How to Replace Exterior Door Handle 2002-06 Nissan Altima
Created on: 2013-11-20
Watch this video to learn how to replace an exterior door handle. The experts at 1A Auto show how to replace a broken or snapped outside door handle on your 02-06 Nissan Altima.
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step 1 :Removing the Door Panel
- Pry off the screw cap inside the door pull with a flat blade screwdriver
- Remove the Phillips head screw inside the door pull
- Pry off the window switch panel with a flat blade screwdriver
- Disconnect the wiring harnesses from the switch panel
- Pry off the window base trim panel with a flat blade screwdriver
- Pry off the screw cap inside the door handle with a flat blade screwdriver
- Remove the Phillips screw inside the door handle
- Remove the Phillips screw behind the door pull
- Pull off the courtesy light
- Disconnect the courtesy light from its wiring harness
- Pry the door panel off by hand
- Lift the door panel up and off
- Disconnect the cables from the inner door handle
- Disconnect the wiring harness from the door panel
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step 2 :Removing the Regulator Panel
- Pull the wiring harnesses out of their clips
- Peel off the two rubber covers with a razor blade
- Connect the switch panel to its wiring harness
- Turn the ignition on
- Raise the window with the switch
- Remove the two 10mm bolts from the window regulator
- Pull the window out by hand
- Disconnect the window switch from the inner door panel
- Remove the nine 10mm bolts from the door panel
- Pull off the regulator panel
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step 3 :Removing the Outer Door Handle
- Undo the clips for the outer door handle rods
- Pull the rods out of the outer door handle
- Remove the small plastic cover from the door by hand
- Remove the two 10mm bolts from the door handle
- Pull the door lock wiring harness out of its clip
- Push the outer door handle out of the door
- Remove the 10mm bolt that holds the lock to the outer door handle
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step 4 :Installing the New Outer Door Handle
- Paint the new door handle to the desired color
- Attach the lock to the new outer door handle
- Insert the 10mm bolt into the door lock
- Feed the door handle into the door
- Clip the rods onto the door handle
- Insert the two 10mm bolts into the new outer door handle
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step 5 :Reinstalling the Regulator Panel
- Put the regulator panel into place
- Insert the nine 10mm bolts into the regulator panel
- Slide the window into the door by hand
- Replace the small plastic cover
- Insert the two 10mm bolts into the window regulator
- Put on the two rubber covers
- Reconnect the wiring harnesses and push them into their clips
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step 6 :Reinstalling the Door Panel
- Put the door panel into place
- Connect the wiring harness to the door panel
- Clip the two cables to the inner door handle
- Pull the wiring harnesses through the door panel cavity
- Put the door panel into place
- Push in the door panel clips
- Connect the courtesy light to the wiring harness
- Push the courtesy light in to place
- Insert the Phillips screw inside the door handle
- Push in the screw cap inside the door handle
- Insert the Phillips screw behind the door pull
- Connect the wiring harnesses to the window switch panel
- Insert the Phillips head screw into the door pull
- Push in the screw cap inside the door pull
- Push on the mirror base trim
Tools needed
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Razor Blade / Gasket Scraper
Flat Blade Screwdriver
Phillips Head Screwdriver
10mm Socket
Ratchet
Brought to you by 1AAuto.com, your source for quality replacement parts and the best service on the Internet.
Hi, I'm Don from 1A Auto. I hope this how-to video helps you out, and next time you need parts for your vehicle, think of 1AAuto.com. Thanks.
In this video, we're going to show you how to replace a front exterior door handle on this 2003 Nissan Altima, it's the same process on the Altimas from '02 to 2006. The items you'll need for this are a new exterior door handle from 1AAuto.com, flat blade screwdriver, 10mm socket and ratchet and a Philips screwdriver.
Start off by removing this screw cap right here. Underneath that there's a Philips screw. You want to go ahead and remove that. Pry up the switch panel, starting at the top here. Now disconnect the harnesses from the switch panel, just push down on the tabs and pull the harness out. Now pry out this triangular panel at the top of the door panel and remove the screw cap from behind the door handle. Now you just want to remove these two Philips screws. Down here is your courtesy light. It just pulls out and you can just pull out the harness and then pull out around the door to release the clips and the door panel just lifts up and off. Now in the back side of the door panel, there's these two cables, they disconnect the same. Pull them out, lift it up and it's free.
Then you just want to push on the tab on this harness and pull it out. Now you just want to disconnect these harness clips, just push on the tab and pull the harness free and you want to remove this harness from this inner door panel here so just grab either side of the clips and pull out until it comes free.You may need flat blade screwdriver to help you out on some of these and we're just going to fast forward as Don does the rest of them. Right here you can see there are these two covers, you just want to use a razor blade and pull those off. Now you just want to connect your switch panel, just plug the harnesses into it. Then, just move your window regulator up until you can see those two 10mm bolts, right there. Just go ahead and remove those. Now that those bolts are removed, you can just pull your window up and out. Disconnect your switch panel. Lining your inner door panel there are nine 10mm bolts, you just want to remove these. Once those are removed, the inner door panel will just pull right off.
Now, on the back of your exterior door handle, there's these two rods here held on with clips. There's this one right here and there's one with the orange clip back there and to disconnect these you just push up on that clip and it may take a little bit of effort. Then you just pull that rod out and you want to do the same thing to the other one. Now as you can see both rods are disconnected. Remove this plastic cover and then right here on the back of your exterior door handle there's a 10mm bolt right there and another one right there, just remove those. Now, pull that harness right out of the clip there and you just want to push from one side and pull from the other and your door handle will come right out. There's a 10mm bolt right here, remove that to disconnect your lock.
The new door handle is on the left, the old one on the right. You can see the one from 1A Auto is black but if you want it to paint it to match your vehicle, you could buy some spray paint that's close and paint it with that or you could take it to an auto parts store with a paint department and get an air-charged can of the paint that actually matches your vehicle. We're just going to reinstall our old door handle because it's in good condition. You just want to put the lock in place and replace that 10mm bolt. Feed the door handle back into the door. Reclip the rods on the back of the door handle. We're going to fast forward here as Don replaces those two 10mm bolts.
Put your inner door panel back into place and make sure you're not pinching any harnesses. Then replace the nine 10mm bolts. Feed the window back down into place and into that window regulator. Replace the plastic cover. Now put the bolt into the socket and feed it into the door and replace those two 10mm bolts to hold the window in place. Place those two covers. Now you want to reconnect you harnesses and push them back into that inner door panel. Now to reinstall your door panel, it's pretty much a reverse of the procedure. You just push your harness into place and slide your door handle and lock cable down into that slot, push it forward and clip it into the door panel. Push the harnesses through the door panel. Then just line it up on the windowsill and push it down into place and make sure that the harness for your courtesy light comes through. Then, line up the clips on the back of the door panel and just hit them into place. Reconnect your courtesy light and push it into place. Replace the two Philips screws, the one behind the door handle and the one in the pull cup. Reconnect your switch panel, just plug the harnesses in and push the switch panel down into place. Replace the Philips screw in the switch panel. Now just replace that triangular panel and you're all set.
We hope this video helps you out. Brought to you by www.1AAuto.com, your source for quality replacement parts and the best service on the Internet. Please feel free to call us toll-free, 888-844-3393. We're the company that's here for you on the Internet and in person.
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