Hi all,

I've been a long-time lurker, had to register to get the answer to a problem that's stumped me. I've searched the forums exhaustively for a solution to my problem, and have found nothing.

I've got a 2009 Ranger. The passenger-side door handle broke (as they are want to do). I ordered a replacement, watched some YouTube videos, and presumed I was up to the task of swapping them out.

I removed the interior door panel, the water shield, and reached the point where I'm supposed to detach the door rod from the mechanism it's attached to (it's attached on the other side to the busted door handle).

Everything I've read says I'm supposed to unclip a yellow-ish clip to release the rod. Problem is that my door rod isn't attached with a clip. The attachment looks like this:

https://autoplicity.com/2534568-dorm...FRC1wAodbcwIqQ

I can't for the life of me figure out how to get the rod out of this plastic piece. Can anyone offer any advice?

Any and all help is appreciated.

 

If this is the clip, the part pointed out is pushed off the rod so the clip can swing side ways.
This frees the rod so it can lift out of the clip itself.
The problem with them is that they get brittle, so it may brake if you do remove it.

 

Hi Jeff,

Yes, that's the part. I tried "popping" the rod out of the portion the arrow is pointing to. Perhaps I was being too timid, trying not to break the plastic housing.

I also thought the lower 90 degree portion of the plastic was housed in something metal, making it more of a "pull out a pop" maneuver. I know I'm being unclear, but it's the best I can remember. I can't believe more people haven't run into this problem.

Thanks again, Jeff.

 

I've been working on cars for 30 years, I've come across this clip numerous times.
It's pushed sideways (and yes the do break sometimes). Once the rod is free from its sideways mount, the 90 degree part simply lifts out, leaving the clip behind.
If you try to lift the 90 degree part out, with out unclipping it first, you will break the clip. The rod keeps the clip from collapsing while its in place.
Once the rod is free, the clip can removed if you want, you can use a pare of needle nose plyers to gently squeeze the clip together to remove it _ or if you have strong fingers, you can use your bare hands.
They are designed to stay put, so they don't necessarily push side way easily.

There are metal ones too that are more forgiving and easier to snap off.

 

I'll give it a go next weekend. Thanks, Jeff.

 

This may help, it's for an end-gate, but the clip is generally the same.

 

Having the exact same problem, Driver side door handle broke. Everything went fine , except removing the metal clip that holds the rod to the latch No room for a tool!! I can reach it, but no luck in getting it off!! Any suggestions?

 

I had the same problem in my 2004 Ford Ranger basically it's a pain in the butt to be honest you just have to finagle with it and it helps if you have another person to help you hold a light down there so you can see what you're doing me and my dad tackled this problem and after 35 minutes we finally got it it just takes time and concentration but it is possible the crappy part is I fixed the handle I got it from the junkyard and within 2 months the handle broke again because they're just brittle or crappy design either or but yeah and I haven't tried replacing it again there's no easy way to tell you how to do this because you kind of just have to put your hand in there and kind of guess where things are once you remove the clip it's a tricky part as well getting the rod back in the hole once you put the door handle back on like I said it helps to have another person hope this was helpful