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Door handle pulls away from body/skin

Hound

SM 2006
SM 2005
Full Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2004
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708
Location
Miami
I found a few threads dealing with this but nothing that I found with a resolution.  The exterior door handle pulls away from the door on one side of the handle.  Seems that there is an issue with the stems that mount the handle to the door skin.  Replacing the handle will obviously be a fix but is there a repair method that is being used?
 
Looking into this a little more, I found a YouTube vid for replacing the handle.  The link is below.  At 5:56 in the video they show you the backside of the exterior handle.  There are bolt holes on either side where a bolt threads in from inside the door, behind the door panel.  Initially I thought the exterior handle had posts on either side of the back and those posts went through the door and clipped on the inside.  But now it looks like the "bolt holes" are glued-in-place into the exterior handle.  If that glue degrades then the female bolt hole insert breaks loose from the handle.  The handle then becomes loose or unsecured to the door on that side.  If this is correct, possibly I can delicately get some Gorilla Glue or 5200 on the casing of that "bolt hole" and it will be re-glued into the door handle assembly.  Any experiences to share will be appreciated

Here is the link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZUTqqEzpZg
 
Bulletin No.: 09-08-64-032

Date: September 25, 2009

Subject: Chrome Outside Door Handle Loose/Cracked at Attachment Screw (Replace Handle)

Models:
2007-2008 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT
2007-2008 Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe
2007-2008 GMC Sierra, Yukon, Yukon XL, Yukon Denali, Yukon Denali XL

Condition

Some customers may comment that a chrome outside door handle is loose or cracked in the area of the attachment screws.

Cause

This condition may be caused by grease used on the attachment screws during the assembly process, which can migrate into the handle screw bosses and cause degradation. Another contributing factor to this condition is that the initial assembly torque of the attachment screws was too high, which may have helped initiate cracks in the screw bosses.

Correction

Important
When replacing a chrome outside door handle for this condition, be sure to address the following: - Ensure that the attachment screws are free from grease before installing the new handle. Clean the screws with Kent Automotive Acrysol(TM), or an equivalent grease removing body solvent.
- Torque the screws to 6 Nm (53 lb-in).


Replace the affected chrome outside door handle. Refer to Front Side Door Outside Handle Replacement, Rear Side Door Outside Handle Replacement, or Rear Side Door Outside Handle Replacement (Crew Cab) in SI.

There is a thread on another forum where some good posts deal with this:

Post #64:  http://chevroletforum.com/forum/tahoe-suburban-25/broken-exterior-door-handles-40726/page7/

Pic in post 58:  http://chevroletforum.com/forum/tahoe-suburban-25/broken-exterior-door-handles-40726/page6/

pic in post 49:  http://chevroletforum.com/forum/tahoe-suburban-25/broken-exterior-door-handles-40726/page5/
 
I just had my passenger front door handle break. The front mounting stud base broke loose from the handle itself. I am trying some Dura glass on the broken piece. I taped off the door skin so as not to get the Dura glass on the painted surface, and used a pencil to hold the handle away from the door skin. I used a small screwdriver to wipe some of the Dura glass onto the broken area of the screwed part coming out of the door and then applied pressure with a cargo jack between the door handle and garage wall. Dura glass is some hard stuff once set up.
 
This thread is awesome! I've been living with my driver rear door handle being broken for about a year now. As long as I put my thumb on the stationary part and press that in while pulling the handle out, it opens fine.

Last time I was in the dealer getting the oil changed, I asked them to quote this. They didn't seem to keen on doing the work, and I never got a quote.


Is that bulletin like a recall notice that GM will cover, or just something telling the dealers it is a common issue and how to fix it on my dime?
 
HellHoof said:
Is that bulletin like a recall notice that GM will cover, or just something telling the dealers it is a common issue and how to fix it on my dime?

It's just a notice of a reported problem and the recommended GM solution. You could try and see if your local dealer would be willing to help out, but at this point in time I highly doubt it.

You could always try taking the door handle off and fix what's broken in there. It's been a long time... can't remember the procedure. I'd have to review the service manual. Although, I'm sure there's some documentation or videos already online.
 
ca2kjet said:
You could always try taking the door handle off and fix what's broken in there. It's been a long time... can't remember the procedure. I'd have to review the service manual. Although, I'm sure there's some documentation or videos already online.

I could. There is a video in this thread on how to do it. I just really, REALLY dislike taking door panels off. I've done it a number of times in my day, and never had luck with not breaking something, and causing a rattle or squeek. Those drive me nuts! Moreso than the broken handle at this point...
I'll live with it until I can't for any longer, or it breaks.

But when that point comes, I'll come back to this thread for the super valuable info!
 
HellHoof said:
I just really, REALLY dislike taking door panels off. I've done it a number of times in my day, and never had luck with not breaking something, and causing a rattle or squeak.

My fix posted above is holding. Tool all of 15 minutes, no removal of door panel and no cost but I did have some Dura glass in my garage left over. This stuff gets hard as a rock and its primary use is body work but I have fix several things with this stuff. Dura glass comes in 2 forms, fiber hair and fiber strand. I use fiber strand.
 
No Tyme said:
My fix posted above is holding. Tool all of 15 minutes, no removal of door panel and no cost but I did have some Dura glass in my garage left over. This stuff gets hard as a rock and its primary use is body work but I have fix several things with this stuff. Dura glass comes in 2 forms, fiber hair and fiber strand. I use fiber strand.

Hmm....I'll have to take a look and see if I can't get that to work. Good idea, thanks
 
HellHoof said:
This thread is awesome! I've been living with my driver rear door handle being broken for about a year now. As long as I put my thumb on the stationary part and press that in while pulling the handle out, it opens fine.

Last time I was in the dealer getting the oil changed, I asked them to quote this. They didn't seem to keen on doing the work, and I never got a quote.


Is that bulletin like a recall notice that GM will cover, or just something telling the dealers it is a common issue and how to fix it on my dime?

Glad to have found this thread.
I have to do the same on driver's door on my 2009.
 
I initially tried to see what was going on by taking the interior door panel off.  Not the way to get to the cracked posts.  So after an hour or two of playing with that and breaking one of the retaining clips, I took it to my local body shop. I had visions of them quoting hundreds of dollars after seeing what they billed my insurance for minor body repairs on a couple of previous cars.

$100 for replacing the entire door handle including labor.  Amazing how much break you get on repairs when you are paying them versus filing a claim and having the insurance pay them.  Glad to pay that since the alternative would have been me fumbling around for an hour or two with no guarantee.
 
Since I am logged in and posting a new thread for the interior door pull i wound up coming back to this one.

So, all of my exterior door handles have broken over time.  Rather than try and repair them I have just purchased aftermarket replacements, removed the interior door panel and replaced the exterior door handle.  It's happened so often I am getting good and speedy at it.  I think the aftermarket door handles are less than $20.  If it was just the driver's door I would think it was something I was doing. 
 
It's just a notice of a reported problem and the recommended GM solution. You could try and see if your local dealer would be willing to help out, but at this point in time I highly doubt it.

You could always try taking the door handle off and fix what's broken in there. It's been a long time... can't remember the procedure. I'd have to review the service manual. Although, I'm sure there's some documentation or videos already online.
Do you know where to get the service manual (2012 Avalanche)?
 
Problem is the door handles are made of a cheap plastic. Pulling from the wrongend of the handle is a sure way of it breaking.
 
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