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My Interior Door Handle Broke, Help

33K views 23 replies 16 participants last post by  TrappedOnEarth 
#1 ·
I have a 2.0L 2004 New Beetle hardtop. Today while getting in my car and reaching for the door handle to close the door, well it broke. The plastic broke right up near the upper part of the screw. Anyone know where I could get a replacement interior door handle (gray in color). I couldn't locate anything online. I'd appreciate any help. Thanks,

Mike
 
#2 ·
Is it the door handle that opens the door or the handle bar that closes it?

If its the one that closes the door then you can buy a whole assembly from ebay for like 10 bucks.


if its the handlebar unfortunately you will have to find someone to take it off and epoxy it back on. Its a common problem and even happened to me a month or so ago.
 
#12 ·
As are many other cars...I test drove a brand new Focus last fall and man, that car just looked and felt so cheap on the inside. I could see 20 different pieces that I could see breaking due to poor quality plastics.


As for the Jeep handle fix...it needs to be done much better. You can see so much of the cut away plastic that it really makes it look bad IMO.
 
#15 ·
The door handles on both doors have broken on my daughter's 2001 Beetle, but about a year apart.

For the passenger I drilled holes and used zip ties and got a solid fix.

The driver's broke recently and after trying to duplicate what I did on the passenger's, it was still a bit loose. I couldn't get a good angle on the top rear portion, which left the top crack noticeable and a not so solid feeling.

I opted to try another users chain from bolt to bolt fix that I saw here in the forums, but with strapping wire instead. I thought getting the chain exactly right-sized to make a snug hangle might pose more of a challenge than needed.

This isn't a pretty fix, but with the handle cover, the ugliness is completely hidden.

I started by wrapping the strapping wire around the bolt tightly and made 2 of these with about 10 inches extra (ignore shadow of the wire):



Then I took a soldering iron and melted a valley for the wires to lay in.

Then I used pliers to twist each end together until I got a real tight snug secure handle.

Then I forced the twisted ends back into the holes so it they wouldn't block the handle cover/top from going back in.

I also had to melt a groove in the handle cover/top that slid into where the bolt holes are.

Yes, this is ghetto. But it's hidden completely by the cover.



Yes, you lose the 3 clips that hold the handle cover but 2 of my 3 broke when I removed it for the first time. AND the cover stays put just fine by friction and I think there are a couple tabs too that keep it in place.

Yes, it weakens the plastic, but the handle is already broken.

The only way I see the see to fix this the right way is to replace the whole door panel since the handle is part of the panel. The panel is $500. I'll settle for my ugly ghetto fix that's hidden.

But if anyone is a fabricator, it seems to me there is a gold mine here, since both mine broke. One could fabricate a bolt to bolt fix with cut outs for the handle clips.
 
#16 ·
Door Handle Solution

Just recently had my driver side grab bar broke, my passenger side was already broken. Since it wasn't the driver side it did'nt bother me. Now I'm forced to get them both repaired. While looking at all DIY's on here, and some googling some others I came across this on ebay. A great clean and what looks to be a reliable solution. A metal pull replacement for both handles and it comes in multiple customizations. I think I will invest, but I wanted to share with everybody on here.

here's the link
VW Beetle Interior Door Handle | eBay

 

Attachments

#20 ·
Go for it, I did and love them. Super solid and give the door a super cool look in my opinion!

Just recently had my driver side grab bar broke, my passenger side was already broken. Since it wasn't the driver side it did'nt bother me. Now I'm forced to get them both repaired. While looking at all DIY's on here, and some googling some others I came across this on ebay. A great clean and what looks to be a reliable solution. A metal pull replacement for both handles and it comes in multiple customizations. I think I will invest, but I wanted to share with everybody on here.

here's the link
VW Beetle Interior Door Handle | eBay

 

Attachments

#18 ·
Dieselgeek/Jim is AWESOME! He fixed mine and several others Bugs door handles at Roswell this past June. In fact, Daisy (my bug) is a "model" on his website for the beetle brace. :D
 
#19 ·
Hey Cori Bug, nice to hear your car is a model! You need to collect some royalties for each beetle brace he sell!:D:D

Jim is a nice guy with a excellent customer service. Every time I e-mail him, he reply ASAP. I also purchase from him a deluxe 1.8T timing belt kit for my engine.

Cheers,

Isaac
 
#24 ·
Thanks. I did get them from eBay and they shipped very quickly (despite the New Year holiday). I installed it very easily and quickly. I am very pleased with the end results. I can't believe how I long I had suffered with a half broken handle before it completely broke off and I bought this replacement. I should had forced off the half broken one a while back and replaced it then.

Not a biggie, but my only disappointment was that from the photos on eBay, I though the metal handle was curved (bowed) outward a little. Instead they are flush flat. I looked over the photos again, and I think it was just an optical illusion that made me think they were curving outward. Again, not a biggie and I am very satisfied with my end result. I'm pleased with my new metal, stronger than before door handle.

Since the set includes two handles, I am all set if and when the handle breaks on my other door.
 
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