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In this video, we're going to show you how to replace an inside door handle on this 2008 Equinox, same as any '05 to '09 Equinox and the process is basically the same for any door and it's also similar for the Pontiac Torrent. Tools you'll need are flat blade screwdriver, Phillips screwdriver, 10mm socket with a ratchet and an extension, door panel clip tool or putty knife and a T30 Torx driver.
If you look hidden behind your door handle, there's a Phillips screw. Start by removing that. Then in the front, you just pry a little bit with a screwdriver. It unclips and then pulls off. Carefully with a screwdriver start in the back on this piece of trim here and pull out. Then just work your way and eventually you'll pop the clips loose. Then get one last one right up closer to the front here. Then that comes out. Right inside here there's two 10mm bolts, remove those. Use a little fast forward as we take those bolts out and you'll see us do this a lot with the redundant steps in the video. Right up here, if you can get your finger underneath or use a screwdriver, pull out on this panel and then it connects to a little speaker. Just pull that connection apart. Put that down.
Now, the hit panel is held in by a series of clips. A door panel clip tool is the right tool. If you only have a putty knife, you can actually see the first one. Pull the panel out a little bit get right down next to that clip that you can see right down in there. Pull with the knife and the panel at the same time. I popped two out on that one. Keep going down until you feel the next clip, same thing, and go all the way around. Just speed it up here as I work my way around with all the clips. Once you've released the panel around the edges, just grab the top firm and pull and it comes out. You'll want to pull the water shield back. Do it carefully. You'll want to save this because it does protect the inside of your panel from getting water in it. It reduced the noise but just pull it down far enough so you can get to the door handle.
Right here there's a T30 Torx bit. Remove that. Actually lock the door. It gets that rod out of the way. Now it's unlocked. On your lock switch here, there's a couple of tabs on top. Push those down, pull the top out and then there's a tab right back here that the harness hooks in. Just press that tab and unhook your harness. Now your handle comes forward and off the door. Unclip these rods from there.
On the back of the handle, you have to pry these clips off and then pull the rod up and out. With a flat blade screwdriver, reach back here and pry those clips. It's not always easy. Get that one off and this one down here, just get my thumb and get that one off and the door handle comes off.
I'm just going to put it back on. Put this one in, put it down into its hole, flip the clip around and clip it on. This one goes up from the bottom, flip the clip around, and clip it on. The tabs go into the slots in the door here. Put them in and slide it back. Again you can lock it. It gives you good access to this hole. With the T30 screw, make sure it's going in straight. Flip those back in there. Take your lock switch, put it in and then connect it. Then put your water shield in.
Put the door panel back on. It's pretty easy. There are tabs that go in right up here. You, basically, put the door panel on, peek back there a little bit, guide them into place. Make sure you don't lock the door. Punch these on, get them all, and with a firm fist, pound those clips in. Put in two 10mm bolts. Put the bezel back in. Put the front in first. For this screw, if you have a magnetic screwdriver that's the best thing, otherwise just carefully place it in there and tighten it up nice and firm. This panel, put the front in first. Just peek in back here. Make sure everything is going in okay, make sure that's pressed in and goes into the panel. Plug in our speaker again. Put it down on the door panel first and you can see the clip right there and you're all set.
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