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1994 1L fitting a replacement door handle n/s - kman15
Hello



I've picked up a great little runner which failed it's MoT on rear light not working - simple fix was new bulbs - and the passenger door handle fascia was broken off - although it still works!!!

I tried to take the door panel off but have been stumped with the removal of the window winder. Do you have a take apart or step by step guide for the handle replacement please.

I also fear that there may be some "special" industry tool needed to unclip/remove the window winder.

Please advise


1994 1L fitting a replacement door handle n/s - alecb
A bit late to reply but this might help someone else as I've just replaced the passenger and driver's door handles on a 1998 Micra bought recently as both handles were cracked.

The job's not too difficult and you don't need any special tools.
I have the Haynes manual but not everything is in there.
My car doesn't have electric windows pr central locking so no need for disconnecting wiring etc.

1) Remove the surround to the inner door handle. Try to remove the part nearest the front of the car first as it has a couple of small protrusions that clip into the metal frame behind it. Once you have the friot part loose - it might take a bit of brute force ! - open the door handle slightly and slide the back plate towards the rear of the car and it should come off easily.
2) The window winder. This is held on with a small C shaped spring circlip which is made of fairly soft wire. If you shine a light on it you should see the end of the C and then using a thin long screwdriver or maybe a ruler ease the clip away from the shaft on which the winder is located. Carefull that the circlip doesn't spring out of sight or it's off to the Nissan dealer for another one! Then just pull the winder off its shaft.
3) The door panel is held in place by about 8 (?) fairly strong plastic press studs. You should be able to pull the panel away from the door with just hands as using a screwdriver might damage the paintwork. Once its all free, lift it up from the bottom rear and gently slide it upwards to free it from the top of the door. You might find this easier if you wind the window down first.
4) Next pull the plastic sheeting back slightly to give you acess to the back of the handle inside the door.
5) Next remove the 2 x 10mm nuts holding on the door handlec inside the door.
6) The Haynes manual mentions nothng about taking tye handle away from the door to replace with the new one but if you do you will also remove the rod that goes from the handle to the locking mechanism. I can't see how you can do this without withdrawing the metal rod and this is the part that gave me the nost grief when trying to replace the new handle.
7) Once having replced the rod on the new handle insert the rod through the hole in the door that you pulled the old one out of and feed it down. You will now have to try to get the end of the rod through the hole that it came out of in the locking mechanism. There is a yellow plastic moulding that contains the hole and the only way that I could find of seeing this was by looking through one of the holes that the panel press studs pops into. It's only about 5mm across but it can be done. I did mine on a nice sunny day and found that the sun lit this up much better than a torch but if it's winter you'll have to get someone else to hold the torch. It's the same for both passenger and driver side. You probably can't see the hole so I used an old wire coat hanger and bent it so that I could poke it around to find exactly where the hole was that the rod fits into.
8) Once you have the rod in the hole tighten the two 10mm nuts but not too tightly as they are on plastic threads on the door handle and it will be all too easy to strip the threads.
9) Then fix back the plastic sheet
10) To fit back the door panel I suggest that you wind the window down which makes it easier to fit it in. Before fitting back any of the other fittings make sure that the window winds up and down freely. If not, take the panel off and refit.
11) Finally fit the door pull, window winder (making sure that the circlip has engaged in the grove on the spline) and door opener back plate.

Job Done and a few quid saved!
1994 1L fitting a replacement door handle n/s - Haypressto

At point (7) you can improve visibility by releasing the lower end of the window glass guide (remove bolt at bottom of rear of door) and flexing it forward (pull out the rubber to help) don't worry it all clips back together again! It might also help to loosen the lower but on the lock barrel protector plate and swivel that out the way too (the upper end is released when you remove one of the handle nuts at step (5)

Note that the control rod only has to push down through the yellow guide until it reaches the first bend in the rod - it is then free to allow the mechanism to slide up and down it when the interior door handle is operated.

It all becomes very easy then!