Grand Prix - Broken door handles

Hi all! Hope someone can help me out here. I have a '93 Grand Prix 3.1L coupe with broken door handles on both sides. It opens fine from the inside but from the outside the handle is not catching anything. Just kinda floppy.

Is there an easy & cheap fix for this? I always drive by a junk yard that has a '93 sitting there and keep wondering if I can't just replace the panel that the handle & lock are on.

If anyone has experience with this problem, I would really appreciate some input! Right now I have to keep a window partially open so I can reach in to open the door. Huge pain when it's raining!

Thanks!!
Jan

Hi all! Hope someone can help me out here. I have a '93 Grand Prix 3.1L coupe with broken door handles on both sides. It opens fine from the inside but from the outside the handle is not catching anything. Just kinda floppy.

Is there an easy & cheap fix for this? I always drive by a junk yard that has a '93 sitting there and keep wondering if I can't just replace the panel that the handle & lock are on.

If anyone has experience with this problem, I would really appreciate some input! Right now I have to keep a window partially open so I can reach in to open the door. Huge pain when it's raining!

Thanks!!
Jan

Try these. It's everything I can find on this site about it.
Hope it helps,

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/search.php?searchid=967684

Thanks kustomkid54. The link helps.
Does anyone know how difficult of a job it would be to replace them? I'm rather automotively challenged!

Jan

Thanks kustomkid54. The link helps.
Does anyone know how difficult of a job it would be to replace them? I'm rather automotively challenged!

Jan

Jan hang in there. I have never owned a Grand Prix older then a 1997. But there are a lot around here.
The only site I have saved for your year of car is this one;
http://www.andysautosport.com/models.php?make=Pontiac&id=Po90Grand

I will also check with a couple friends from the St. Louis fourm.

Good luck

I think everyone that has a coupe('88-'96) has to replace the door handles one time or another. It's something that happens pretty often. If the junk yard still has the handles(& they're not broken), I would go see how much they would want other wise I would go on e-bay-they don't really cost too much there-I think the kind you would want to get would be the flat paint(the '94-'96 GP I think had the glossy paint) unless that doesn't really bother you. It's not too hard to do, you basically need this one tool(go to your local Advanced Auto, Auto Zone ect) they should be able to at least help you with getting the tool & getting you in the right direction-if they're not busy they might even install it for you-the guys there usually love coming out to help the ladies-lol(I know from experience) Hope this helps a little-Laura

Try this. Sorry I had to copy the whole thing. It keep going back to home page.

Door Handle Problems

Last updated: January 18, 2000

Applies to:

1988-97 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 2-dr
1988-96 Pontiac Grand Prix 2-dr
1988-96 Buick Regal 2-dr
1990-94 Chevrolet Lumina 2-dr
Why it breaks.
The door handle assembly is made of a brittle die-cast aluminum alloy, commonly referred to as "pot metal". It often breaks and causes the door handle to flop around loose. This is because the metal used to cast the door handle itself is too brittle, and over normal use, it will gradually weaken until it snaps.

Buy a new door handle.
Unless you have good welding skills, there is no way to repair the old door handle. The metal is physically broken. The door handle was available with two different types of finish, satin black, and gloss black. Be sure you buy the right kind. A brand new door handle will have a much better movement and feel than a used one from a junkyard, but can cost up to $40 more depending on where you buy it. As of late-1999, the retail price for a door handle is $75.70. Most dealerships will charge about that much, but others may charge more. My local dealer wanted $84 for one! Here are my door handle sources:

Brand new Genuine GM door handle: Dal Slabaugh - $53.50+shipping (12/99).
New aftermarket clone door handle: GCStilley@aol.com - $40 shipped within USA.
Replacement.
Replacing the door handle assembly is very easy. It is replaced from inside the door jamb behind the door handle itself. The door handle assembly is the entire unit, including the exterior pillar trim plate the door handle is mounted in.

Remove the plastic cover behind the door handle assembly by removing one black 14mm nut from just above the door handle, and 1 screw (usually phillips) from the bottom of the plastic cover.
Remove linkages from lock cylinder and door handle assembly. Use a small flathead screwdriver to slide retaining clips forward, and linkages will come free.
Remove one black 14mm nut from the very top of the door handle assembly.
Remove one phillips screw drom the bottom of the door handle assembly.
Door handle assembly should now come free by pulling out slightly at the top, and pulling upwards.
Transfer lock cylinder and key minder light (if applicable) to new door handle assembly. Lock cylinder is retained by a single TORX bolt.
Reinstall in reverse.
TIP: If you lose or damage any of those black plastic coated nuts, order new ones. They are GM p/n 10067214 and should be around $0.58/each. There are two on each door.

Preventing Door Handle Breakage.
Due to the brittle nature of the material used to make the door handle, the major key to keeping it from breaking is not to be too rough on it. Here are some tips that may really help:

Stop pulling the door handle when the door opens. Many door handles I've seen are slightly bent out at the top due to being pulled a little past its end of travel.
Don't try to "fix" a rubbing or warped door handle, or it will break. The door handle can't take much stress! Of course, if the rubbing of a warped door handle bugs you that much, and you don't care if you break it since you'd rather have one that works well anyhow, then go ahead and give it a try.
When the door opens enough, pull the door completely open from a spot above the door handle. If you keep pulling on the door handle to open the door, it will bend ever so slightly over time, and eventually the top of the door handle won't rest against its rubber stop. After awhile, it will SNAP.
Copyright ©2000 The W-Body Page

This is Dal's email address;

lockitup@bright.net

It didn't want to work above.

Good luck

kustomkid, you are AWESOME! That's exactly the kind of info I was looking for!!! Hope you didn't spend too much time finding it. But, I sure do appreciate that you found it!

Thanks to you too, Laura!!! I'll let you know how it goes when I get around to fixing it!

Thanks again, all!!!!!!
Jan

kustomkid, you are AWESOME! That's exactly the kind of info I was looking for!!! Hope you didn't spend too much time finding it. But, I sure do appreciate that you found it!

Thanks to you too, Laura!!! I'll let you know how it goes when I get around to fixing it!

Thanks again, all!!!!!!
Jan

Anytime we can help, we here.

I used to install these at the plant where your Grand Prix was made. I worked on the door line and did repair. Your plastic clip that holds the handle rod has broken and your rod has come out of the mechanism. It is a cheap fix but time consuming to have someone do it as it involves taking the panle off and reaching inside to replace the clip. If you were close to me i would do it for free. Let me know how it turns out and if this fixes it. Don't let a dealer tell you to buy the whole lock mechanism. I hope this helps. If anyone else has any door questions feel free to email me.

http://www.1aauto.com/1A/DoorHandleExterior/Pontiac/GrandPrix/PLP1090020/40946
If you go to this link they have the door handles for $25 each & they say they have redesigned the door handle with steel instead of the pot metal, so it would never break again. I'm going to definately keep them in mind the next time I need one-LOL Laura