The driver's side interior door handle on my 2004 Prius snapped. I can buy a replacement part for $25 but I can't find instructions on how to install it. This car has 260,000 miles on it and parts of it actually are held together by baling wire (a couple of underside panels) and duct tape (a loose spoiler) so we're not going to spend a lot of money fixing it. If I can't fix this one myself or for under $100, it may finally be time to buy a new one.
welcome! the service manual is available on line at toyota tech info for $15./day. you can get a new prius prime for $18,000. after rebates, discounts and tax credit. all the best!
I've had my handle out on my '05. Not very hard at all. IIRC, there's a screw behind the little plastic cover behind the handle and one down in the well for your fingers in the arm rest. Depending on your trip level, there might be a pop off speaker housing at the front of the window. Then, just pop off the clips. Best to start at the bottom rear corner of the door panel, but make sure you unplug the courtesy light near that corner before you go too far. After that, it should be fairly self explanatory.
If it's like my Corolla. It's a 15 minute job. I sourced the replacement handle from the rear door so cost was free.
Just had mine out to replace busted lock motor actuator. That sucked. Like jerry said there's 2 screws. One in the armrest grip hole and one on the door latch itself it's under a small plastic cover. Under the latch handle you need a pick of sorts and just pry that black plastic cover off. Screw under there. Then the little black plastic speaker cover next to the window just pulls right off and let it hang by the cord.or just pull the bottom out and turn it. Then the window control assy is just snapped in. Pry it out. Then that whole door panel is snapped in and hanging off the top edge where it meets the window. Unsnap the bottom just pull it off. Lift out the panel for the top snaps then lift It straight up as the top edge of the panel is hanging on the window sill. When u look at the latch thereare no screws holding it in it is snapped in. Little black clip protruding out in the left side of the latch. With hook lift that clip and move the latch to the left should come right out. Install the 2 cables and reassemble.
Yeah, I forgot about the window controls. Thanks, Ed. Pretty important to unplug those before you go too far. I also replaced the actuator on my driver's door lock. Lining up that little shaft was a fussy son of a gun, wasn't it?
Holy crap Jerry I thought I was screwed there. Could not get that lock rod into the actuator. That hole it inserts into is surrounded by a plastic rim that I could not get the rod into. I finally cut that rim off flush and was able to slide past that rod and it went in. I found that I could slip the metal bracket that the window rubber guide is aligned into out leaving just the rubber and zip tied it out of the way. Hardest thing I have done to a car in a long time.
should be at least 1 youtube video on door panel removal, its easy. Phillips screw driver, plastic wedge and a pick is about all the tools you need.
Indeed!! My fingers were sore the next day. I went to Todd to get a replacement. He had one of his employees put it in. She fought it a while and then Todd jumped in. He finally got it after a long battle with me holding a flashlight and just itching to jump in and help. Eventually, he got it in place. Or so we thought. After I got home, I found out that it only partly worked because the little teeth on the end of the rod were not aligned. I think I fought it for about an hour. It's like those 3-D wire puzzles that, once you take them apart, you never get them together again. Compared to that, taking off the door panel is nothing. Well, practically anything is nothing.
I thought I was beat. You need 3 hands 2 for the motor install and one to hold the light. There's that guide cup ridge around that hole that must be used for assembly. before the window is on before the door latch goes on that the motor can't slide past. Maybe your supposed to take the door latch off. Next time I am in tech info I will print that section out. Anyway I cut that guide off flush with motor base and it was able to slide past that rod and it popped in, Your hands get a beating. I bought my actuator from Todd too I think it was $50 cash for the motor and cables. And it worked! Todds a good guy.
Thanks, all! The video definitely helped. Got a knock-of handle on Amazon for $10 (if you tell Amazon what car you have it will tell you if a part you're looking at fits). I forgot about the screw on the handle when putting it back together, but the snaps seem to be holding it in snugly and I know what to do it it fails. Putting it back together is easier than taking it apart, that's for sure.
