How to Replace Rear Interior Door Handle 2006-10 Ford Explorer
Created on: 2016-11-08
How to repair, install, fix, change or replace a broken or snapped off interior door handle on 06 Ford Explorer
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step 1 :Removing the Rear Door Panel
- Pry off the side trim piece next to the window switch panel with a rag and flat blade screwdriver
- Pry off the trim piece from the pull handle
- Remove the two 7mm bolts in the switch
- Remove the two 7mm bolts in the door pull
- Remove the two 7mm bolts on the bottom of the door panel
- Pry up the window switch panel with a flat blade screwdriver
- Disconnect the wiring harnesses
- Pull the door panel up and off
- Disconnect the door lock cable with a flat blade screwdriver
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step 2 :Removing the Rear Interior Door Handle
- Remove the three 6mm screws from the handle
- Remove the handle
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step 3 :Installing the Rear Interior Door Handle
- Insert the handle into the panel
- Tighten the three 6mm screws to the handle
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step 4 :Reinstalling the Rear Door Panel
- Connect the door lock cable to the door handle
- Lift the door panel into place
- Push in the door panel clips
- Lightly tighten the two 7mm bolts on the bottom of the door panel
- Tighten the two 7mm bolts in the switch
- Tighten the two 7mm bolts in the door pull
- Connect the wiring harnesses to the window switch panel
- Push the window switch panel into place
- Push on the trim piece next to the window switch panel
- Push on the door pull trim piece
Tools needed
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Socket Extensions
Flat Blade Screwdriver
6mm Socket
7mm Socket
Ratchet
Trim Tool Set
Hi, I'm Mike from 1AAuto. We've been selling auto parts for over 30 years! We're dedicated to delivering quality auto parts, expert customer service, and fast and free shipping, all backed by our 100% satisfaction guarantee. We've created thousands of videos to help you install our parts with confidence. That saves you time and money, so visit us at 1AAuto.com, your trusted source for quality auto parts.
In this video, we're working with our 2006 Ford Explorer. We're going to show you how to remove and replace your rear interior door handle. We're working on the driver's side, but this process is going to be exactly the same on the passenger side.
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Here are the items you will need for this repair: trim removal kit, 6-11mm socket, ratchet, socket extension, flat blade screwdriver
Remove these two trim covers here to expose the seven millimeter bolts you need to remove to get our door panel off. You can do this with a small flat blade screwdriver or, if you want to keep your interior in nice shape, you can use one of the trim tools from our interior trim tool removal set available from 1A Auto. With that trim tool and the bottom edge here, we'll start at the back. Pry out the clips. Do the same thing here. Get under one edge, and pop that cover off. With these covers removed, we can access the two seven millimeter screws in the upper portion of the door handle. The two in the door pole here, and a fifth one at the bottom. We'll remove these with a seven millimeter socket, ratchet, and extension.
Using the same interior trim tool, pop up on the tabs for the window switch and disconnect the electrical connector on the bottom. With the screws removed and the switch out, lift up on the door panel and lay it backwards. Push down on the ears that secure the door release cable in place. You want to use the small flat-blade screwdriver to make sure you get some good leverage on there. Push one side in and pull the cable partially out to hold that side compressed before moving on to the other side, at which point you can remove the entire cable from the panel. Pull it out and let the cable through the slot in the top, rotate it and remove it from the latch.
Now, remove your door panel from the vehicle.
In order to remove and replace the door handle here, not to be confused with the door pull which is lower down in the middle of the panel, we'll have to remove these three six millimeter screws on the back. We'll do that using a socket and ratchet. You don't have to use an extension, but if it's more comfortable for you, like it is for me, you can use one. Once those three screws are removed, you can lift out and forward and remove the handle from the panel.
To reinstall the door handle, you'll want to set it in and push back. It can be a little tricky to line up, but don't force anything because this is just a plastic panel. Hold the handle in place and flip your panel over. Then you can reinstall your three six-millimeter screws with your socket and ratchet.
Reinstall the cable into the handle. Send the cable through the slot here. Push the retainers into place until they snap. Sometimes one of these will get caught in there and it'll stay partially compressed, so make sure you wiggle it a little bit, and make sure that it's fully seated and that the window harness comes up through the opening here. Line up your door lock pin. Set the panel into place. Push it down until all the tabs lock into the door. Reconnect your window switch.
Install the panel back into the door until it snaps into place. Reinstall your five seven millimeter screws into the door panel. There's the one black screw at the bottom. It's got the plastic thread on it. Your four machine screws, we'll have two going into the door pull here and two into the handle. A good trick for getting the two screws in at the top, because they're a little difficult up inside there, way at the back, and they'll fall down inside of the door panel if they fall out of your socket, is to just take a little bit of grease. I'm using brake grease, but you can use wheel bearing grease. Coat the head of the bolt with it. You don't need to go crazy here. Just make sure you get a little bit on the flat edges. When you install this into your socket, it'll keep the bolt in place. Reinstall the cover on your door pull. It just snaps into place. The same thing with the one up top on the handle. Make sure you hook the front end in first before snapping the back in.
Thanks for watching. Visit us at 1AAuto.com for quality auto parts, fast and free shipping, and the best customer service in the industry.
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