How to Replace Exterior Door Handle 2002-06 Nissan Altima
Created on: 2013-12-04
This video will show how to remove the door panel and the door lock actuator to access and replace the exterior door handle if yours is stuck or broken
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step 1 :Removing the Door Panel
- Pry off the screw cover inside the door pull with a flat blade screwdriver
- Remove the Phillips head screw in the door pull
- Pry off the window switch panel with a flat blade screwdriver
- Disconnect the window switch wiring harness
- Pry off the screw cover inside the inner door handle with a flat blade screwdriver
- Remove the Phillips head screw in the inner door handle
- Remove the Phillips head screw behind the door pull
- Remove the two cables from the inner door handle
- Carefully peel off the water shield with a utility knife, being sure not to rip it
- Remove the door panel bracket
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step 2 :Removing the Outer Door Handle
- Disconnect the door lock wiring harness from the door latch
- Remove the Phillips screw from the door latch
- Remove the three Phillips screws that hold the door latch to the outer edge of the door
- Pull the door latch out through the door
- Remove the two 10mm bolts from the back of the door handle
- Pry the door handle locating tab out with a flat blade screwdriver
- Pull the door handle out from the outer side of the door
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step 3 :Installing the New Outer Door Handle
- Paint the door handle to the appropriate color
- Remove the door handle rod from the old door handle
- Install the door handle rod into the new door handle
- Push the door handle into place using the locating tab
- Push the door latch into place
- Connect the door handle rod to the door latch
- Insert the Phillips screw into the door latch
- Insert the three Phillips screws that hold the door latch to the outer edge of the door
- Connect the door lock wiring harness to the door latch
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step 4 :Reinstalling the Door Panel
- Put the water shield back on
- Put the door panel bracket on
- Connect the two cables to the inner door handle
- Hang the door panel on the window sill
- Push in the door panel clips
- Pull the window switch harness through its cavity
- Insert the Phillips screw behind the door pull
- Insert the Phillips screw into the door handle
- Push in the screw cover inside the door handle
- Connect the window switch wiring harness
- Push the switch panel into the door panel
- Insert the Phillips screw into the door pull
- Push in the screw cover in the door pull
Tools needed
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Flat Blade Screwdriver
Phillips Head Screwdriver
10mm Socket
Ratchet
Utility Knife
Brought to you by 1AAuto.com, your source for quality replacement parts and the best service on the Internet.
Hi, I'm Don from 1A Auto. I hope this how-to video helps you out, and next time you need parts for your vehicle, think of 1AAuto.com. Thanks.
In this video, we show you how to replace the rear exterior door handle on this 2003 Nissan Altima. It's the same process on these Altimas from 2002 to 2006, and we show you how to do this on the passenger side, but the driver side is the same procedure. The items you need for this are a new rear exterior door handle from 1AAuto.com, a flat blade screwdriver, a Phillips screwdriver, and a 10 mm socket and ratchet.
In your pull cup here, there is a small little screw cover. Just pry that out and removed the Phillips screw that's under there. Now, carefully pry up your switch panel. Then, disconnect the window switch by pushing on the tab on the harness. Behind you door handle there's this little panel, you want to remove that, and then remove the Phillips screw in there, and then the one in this pull cup. Once those are removed, just pull out along the edges of the door panel to separate the clips on the back. Then, lift the door panel up and off. On the back of the door panel are these two cables. You want to pull them out of the door, push them forward and disconnect them. Here, we're carefully removing the water shield. We're using the utility knife to kind of cut the adhesive. You can do that, or you can carefully pull with your hands. Be careful and not to stretch or rip the water shield.
Removing this bracket is optional. We do it so you have a better view of what we're doing inside of the door. Disconnect your power lock by pushing in the tab on the harness and pulling it free. Now, you want to remove your door latch by removing these 4 Phillips screws. You can see he's using a Phillips head on a ratchet. If you feel you need more leverage to get these screws out, this is the best way to do it. Once those are removed, the door latch will just pull right out. Now, remove these two 10mm bolts on the back of the exterior door handle. Using a flat blade screwdriver, pry the tab at the bottom of the door handle. Once that's pried free, the door handle will pull right out. On the left is the old door handle. Once that's pried free, the door handle will come right out.
On the left is the old door handle. On the right is the new one from 1A Auto. You can see that the new one is black. If you want it to match your vehicle, you can buy a can of spray paint at a store and get a similar color, and match it that way; or, if you want the exact color, you can go to an auto parts store with a paint department, and they can match the color, and fill an air charged paint can with it, and you can spray it with that. Now, you want to remove your door handle rod from the old door handle by just flipping up that clip, pulling the rod out, putting it into the new door handle, and flipping down the clip on that. Now, feed your door handle into the door. You want that tab on the bottom of it to snap into place. We'll fast forward as Don replaces those two 10mm bolts. Now, you want to make sure the door handle rod goes into this hole on your latch. So, when you feed the latch in, you just want to lift that door rod up, and drop it into place. Fast forward, as Don replace that 10mm Phillips head bolt and those 3 Phillips screws on the side of the door latch. Reconnect your harness.
Push your cables and harnesses back through that water shield and push it back up into place. Replace the bracket if you removed it. Now, to reconnect them, you want to clip them in, push them forward, and push them back into the door. Now put your door panel up onto the window seal and push it down, and then hit around the edges to reactivate those clips. Make sure your window switch harness come through.We'll fast forward here as Don replaces the Phillips screw in the pull cup, and the Phillips screw behind the door handle and replaces that little cover. Now reconnect your window switch, and push the switch panel down into place. Replace that other Phillips screw in the pull cup, and the screw cover that goes over it. You're all set.
We hope this video helps you out. Brought to you by www.1AAuto.com, your source for quality replacement parts and the best service on the Internet. Please feel free to call us toll-free, 888-844-3393. We're the company that's here for you on the Internet and in person.
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2002-06 Nissan Altima with Lock Provision Front & Rear 4 Piece Exterior Door Handle Set TRQ DHA30176
- Paint to Match
- 4 Piece
- (2) Rear Exterior Door Handles
- (2) Front Exterior Door Handles
- Black
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