the latch and pull it back i couldnt get it all the way back.

This might sound weird but my 'tool of choice' is the back of a glass cutter! You know those little tools with the wheels to etch the glass and the notches in the back for snapping the glass. It worked a treat.

[Paul in NZ]

I made a tool with say 2mm wire(not quite rigid enough) a small hook on one end and a 90 deg turn to be able to get a grip to yank the latch back.I also have the handle/trim interference trouble.I will investigate futher,I thought perhaps I may need to loosen the torx bolts and move the handle down a fraction,but thinking about it that will prolly just move the trim down too....

[BigKriss]

I'm still at odd at how to remove the door handle in the first place.

[shogun]

I'm still at odd at how to remove the door handle in the first place.

Man , I have eplained that to you so many times.
Only solution, you buy me a first class airplane tickect to AUS and I make it free of charge. I even pay for my own breakfast.

[BigKriss]

I know, I know, I know. some repairs are easy and some repairs seem impossible I have read all of your instruction writeups on how to change them Erich, but no luck so far.

Man , I have eplained that to you so many times.
Only solution, you buy me a first class airplane tickect to AUS and I make it free of charge. I even pay for my own breakfast.