How to Remove Front Inside Door Handle 1997-2005 Lexus GS300
Created on: 2019-04-05
How to repair, install, fix, change or replace a broken or snapped off interior door handle on 97, 98, 99, 00, 01, 02, 03, 04, 05 Lexus GS300
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step 1 :Removing the Front Door Panel
- Remove the trim door from behind the interior door panel with a pick
- Remove the Phillips screw behind the interior door handle
- Remove the Phillips screw inside the rubber trim
- Remove the Phillips screw below the door pull
- Remove the Phillips screw above the door lock actuator
- Remove the four Phillips screw from the bottom of the door panel
- Pull out the door panel from its clips with a trim tool
- Gently pull the panel out and lift it up to release the window sweep
- Slide the panel back and pull the top out and off
- Disconnect the two interior door handle cables
- Disconnect the three wiring harnesses
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step 2 :Removing the Inside Door Handle
- Remove the two Phillips screws from the door handle
- Press on the door handle from the outside of the panel
- Remove the interior door handle
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step 3 :Installing the Inside Door Handle
- Insert the new door handle to the door panel
- Tighten the two Phillips screw to the door handle
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step 4 :Installing the Front Door Panel
- Connect the three wiring harnesses
- Connect the two interior door handle cables
- Tilt the panel forward to connect the front of the panel to the door
- Tilt the panel backwards to connect the panel and window sweep to the door
- Tap around the perimeter to press the door panel clips into place
- Tighten the Phillips screw behind the door handle
- Tighten the Phillips screw to the rubber trim
- Tighten the Phillips screw beneath the door pull
- Tighten the Phillips screw above the door lock actuator
- Tighten the four Phillips screws to the bottom of the door panel
- Press on the plastic trim behind the inside door handle
Tools needed
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Phillips Head Screwdriver
Small Hook
Trim Tool Set
Pick
Hey how's it going? Mike from 1A Auto. I'm gonna show you how to remove and reinstall inside door handle. This is a 2001 Lexus GS 300. It should be the same for '98 to 2005. I'm showing you on the driver's side, the passenger's side front is the same as well.
First you'll need a hooked pick tool and just go in behind. I'm gonna pull this panel off. And now there are eight Phillips screws to remove. One right behind that panel, one inside here, there's one right below your door pull here, one with a bumper on it there and then four right up underneath. Phillips screwdriver to remove those. And for a bunch of these, you could use an 8 millimeter socket and ratchet.
All right. Now there's a few clips in the front and the back. So you usually just use your fingers. You might want to use a flat blade screwdriver. Just pull firmly and they release. And then once you've released all those, and it's kind of loose, you want to almost twist the top so that this will go by here. Pull out, but also pull on this so the top comes up and then rotate it up, slide it back, pull the top out and off. And then in behind, there are the two cables for your door handle. Pull them out and then pull that up and out like that. Same thing here--pull out and this one goes down and comes out and then two electrical connections. Push on the tab, disconnect and then down here, the tab is right at the bottom, push on the tab and disconnect. Oops--one more and then way down at the bottom, again little tab, push and disconnect.
Okay with the door panel out, put it on it's face, and there are just two Phillips screws that hold the door panel. This one's really easy to get to. This one, you're going to use a regular screwdriver. Angle it up in there and get it out well enough. And then just push on your door handle from the other side and pull it right out.
To install the new door handle, kinda angle it up and push it in. Lift up the panel, and lock it into place. Reinstall your two screws. Reinstall the door panel. There's three electrical connectors, the courtesy light way down at the bottom. Our master power window switch right in the middle, and then our power door lock switch up here at the top and then these go in. This first one goes from the bottom, and then up and around. This one goes in from the top. Then pushes in, and then tilt the back of the panel up. Push the front end first and then as you go forward, bring the panel down and on and lock those clips into place.
The larger screw that has no bolt head goes in behind here and then the rest of them are the Phillips screw and 8 millimeter bolts. I always like to start 'em all fresh before I take them up. I just make sure that they're all lined up. And then when you tighten them, you don't have to tighten 'em, just get 'em snug so you know they're holding. You don't want to strip the plastic clips they go into. This plastic cover, put it in place. Kinda push the front in first and snap it in.
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