How to Replace Front Door Handle Latch Cable 2002-05 Mercury Mountaineer
Created on: 2014-10-09
How to repair, install, fix, change or replace a broken or weak door latch cable on 02, 03, 04, 05 Mercury Mountaineer or Ford Explorer.
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step 1 :Removing the Door Panel
- Turn off the courtesy lights
- Pry off the door handle bezel
- Pry up the window switch panel
- Disconnect the window switch wiring harnesses
- Disconnect the door lock wiring harness
- Remove the 7mm bolt in the door pull
- Remove the two 7mm bolts on the bottom of the door panel
- Pry out the mirror switch
- Disconnect the mirror switch wiring harness
- Pry out the door panel
- Lift the door panel up and off
- Disconnect the wiring harness
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step 2 :Removing the Door Handle
- Remove the 6mm bolt from the door handle
- Slide the door handle forward
- Push the latch cable off the door handle
- Pry off the yellow clip from the lock rod with a pick
- Disconnect the latch cable from the door handle
- Carefully peel off the water shield
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step 3 :Removing the Door Lock Assembly
- Disconnect the door handle latch cable from the clips
- Pry off the door lock rod from the yellow clip near the lock assembly
- Remove the door lock rod
- Remove the 11mm bolt from the door handle lock assembly
- Remove the two T27 Torx bolts from the brace
- Remove the three T27 Torx bolts from the lock assembly
- Lift the assembly up and disconnect the door handle rod from the yellow clip
- Pull the assembly out from the door
- Disconnect the two wiring harnesses from the assembly
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step 4 :Removing the Latch Cable
- Pry off the plastic cover from the assembly
- Push the latch cable out of the bracket
- Push on the lever and release the latch cable
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step 5 :Installing the Latch Cable
- Push the latch cable behind the lever arm and into the bracket
- Slide the plastic cover back over the latch cable
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step 6 :Reinstalling the Door Lock Assembly
- Insert the lock assembly into the door handle
- Tighten the 11mm bolt to the assembly
- Connect the two harnesses to the actuator
- Push the door handle rod into the yellow clip
- Push the lock assembly into place
- Reattach the lock rod to the lock assembly
- Insert the latch into place
- Tighten the three T27 Torx bolts into the latch
- Push the bracket into place
- Tighten the two T27 Torx bolts to the bracket
- Push the door handle rod into the yellow clip
- Clip the latch cable into its clips on the door
- Put the water shield into place
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step 7 :Reinstalling the Door Handle
- Clip the latch cable to the door handle
- Push the lock rod into the yellow clip with a pick and lock it in place
- Slide the door handle back
- Tighten the 6mm bolt to the door handle
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step 8 :Reinstalling the Door Panel
- Connect the harness to the door panel
- Lift the door panel into place
- Push in the door panel clips
- Insert the two 7mm bolts on the bottom of the door panel
- Insert the 7mm bolt in the door pull
- Connect the mirror switch wiring harness
- Push in the mirror switch
- Connect the window switch wiring harnesses
- Connect the door lock wiring harness
- Push in the window switch panel
- Push in the door handle bezel
Tools needed
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Socket Extensions
Flat Blade Screwdriver
T27 Torx Driver
6mm Socket
7mm Socket
Ratchet
11mm Socket
Pick
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Hi, I'm Mike 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're going to show you how to replace a door handle cable on this 2003 Mercury Mountaineer. We show you on the driver side, but the passenger side is the same procedure. The items you'll need for this include a flat blade screwdriver, 6mm, 7mm, and 11mm socket and ratchet with an extension, and T27 Torx bit. You want to make sure that your courtesy lights don't stay on so you don't drain your battery. Just make sure you turn those off.
Pry out from the bottom of this panel with a flat blade screwdriver. Then just slide the panel towards the front of the vehicle and off the door handle. Then lift up on the front of your switch panel and then slide it forward and up. Then push the tabs on these harnesses and disconnect them. For this last one, you're going to want to use a flat blade screwdriver and push in on the tab and pull it free. Your switch panel is free. Now you want to remove this 7mm bolt and these two 7mm bolts right here. We'll just fast-forward as Mike does that. Pry out the switch and then just pry out the tab on the harness and disconnect the harness. Then feed that back through the door panel. Lift the door panel up and then pull it back. Push the tab on this harness to disconnect it, and your door panel is free.
Remove this 6mm bolt and slide the door handle forward. Pull it out and just push this cable free. Then, using a pick, unclip the lock rod. Once you've opened up the clip, use the pick to lift the rod up and out of the clip. Now unclip the cable from inside the door handle, and your door handle is free. Peel back your water shield. You can see Mike is using a razor blade to help separate the adhesive.
Pull this cable from these clips, and then, using a pick, open up this yellow clip right here and then pull the door handle rod free. Remove this 11mm bolt right here, and we'll just fast-forward as Mike does that. Remove these five T27 Torx bolts, and the two farthest from the latch actually hold in this brace. You want to make sure you remove those first, pull the brace out, and then remove the three closest to the latch. Lift your door lock actuator up until you see this yellow clip and push it off this rod. Pull that rod free, and then, pull the latch and actuator assembly from the door, and just disconnect these two harnesses right here. To do that, you just push the tab and pull the harnesses free.
Lift up this plastic cover and then push this cable out of this bracket. It does take a little bit of force to get it free. Then push right here on this lever, pull the cable down and around, and it pulls free.
Take your new one, push it up into place and behind that arm, and then push it back into that bracket and just test it out. Then take this cover, slide it back in, and then down.
Replace and tighten up that 11mm nut. Reconnect those harnesses to your actuator, then push that rod back into the yellow clip, and re-clip it. Then, feed the actuator back down into the door. Re-clip this lock rod back into the lock bezel, and then, line up the latch and replace those three T27 bolts. We'll fast-forward as Mike replaces those and tightens them up. Put this rod back into place, and then, replace those two T27 bolts. Push the handle rod back into this yellow clip and close the clip. Then re-clip the cable back into these clips. Make sure if you disconnected this harness that you push it back into place. Once everything is clipped, push the cable back through the water shield and push your water shield back into place.
Take your new door handle, clip the cable back inside the handle, and then re-clip it to the lock rod. The easiest way to do this is just open that clip up, pull the lock rod in with the pick, and just set it into the clip. Once you have it in place, push it down into the clip with your finger and then close the clip back up. Push that cable in and then push your door handle and slide it back. Then, replace that 6mm bolt and tighten it up.
To replace your door panel, just reconnect this harness, and make sure you push the harness for your mirror switch through. Then push the door panel into place and slide it down. We'll fast-forward as Mike replaces those three 7mm bolts and tightens them up. Reconnect this switch and push it back into place. Then reconnect your switch panel and slide the back end first. Then push the front end down. Then slide this panel back over the door handle and push those tabs back into place. Then push in the front. 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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