So Fix it

If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of having to replace a car door, cost becomes a major factor. Hopefully, your insurance (or the other guys) will cover the replacement cost, not counting the deductible. The average cost of replacing a door will vary greatly depending on the model of car. Replacing a Ferrari door will certainly cost a lot more than that of a Hyundai. The other major factors in replacement cost are whom you choose to work on your car and how you acquire the replacement door.

Find It Yourself

Scouring junkyards is by far the cheapest way to go, but if this proves difficult, get in touch with a local car club. These can be found with a simple Internet search and are a great source for information regarding your specific model. Be sure to select a replacement door compatible with your vehicle. Find a door identical to yours in build and color to make for easy installation. Finding a matching door at a good price can be tedious and take time. A used car door can range from $100 for commonly-found, inexpensive older models to upwards of $500 for luxury and specialty vehicles. Remember that many models doors will be nearly impossible to find on junkyards or second-hand.

Purchase From A Body Shop

For harder-to-find models, you may have to resort to purchasing a new door from a body shop. Find a few reputable body shops in your area and inquire about their price. Be wary of any offers that seem too good to be true, as they usually are. Occasionally body shops are able to find used doors and often are willing to keep an eye out for one if they know you are looking and have time. If you are in need of a replacement car door, chances are you do not have this time and youll be stuck buying a new one. This will cost you anywhere from $400 for less expensive models to upwards of $1000 for some makes and models.

Get It From The Source

The safest method for getting exactly the car door you need is to purchase it directly from a dealership or the manufacturer. You can order the precise door you need and can sometimes even save a little by not purchasing an entire car door, but only the specific parts that have been damaged. For example, if the glass is not broken, you dont need to buy a new window. If you do replace the entire door, however, the cost of purchasing one from a dealership or manufacturer will run you at least $500 for the most common inexpensive models, and anywhere upwards of $1000 to $2000 for luxury vehicles.

Fix It Yourself

If you are comfortable working on your car, undertaking the repairs yourself enables you to save a lot of money. Find the instructions for replacing the door. These can be acquired from dealerships and sometimes your local auto parts store. Manuals can be purchased for as little as $20 to $50, and make up the bulk of your cost besides the replacement parts themselves.

Have Someone Else Do The Work

The least stressful and time-consuming way to replace your car door is to have someone else do all the work for you. Body shops will find all the necessary parts and install them. Shop around at several many body shops until you get a feel for what the price should be. Prices you get quoted may vary greatly. Be suspicious of unusually low quotes. You get what you pay for. Dealerships have a reputation for being a little more expensive, but are worth looking into as well. Besides the cost of the car door itself, labor costs at reputable businesses run upwards of $50 per hour, sometimes as high as $120 per hour. Count on your car to be in the shop for at least 2 to 3 days after the parts have arrived. Those needing paint work should figure in another day or two, as well as additional fees of around $40 per hour for the paint job.

Jeep introduced the Wrangler model in 1987 and continued the YJ version until 1995. The door panel on the 1994 Jeep Wrangler can be removed to access the interior components of the door. Speakers and door lock assemblies often need maintenance, and removing the door panel is the only way to access them. The panel in each model-year of Jeep Wrangler is identical and removed the same way.

Instructions

1

Remove the two Phillips head screws that hold the interior door handle in place. There is a screw at each end of the handle.

2

Remove the Phillips head screw on the door handle lock mechanism.

3

Pry off the plastic panel from the metal surround with a flat head screwdriver. Place the screwdriver between the plastic panel and the metal door and slide it in between until each plastic clip has been removed. Work around the door in a clockwise fashion until the panel is removed.

4

Disconnect the locking rods from the interior door handle. The locking rods connect to the handle and need to be pulled up through the bracket manually to be removed.

5

Remove the panel and place it on a flat surface. If the panel needs to be re-installed, do so in the reverse order of removal.

A door release latch is prone to break when the latch has not opened all the way, causing it to snap shut while the door is still open. If the door is subsequently shut with a moderate amount of force, the outside of the latch when it slams against the door striker can fault. The result might leave the door no longer closing or releasing properly. Changing the door release latch on a Hyundai Elantra is actually fairly easily, but getting to the latch without ruining your door panel does require some finesse.

Instructions

Removing the Door Panel

1

Unscrew the door lock button on the inside of the door.

2

Pull down gently on the armrest and remove the two screws.

3

Unscrew the inside door handle trim.

4

Remove the window handle by pushing in on the panel and then pulling out the clip.

5

Unscrew the outside mirror mounting cover, followed by the mount and mirror.

6

Remove the weather stripping. Sometimes scraping it off with a chisel or knife is necessary.

7

Slide the door panel remover around the sides of the panel to locate the clips. When you find a clip, gently pop it out of place. If your car is older, the panel may be weathered so you should take care not to pull the clip out of the panel.

8

Disconnect the speaker wire.

Replacing the Latch

9

Unscrew the door latch from the door.

10

Disconnect the latch from the door handle rod and the safety lock rod.

11

Make sure the new latch is open.

12

Reattach the safety lock rod and the door handle rod. Some doors may not have the safety lock rod; in either case, take care not to bend the rods.

13

Fasten the latch back to the door frame and make sure it opens and shuts correctly.

14

Put the door panel and hardware back on.

Toyota Corollas door handles can get stuck or simply not opening doors. The 2004 Toyota Corolla repair manual includes a little information on how to remove the inside door panel, but you may need help from a professional. In a few easy steps, your car door handles can be replaced or fixed.

Instructions

Removing the Car Door Panel

1

Remove the interior door panel. Remove the screws holding the panel to the door and "unsnap" the plastic panel siding. The 2002 Corolla has three screws as well as the snaps. The handle casing has one screw and two underneath the armrest in the middle of the panel.

2

Open the door and keep it open while manually locking the door, then use a screwdriver to unscrew the broken door handle. Set this screw in a safe place. You must remove the broken piece entirely. If you cannot remove the broken handle entirely, there is another solution later.

3

Remove the armrest by pulling it up from the snaps. You may need to wedge a flathead screwdriver under the pad to push it up and reveal the screws beneath. Unscrew these two screws and set aside with the other.

4

Check inside the door handle compartment for possible broken parts or pieces missing. There may be something lodged or wedged inside the handle. Take a wiping cloth or wet towel and clean the area, then check the door handle from the outside. If it is still stuck, then you simply need to replace the car door handle.

Replacing a Toyota Corolla Door Handle

5

Remove the door handle by starting at the bottom left or right side of the doors panel. Put your fingers under the plastic and pull it from the snap. It should come loose with a bit of pressure.

6

Unsnap each part of the door panel. This is a tedious process but the entire door panel must come off. Then lift the panel up and over the locking device once the panel is free. Try supporting the panel with your legs. Try to not let the panel fall to the ground. You may need assistance. If you have power windows and locks, there will be wires coming from inside the door panel, which will restrict how far the panel can be moved. Do not disturb these wires.

7

Lift the panel up and over the locking device once the panel is free. Support the panel with your legs. Try to not let the panel fall to the ground. You may need assistance. If you have power windows and locks, there are power chords andd wires coming from inside the door panel which restricted how far the panel could be moved. Do not disturb these wires in any way.

8

Look inside the door for a metal arm with an L-shaped end extending out to where the door handle was before. The tip of the metal arm needs to insert into the new door handle.

9

Take the metal arm and attach it to the door handle. The door handle needs to be inserted into place inside the door panel. Snap the metal arm once inside the door handle. You may need pliers for this.

Reattach the Door Panel

10

Attach the door handle in the door panel to the door itself. Three arms extend from the back of the door handle. There are two L-shaped arms, and one is a cylinder. They match the receiving pieces in the door frame. Line each of these as you push the door panel back on.

11

Realign the door panel by lifting it up and over the locking device before lowering it back into position.

12

Slide the door panel to one side as the door handle slides into place into the door. This brings the hole of the screw into line with the corresponding hole in the door.

13

Snap the door panel back into place. You will need to press hard on the door panel and listen to each one snap to make sure that it is securely fastened back to the door.

14

Test the handle after closing the door. Screw in the three screws from before and replace the armrest pad by snapping it back on.

It is frustrating when your car door will not open, especially when you are in a hurry or are battling extreme weather. There are a variety of reasons why a car door wont open. Identifying the problem and eliminating the cause are the first steps to fixing the car door. There are a few common issues that will help identify the problem.

Instructions

1

Eliminate the easy fixes. Check that the door locks are open. Many people lock the doors without realizing it, or the doors lock automatically when the door closes. If the door will not open from the inside, check that the child safety lock is not engaged. If the child lock is on, the door will not open.

2

Check the seat belt. If the seat belt has not fully retracted, it may be blocking the doors latching mechanism. Give the door a firm shove from the inside while pulling the door handle open. This may take quite a bit of force and multiple attempts. Once the seat belt is taken off the latch, the door will open.

3

Remove the panel of the door to access the mechanical components. Reference the car manual for the location of the door locks and its parts. Look for a broken rod or loose cable. Replace the broken part at your local automotive store.

4

Lubricate the door hinges. If the door consistently jams or opens with extreme difficulty, using a spray lubricant might be all you need. Open the door to access the hinges. Spray a liberal amount of lubricant to the hinge. To work the lubricant into the hinge, open and close the door without shutting it completely. If it continues to creak or is difficult to open, add more lubricant.

If the door locks in your Chevy Corsica have trouble working, the most likely problems lie in the connecting rods breaking or coming loose or the lock cylinder itself getting damaged. You will need to get into the door to correct any of these problems. Fortunately, the setup of the Corsicas door is quite simple with regard to removing the door panel and accessing the lock components. You may need to do some moving in and out of the car from the other side if the lock wont let you open the broken door.

Instructions

1

Disconnect the manual window handle (if equipped) with a hooked tool on its clip and then unscrew and remove the inner door and pull handles with a screwdriver and Torx wrench.

2

Unscrew the inner panels retaining screws and pry the panel off its clips and velcro retainer with a trim stick. Remove the panel from the door.

3

Inspect the condition of the rods connecting the door lock to the door handle and reconnect them with their clips if they are disconnected. Disconnect the rods altogether and replace them if they are damaged.

4

Remove the retaining screw for the lock cylinder and its C-like retainer to remove it from the door if the cylinder is damaged.

5

Insert the lock cylinder into the door with its gasket, clip and retaining screw if you are replacing the cylinder.

6

Connect the rods to the lock if you had to disconnect them to remove the lock cylinder.

7

Reconnect the door inner trim panel with its clips, velcro retainer and screws. Reconnect the inner handles with their screws and the window handle with its clip.