If you've had your Holden for a while, you probably haven't put much thought into your door handles, until one day you grab it and it just feels off. The handle is still working, but the door just won't open. Naturally, you operate the remote or key a couple of times, but it's as if the door is still locked, and it would seem that you've locked yourself out of your own car. You try the passenger's door, and it works perfectly fine.
Although this is great news, you still have to climb over the center console which is undignified or straight-up impossible, but at least you're in your car and on your wary way home. The driver's door handle is usually the one that becomes faulty first, simply because it's the one used most. If you're suspicious of having a faulty handle, you should consider shopping for brand new Holden door handles as soon as possible. Most factory handles are made of cheap plastics or cast metal, which is why they eventually crack and snap off.
If you're handy with car tools, you can probably replace your old door handles with the new Holden door handles. All you'll need is a Philips screwdriver, a painter's tape, a socket wrench set and a Torx bit set. Firstly, you'll have to locate the fasteners, which are usually located in the door jamp. Sometimes it's behind a piece of weatherstrip or a plastic plug, while sometimes it's in plain view. In most cases, it will be the only fastener, but there may also be a screw at the forward end.
Then, you'll need to apply the painter's tape around the door handle to prevent yourself from scratching the paint. It's important to use a decent quality tape which can be easily removed to protect your car's finish. Once you've applied the tape, you'll need the Philips screwdriver, the Torx driver or the socket set to remove the bolts. Once you remove the bolts, you can move the handle fore and aft.
Remove the handle by sliding it toward the front of your Holden, after which you can tilt out the rear of the handle out of the door. Once you do that, the front of the handle will be free to slide out of the door. If there are any mechanisms that prevent this will become apparent at this point. The handle may feature a pair of wires for the alarm, which can easily be popped off using your fingers.
Now to install your new handles, make sure you have all the rubber gaskets in place, and then slide the front end of the handle into the slot before starting to insert the back end. Reconnect any electrical connections or links, and slowly guide the handle into the slot. By looking into the hole, you can see the mechanisms that the handle has to engage, and it may become necessary to use the trigger or the lock to get the latch to engage with the mechanism when you insert the handle.
Lastly, install the fasteners back on but don't tighten them yet. Make sure the handle is properly seated against the door, and if there's a fastener on the front, install it but don't tighten it. The fastener at the door jamp is the one you should tighten before any other fasteners. Now it's time to try the new door handle out, test the lock and alarm to make sure everything is hooked up properly.
