Door handle

The driver's door outside handle broke on my truck the day I bought it. I made the dealer I bought it from buy me a new one. Two years later and now that one is on the verge of breaking, too.

Does anyone have a source for another new outside door handle that might last longer than a couple of years?

Thanks,

Matt

 

Toyota door handles are 95% plastic and are prone to breaking over time. I've replaced many of them, using handles obtained from the local PicknPull. They should last longer than that, though. Be gentler when you pull on it .

Your door hardware might be sticking for some reason, requiring more opening force on the handle. Take the door apart and find out why its sticking. Maybe just lubing all the friction points will help.

 

When I get a new handle I'll look at the internals. It's hard to see anything in there, though.

The inside handle doesn't feel stiff, though. I'd think if something were sticking I'd feel it inside, too. yea?

 

Just got a drivers side handle for my double cab. Got tired of opening the front door by reaching in through the back door. $40 from rock auto. Made by doorman. I'll install it in the next couple days.

 

Lucky you had the double cab and could wait. Mine gave out yesterday on my extra cab to the point that I had to crawl in from the passenger side. The Dorman replacement was $79.95 at O'Reilly.

 

At my local Pick-n-pull, outside door handles are $12 each. May not be the right color, though. I had to wait until a truck of the right color showed up. Plus, I got to practice removing one on a wrecked truck .

 

most are black, unless you want a color-matched (red, silver, black, green)

 

First, there'd have to be a Tacoma in a yard. I haven't seen one. Ever.

You can open it from outside without a handle with a pair of pliers. It's a different sort of suck, but maybe better than crawling over from the passenger side.

 

So this will be the third time replacing my driver's side handle in the 6 yrs ive had my truck....these plastic ones just dont hold up to the montana winters. Any suggestions on a sturdier handle? Maybe even one made out of metal? I'm getting really tired of replacing them.

 

I used the el cheapo Dorman ones on both sides about a year ago. So far, holding up.

The 3rd door handle on my 99 s-10 broke, apparently it was an ongoing problem with s-10's. I found an aluminum one for like $25. I was surprised to not be able to find something similar for my Tacoma.

 

If anyone finds links to metal handles let me know.

 

Both my door handles broke

Paid 10$ each for brand new ones and they work great

 

I've been using the $12 ones off Amazon and at -15 degrees or lower they just snap. Aluminum handles would be amazing but after hours of online searching i've come up with nill. I did find a dorman handle that claims a limited lifetime warranty for about $30, anyone ever broken one and dealt with dorman's warranty department?

 

Nope. They're all pretty much low quality. Unless you go oem. Biggest thing here is to keep the latch mechanism lubed and free of dirt/grime. I've gone through a couple sets now, and the last time I sprayed a crap ton of penetrating lube all inside the latch from the outside, as well as the inside. Which the inside has another sliding mechanism for the rod, that is tucked behind (the side window guide iirc, in the area were the latch is) and can be got to by feeling and fishing your straw in from the inside, and spraying that too, and cycling the latch multiple times to clean and lube it fully. Since then mine have been popping open very easily for quite some time now. Just go to town with the lube. Not gonna hurt anything. Just keep a rag handy and wipe up any drips/runs.

 

I have pair of chrome take offs from my old '98.

 

I buy the 10$ ones off eBay. Cheap enough to just replace yearly when they break lol

 

Mine almost broke completely off one day. Dried it off and cleaned it up good and applied jb weld to the crack. So far so good!

 

You put the JB Weld on recently or has it been awhile?

 

Be sure to lube the new one--they will last longer. Had the same problem--lubing helps!

 

Was a couple months ago.