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Drivers side door handle

3K views 23 replies 8 participants last post by  TomatoSoup 
#1 ·
I have a 2008 Solstice, and I have looked everywhere I can think of for a replacement interior door handle. The original one is peeling and it has a very sharp edge to it. The ones I keep finding are not even close to what is in it now. I have thought about taking it out peeling all the silver off and painting it flat black.
Any ideas?
 
#2 ·
You can order an inside door handle for a Cobalt on Amazon. There is a thread with how to remove the bad handle, then remove the Cobalt handle from its mount and finally how to install the new handle in your Sol
 
#4 ·
:surprise:Oh my goodness !! I am truly a do it yourself kinda gal, but this sounds like a lot of work, not to mention over my head. I have had my door panels off to adjust the windows, so I know what it looks like inside. I would love to take it to the dealer and say "Fix it before I slice my hand open" but I dont like my dealer. I will look into the replacement handle, so thank you for telling me where to look. I may just peel all the chrome off and paint them myself. I painted my break calipers, and wipers purple so I could always go that route!! :)
 
#5 · (Edited)
First: Buy a replacement Cobalt handle - they're pretty cheap off eBay. Then, work out how to remove the pivot pin from the replacement and see if you can do it. If you can do the replacement, you can do the original, and you've had the door off already (which is probably the most difficult part!)

It's really not that bad - you can do this! (Plus, it's probably a lot easier than trying to peel the old chrome off; and trying to sand and paint the old handle in place; and THEN having mismatched door handles that you'll see every day...)

Update: Did a quick search... Less than $9 shipped (no affiliation, etc): https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Tan-Ch...-R-FOR-2005-10-COBALT-2007-09-G5/370681129970
 
#6 ·
If you have had the door panel off you are most of the way there.

Basically you rotate the top edge of the handle mount out and away from the door. Its held in place by a long clip along the top edge. You can pry it out enough to get at the pivot pin. Then you use a Philips screwdriver to push the pin out. The spring will come out as well.

Then you hold the new handle in place AND the spring while you push the pin down from the top to mount the replacement handle. The tricky part is holding the handle and the spring while you reinsert the pin. I used a magnet to hold the spring and it was easy to do.

Then you use a screwdriver to slip the top edge of the mount back under the retaining clip and you are done.
 
#7 ·
Thanks guys. You make it sound easy. I will give it a try. Im about to get two weeks off so it will be a good time to tackle it. So I will order my part and have it ready to install when the time comes. I will come back and let you know how it went. :thumbs:
 
#16 · (Edited)
I did it!!!! I did it!!!

Well I studied my new handle and watched a refresher on how to take the door panel off, and got my new interior door handle on!!!! I wish I could say I did it all myself, but it turned out I needed an extra hand. My boyfriend, despite having gone to the dentist today, helped me. I did break the slotted clip that the handle sets in, but I melted it back together with a solder gun. I don't think it will come loose with all the other spots still in tack. The hardest part was getting the pin out. Kent told me to take a picture of the position of the spring so I would get it back in the way it should go. The old pin was plastic, I was glad to see the new pin was metal with a little "E" ring at the end. I bought the passenger side handle as well. It is starting to bubble but I wont do that one till it needs it. My next DIY project is the turn signal. It doesnt click back into place anymore. I have to remember to turn my signals off after I make a turn. I already bought the replacement part for it.
I took pictures. But all I can say is YEA ME :yay: And yea Kent for helping !!!
 

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#21 ·
When others had this issue, the dealer solution was to replace the whole door panel (since the handle alone was/is not a replaceable part).

But given the panels are hard to come by now, I wonder if dealerships have smartened up. Hah! What am I saying?
 
#23 · (Edited)
Just called the local dealer for a price on fixing my door handle. The labor would have been $187.00 for one hour, and the part would have been $268.76. They would have had to order the whole door panel. They did say they would put it on if I could find just the handle, but they would have to charge me for two hours labor. So I saved $439.76 dollars doing it myself.
 
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