Replace Outside Lumina APV Driver/Passenger Door Handles
hmdevos
12-06-2006, 06:48 PM
One thing I have learned is a lot of these outside door Lumina APV and similar models break ... so thought I would give instructions on how to replace one while it's still fresh in my mind ...something that at first seemed impossible without some clues, but now seems so easy. The main problem is getting the door panel off on either passenger and driver's side doors. (most other car/van panels I have taken off were all pop off, but these include screws which I could not find).
Removing the panel to a few inches below the window must be done from the bottom up. There are four, perhaps 5 screws to remove, two of which are seen in the arm rest, easy enough (though at an upward) angle. However, there are 2, maybe three, in the carpeted section at the bottom, one for sure on the far front, near the bottom in the smaller carpeted area that goes a solid plastic post you can see inside the door shelf ...and one just before the bend on the other side toward the door opening about 2/3rds the way up in the larger carpeted section. You can feel these indentations to these screws by pressing in with a finger, a Phillips screw driver, or perhaps with a magnet if all else fails. I don't remember an additional one in the middle, but if too much resistance or you feel an indentation in the carpeting there, check it. They are all larger Phillips head screws. The next thing to be removed is the window handle knob if manual windows.
As with most such handles, there is a spring wire clip right behind the handle on the shaft of the handle, right up against the backside of the handle you can't see - between the handle and the plastic door "gasket". It's an almost round clip with straight legs on two sides that are bent outward (the straight section snaps into groves that hold the handle on). The idea is to grab the rounded part that sticks out and pull it off. What would work great is small screwdriver size tool that is bent over at the end so you can poke inside the round part of the clip and up against the inside of the handle, then slide, almost "scratch" it outward. It doesn't take much effort. (I couldn't find what I wanted, was about to make something, but saw an old can opener with a pointed end that working well. I've seen an inexpensive "real" such tool on a "helper" tool rack at an auto part store). But to get at the clip, you first have to give yourself some working room - so wedge something like a screwdriver between the handle and the "gasket" plus door panel to press the gasket and door panel inward. Once open, maybe something thicker can be used to keep it open wide enough. The major problem is that you can't see this clip so you don't know which way the clip is facing. So if you don't get anywhere by trying one area, you may have have to rotate the handle a small ways, try it again, then maybe again, until it finally grabs that rounded section ....but keep the faith, it is there, doesn't take much force to remove, and since a spring will likely come flying off - so watch where it goes. (mine landed by the opposite door).
Now pull the door panel off starting at bottom. There are several rough plastic grippers to be pulled out all around the edges from the bottom up. With automatic locks, it will leave the lower door panel hanging by the electric door switch. That can be left dangling, but if a nuisance by having the whole door panel hanging there can be taken off by slipping out the two clips on backside and then pulling out the front from a small ledge into which the other side is held ...and when loose pull it out through the back so only it is dangling. If auto locks, there will be more wires, maybe easier to work around it, but should be supported somehow. There will now just be a black foam piece left covering the door ...that will be in the way, so tape it up to the window (which should be closed to access any of the insides).
Now you can reach up and in to use a small 1/4 socket wrench and 10mm socket to loosen the two nuts holding on the door handle, probably best once loosened to do it the rest of the way by hand. It may seem difficult to get the socket wrench on, but that's because it's on a slight angle, so the wrench will have to be at an angle to get a solid grip. I have read of those needing to drill a hole to get the top nut back on the new handle, but with this '96, I had little problem putting the nuts on by hand (top harder) then finally tightening the last quarter turn with the socket wrench. (If you push in on the outside new door handle you can get it tighter by hand before using the wrench for just a slight finish) To get the old door handle out, depending on what broke and where, you may have to open the handle slightly and will have to do so to get the new handle back in. After tightening the nuts, you need to reattach the arm - which will have fallen with the broken handle piece to the bottom of the door. You will have to open a clip on the broken part to get the old "arm" off to reuse with the new handle. Of course, not knowing where it was attached to the door, it took a bit to figure out where it should go, but it is easy really. It runs almost straight up and down (not sideways where the other rods run). Just put the non-bent side down through the empty hole and then next press the bend part back into new clip opening as it was on the broken part. (You'll have easier access to do this by slightly opening the new handle)
Now the reverse to put everything back together. Put the lock switch back in the panel if you removed it, then line up the plastic pop-in parts "post"s on the door panel with the openings in the door ...and bang into place by hand. Now tighten the screws. Remember the armrest screws are at an angle. To put the window handle back on, just snap the clip back onto the window handle so the legs are flat through the holes in the handle. Now put the plastic "gasket" on with dented area toward door and bang the door handle back on by hand. It takes a good whack, but will snap on. No need to put it back on the way you took it off.
This handle, an improved version, sold for $14 on Ebay, plus a few dollars shipping, so shouldn't be much more than that. But obviously if sold that way, they sell a lot of them and have models for all the doors - so obviously a lot of them breaking.. As such, I hope these instructions come in handy. Sure wish I had something like this before I started. Seems easy now, but it sure wasn't at first.
Removing the panel to a few inches below the window must be done from the bottom up. There are four, perhaps 5 screws to remove, two of which are seen in the arm rest, easy enough (though at an upward) angle. However, there are 2, maybe three, in the carpeted section at the bottom, one for sure on the far front, near the bottom in the smaller carpeted area that goes a solid plastic post you can see inside the door shelf ...and one just before the bend on the other side toward the door opening about 2/3rds the way up in the larger carpeted section. You can feel these indentations to these screws by pressing in with a finger, a Phillips screw driver, or perhaps with a magnet if all else fails. I don't remember an additional one in the middle, but if too much resistance or you feel an indentation in the carpeting there, check it. They are all larger Phillips head screws. The next thing to be removed is the window handle knob if manual windows.
As with most such handles, there is a spring wire clip right behind the handle on the shaft of the handle, right up against the backside of the handle you can't see - between the handle and the plastic door "gasket". It's an almost round clip with straight legs on two sides that are bent outward (the straight section snaps into groves that hold the handle on). The idea is to grab the rounded part that sticks out and pull it off. What would work great is small screwdriver size tool that is bent over at the end so you can poke inside the round part of the clip and up against the inside of the handle, then slide, almost "scratch" it outward. It doesn't take much effort. (I couldn't find what I wanted, was about to make something, but saw an old can opener with a pointed end that working well. I've seen an inexpensive "real" such tool on a "helper" tool rack at an auto part store). But to get at the clip, you first have to give yourself some working room - so wedge something like a screwdriver between the handle and the "gasket" plus door panel to press the gasket and door panel inward. Once open, maybe something thicker can be used to keep it open wide enough. The major problem is that you can't see this clip so you don't know which way the clip is facing. So if you don't get anywhere by trying one area, you may have have to rotate the handle a small ways, try it again, then maybe again, until it finally grabs that rounded section ....but keep the faith, it is there, doesn't take much force to remove, and since a spring will likely come flying off - so watch where it goes. (mine landed by the opposite door).
Now pull the door panel off starting at bottom. There are several rough plastic grippers to be pulled out all around the edges from the bottom up. With automatic locks, it will leave the lower door panel hanging by the electric door switch. That can be left dangling, but if a nuisance by having the whole door panel hanging there can be taken off by slipping out the two clips on backside and then pulling out the front from a small ledge into which the other side is held ...and when loose pull it out through the back so only it is dangling. If auto locks, there will be more wires, maybe easier to work around it, but should be supported somehow. There will now just be a black foam piece left covering the door ...that will be in the way, so tape it up to the window (which should be closed to access any of the insides).
Now you can reach up and in to use a small 1/4 socket wrench and 10mm socket to loosen the two nuts holding on the door handle, probably best once loosened to do it the rest of the way by hand. It may seem difficult to get the socket wrench on, but that's because it's on a slight angle, so the wrench will have to be at an angle to get a solid grip. I have read of those needing to drill a hole to get the top nut back on the new handle, but with this '96, I had little problem putting the nuts on by hand (top harder) then finally tightening the last quarter turn with the socket wrench. (If you push in on the outside new door handle you can get it tighter by hand before using the wrench for just a slight finish) To get the old door handle out, depending on what broke and where, you may have to open the handle slightly and will have to do so to get the new handle back in. After tightening the nuts, you need to reattach the arm - which will have fallen with the broken handle piece to the bottom of the door. You will have to open a clip on the broken part to get the old "arm" off to reuse with the new handle. Of course, not knowing where it was attached to the door, it took a bit to figure out where it should go, but it is easy really. It runs almost straight up and down (not sideways where the other rods run). Just put the non-bent side down through the empty hole and then next press the bend part back into new clip opening as it was on the broken part. (You'll have easier access to do this by slightly opening the new handle)
Now the reverse to put everything back together. Put the lock switch back in the panel if you removed it, then line up the plastic pop-in parts "post"s on the door panel with the openings in the door ...and bang into place by hand. Now tighten the screws. Remember the armrest screws are at an angle. To put the window handle back on, just snap the clip back onto the window handle so the legs are flat through the holes in the handle. Now put the plastic "gasket" on with dented area toward door and bang the door handle back on by hand. It takes a good whack, but will snap on. No need to put it back on the way you took it off.
This handle, an improved version, sold for $14 on Ebay, plus a few dollars shipping, so shouldn't be much more than that. But obviously if sold that way, they sell a lot of them and have models for all the doors - so obviously a lot of them breaking.. As such, I hope these instructions come in handy. Sure wish I had something like this before I started. Seems easy now, but it sure wasn't at first.
gerryboy0
12-30-2006, 12:28 PM
Thanks
I will replace my door handle soon and will follow your post .
I will replace my door handle soon and will follow your post .
hdevos
12-31-2006, 09:18 PM
Little late in replying, but good luck. Do hope it was helpful. If you found my instructions could be improved, please post what could have been explained better. It's like a new computer user, once you've done it, it seems rather easy, but when first trying, like15 years ago, I remember going easily through steps 1-6 and then for the life of me - find step 7 impossible - just simply because to the person explaining, they figured step 6b was all too obvious. It was, but only to someone who had done something similar previously.
gerryboy0
01-06-2007, 04:48 PM
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