What are Exterior Door Handles and where are they located?

An exterior door handle allows you to open the outside door of your vehicle and get in. Every vehicle will have a driver side and passenger side exterior handle, and vehicles with rear doors will have exterior door handles for those as well. If your vehicle has a liftgate, tailgate, or rear hatch, there will be another handle installed on the outside of the rear of the vehicle as well.

Most cars, trucks, SUVs, and vans, the outside door handle is bolted to the outer door skin. Inside the door, the handle is attached to a connecting rod/link that moves the door latch. Over time, the latch becomes worn due to lack of lubrication or excessive contaminates (dirt, grime, rust) in the mechanism. This wear puts stress on the door handle parts because it requires more force to move. If the stress is too much for the handle to take, the handle can snap. Vehicles that have the lock cylinder built into the exterior door handle, the handle may get damaged when the cylinder is struck during an attempted break in.

How do I know my door handle needs to be replaced?

If you try to open your door and it will not budge, it may be due to a faulty exterior door handle. Door handles can be susceptible to breaking after constant use whether its the physical piece itself or one of its integral parts.  If you're having a hard time getting your door to budge, it has something to do with the handle.

Can I replace the door handle myself?

Yes. The door handle is possible to repair for the novice do-it-yourself. The process involves the removal of the door panel to access the door handle. From there you'll unclip the door handle rod and possibly the door lock rod. When the door handle it removed, if it has a lock cylinder, the retaining clip will need to be removed so you can switch the lock over to your new door handle. When the repair is complete you'll be able to freely open and close your door once again.

Exterior door handles are used rather frequently - every time you get into your vehicle. Thus, they are subject to and incur general wear and tear, which causes them to break over time. And let’s be honest - is there anything worse than a broken door handle on the outside of your vehicle? Don't you hate having to leave your window open in order to reach inside your car or truck to pull the handle to get in? Not only a big inconvenience, it leaves your vehicle vulnerable to the weather and to thieves.

If you need a new aftermarket replacement outside door handle, 1A Auto has the best car and truck door handle parts on the market. If you want a door handle to match the color of your vehicle, you can paint it yourself, or you pay a professional auto body shop to paint to match your vehicle's color. Every auto part we sell is built to the highest quality control standards and our outer auto door handle products are no exception!

1A Auto Outside Door Handle Features:

• Direct bolt-on replacements for the original. No modification necessary.
• With either a metal or heavy-duty plastic construction, an outdoor car door handle from 1A Auto is strengthened and redesigned in failure-prone areas.
• Looking to upgrade the outside appearance of your vehicle? We offer exterior handles in chrome, gloss black, or matte black. Our handles can be installed as-is or painted to match the vehicle.
• Need more than one exterior door handle? Save money and purchase one of our handle kits!

Don't let a malfunctioning exterior door handle slow you down. Get in and get on with your day! Buy a new aftermarket car or truck door handle replacement from 1A Auto today!