Mk2 External Door Handles - Urgent Help Needed

[Pitmonster]

Help - my door handle has fallen off!

A few weeks ago we brushed the car against a gate post, causing damage to the drivers-side rear wheelarch. The rear door handle also brushed the gate post, and the surrounding metal was pushed in - but pretty much popped back out again.

Last week it was repaired by a friend of a friend, who has started his own repair business.

All fine and dandy, until last night when Mrs Pitmonster tried to open the rear-offside door (the one that was repaired) and the handle came clean off in her hand!

The car was unlocked, and she isn't that strong...

The door handle was obviously removed while the repair was painted, and now it's looks like it wasn't reinstalled properly. However when I inspected it after the repair everything seemed fine - and I used the handle multiple times to open the door.

The problem is that I'm currently camping in Dorset, 4 hours from home, so going back for him to fix it isn't an option for the next 10 days or so. Also I have no computer access to post photos (this is being sent from my iPhone)

So it looks like I need to find a fix myself, and hopefully a permanent one.

The handle is in two parts:

- the large handle that you pull

- the small bit that stays in place (where the lock sits on the drivers door

Both parts have fallen off, along with the 2 rubber gaskets.

I can refit the main handle, and have it engage with the mechanism properly so that it opens the door.

However the small piece is needed to hold the main handle in place - and I can't make this small piece stay in place.

The plastic moulding has little clips at the rear etc, but no matter how hard I press I cannot get them to engage with the clips inside the door.

There are no obvious screws or bolts etc that I can see.

However when I look inside I can see a small bolt-thread that runs to the rear edge of the door.

If you open the door, above the lock mechanism is a small black cover, shaped like a big Tic Tac. I have taken this off and had a look, and there's a small Torx head that seems to be connected to the bolt-thread that I can see, but there's no obvious way to see how (or if) this actually fixes the plastic bit-of-handle in place. Also I don't have a Torx bit with me!

Does anyone know how this piece of handle is fixed in place?

I've searched the forums with no joy, and I don't have a Haynes manual.

Any advice would be gratefully appreciated. Thanks.

[artscot79]

You have to remove the interior door panel to fix it theres no other way to get round it im afraid

[Pitmonster]

Oh bugger, there's no way I can do that in a field.

Guess ill have to tape up the openings and get him to fix it when I get home.

Thanks for the fast reply!! :-)

[STEADS]

If you can get the panel off somehow might be someone around camping with the appriote tools it can be bait fiddly but that torx screw is the one the holds the handle in place shouldn't take to long only fiddly as you are working blind .

[Pitmonster]

I don't want to risk taking the inner door panel off without the right tools, as I may damage something.

I have no tools with me aside from a Leatherman and a torque wrench for the wheelnuts.

I will tape up the holes in the door (to prevent water getting in, and ring the guy who did the repair. I'll get him to admit that he took the handle off to do the paint, then explain that he didn't refit it properly - and that he must put it right at his cost. He won't be happy but neither am I, and I paid him to do the job (and have got paperwork for it)

The door is secure when locked so I'm not worried about that, just want it fixing. If it was a simple job to do myself if be happy to do it, but from what you both say I'm going to make him do it / pay for a proper fix

Thanks for the replies guys :-)

[STEADS]

In all honesty he shouldn't grumble about it as it won't cost him owt and although can be a bit fiddly shouldn't take him more than half an hour .easy to forget about that screw as its tucked out of the way when I did my rear door glass I forgot it so easily done .

[Pitmonster]

Thanks Steads.

So is the screw you mention the one I can see when I remove the little black cover above the door lock?

If so I think I can access it purely through that aperture, without needing to remove the inner panel. Then I just need a Torx screwdriver, which I can get from Halfords.

Or is there another screw? Or screws?

[STEADS]

Yer that's the one behind the cover just the one torx screw

[Pitmonster]

Might have a go at accessing it via the little access cover, certainly worth a try.

Cheers for the help.

[Pitmonster]

Sorted!

As suspected, the Torx bolt moves an internal bracket that latches onto the small plastic piece.

However it's a left handed thread, so you have to careful.

The bracket wasn't in the right place, so it had to be adjusted twice : once to align the slots so that the trim would slide in place properly, and then adjusted to lock it into place.

Everything is now in place and fully secure.

Thanks for the advice chaps :-)