How to Remove a Door Handle from a Volkswagen Passat

Applies to: VW All Models (1998-2005)

 

VW B5 and B5.5 Passat (1998-2005); Many VWs have similar designs

Pull Tip: This process is the same for doors with key lock and no key lock. Also, this can be used for rear door too: the T20 is set deeper in the door.

Estimated Pull Time: 15 minutes

Recommended Tools

  • T-20 Torx Driver

Instructions

  • 1

    Remove the plastic cover which will give you access to the T20 release screw for the exterior door handle

  • 2

    Hold the exterior door handle open the entire time that you are working on it

  • 3

    With the door handle held open, use the T20 driver and put it into the release screw and turn it exactly twelve turns. Start with the tool logo facing 12 o’clock so it easy to count the number of rotations

  • 4

    When you release the door handle, it should stick out a little bit. Tap the handle door closed and pull the door lock cylinder out of the door

  • 5

    Pull the handle out again and you will be able to see there is a cable attached to it. This is the cable that attaches the exterior door handle to the door lock actuator. Take that cable off and move it out of the way

  • 6

    Slide the door handle to the back and pull it out and swing it out towards the front of the car

  • 7

    Remove the plastic cover which will give you access to the T20 release screw for the exterior door handle

  • 8

    Hold the exterior door handle open the entire time that you are working on it

  • 9

    With the door handle held open, use the T20 driver and put it into the release screw and turn it exactly twelve turns. Start with the tool logo facing 12 o’clock so it easy to count the number of rotations

  • 10

    When you release the door handle, it should stick out a little bit. Tap the handle door closed and pull the door lock cylinder out of the door

  • 11

    Pull the handle out again and you will be able to see there is a cable attached to it. This is the cable that attaches the exterior door handle to the door lock actuator. Take that cable off and move it out of the way

  • 12

    Slide the door handle to the back and pull it out and swing it out towards the front of the car

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

Hey, everybody. Charles from HumbleMechanic.com here with another DIY and Drive tutorial with Pull-A-Part Used Auto Parts. Today I'm going to be showing you how to take the exterior door handle off of a Volkswagen.

All right, step one is going to be removing this plastic cover. That will give us access to our T20 screw, that's going to be the release screw for this exterior door handle. Now this is a job that I've seen people do wrong a ton of times. So I'm going to show you my trick for doing this without messing it up. Hold the exterior door handle open the entire time you're working on it. Now with the door handle held open, we're going to take our T20 driver, we're going to put it in the release screw, and we're going to turn this exactly 12 turns. And what I like to do is start with the tool logo facing at 12 o'clock, so I see it as it rotates around 12 turns. So we're going to go ahead and go 12 turns out. One, two, three--use your favorite counting method for this. Six, seven, eight, nine. You'll feel it getting easier as you go.

Now when you release the door handle, it won't quite feel right, and that's a good thing. Notice how it's sticking out just a little bit, this gap right here, I like to tap it closed. Turning that screw allows us to pull the door lock cylinder out of the door. Now that we have the lock cylinder out of the door, we're going to pull the handle out again, and you can see that there's a cable attached to it right here. This is the cable that attaches the exterior door handle to the door lock actuator. And all we got to do is pop that off and get the cable out of the way, then what we can do is slide the door handle to the back, and pull it out and swing it out that way. And you have just removed one door handle without messing it up.

All right, so there you guys have it, the easy way to remove a door handle on a Volkswagen. And the big takeaway here is the number 12. It's 12 turns taking it out, and it's going to be about 12 turns going back in. All right guys, Charles from HumbleMechanic.com, thanks for watching and I will see you next time.

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