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2002-2009 Kia Sorento Outer Door Handle Replacement

If the outer door handle on your 2002-2009 Kia...

iFixit Library 2002-2009 Kia Sorento Moderate 45 minutes - 1 hour Guide 149312

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Guide overview

Before you begin

If the outer door handle on your 2002-2009 Kia Sorento is broken and in need of replacement then use this guide to replace the broken or defective outer door handle. Outer door handles are essential for the car door in order to get inside the car unless opened from the inside. This guide will reacquire you to remove the interior door panel in order to access the outer door handle mechanism. This means that there will be some careful prying and there is a chance that feeble or weathered plastic parts might break. Step 4 requires you to detach the interior door light's bulb, this was done by simply twisting and detaching the light bulb while it is on. Be careful as the light bulb get hot if it's on for a long period. Use caution and work gloves to protect your hands.

Step 1

Repair step

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Some of the screws are hidden under plastic screw covers or panels which have to be carefully pried off. Use a spudger or opening tool if possible to remove the screw covers.
Use a Phillips #1 screwdriver to remove the screws behind the covers.

Step 2

Repair step

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Use a Phillips #3 screwdriver to remove the plastic fasteners by the left side of the door.
To remove the plastic fasteners we found that applying a little bit of pressure with the flat head tool while unscrewing made the process easier.

Step 3

Repair step

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Use the door panel removal tool to pry starting from the bottom of the door panel and moving from right to left.
In the second image you can see the yellow plastic clips which keep the door in place.

Step 4

Repair step

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To remove the door panel you need to detach the light bulb of the interior door light on the bottom right of the door panel.
Detach the bulb by twisting clockwise and pulling the black base.
Beware the bulb is quite hot to the touch if turned on.

Step 5

Repair step

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Peel off the upper right corner of the plastic covering to reveal the inside of the outer door handle.
One of the 10 mm hex nuts is revealed immediately (highlighted with the red circle) but the second 10 mm hex nut is behind a plastic tape which must be removed to access it (highlighted by red arrow).
To loosen the nuts use the 10 mm socket and ratchet with an extension.

Step 6

Repair step

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To access the bolt at the side of the door use a prying tool to remove the plastic covering.
Use the 10 mm socket and drive ratchet to unfasten the 10 mm hex bolt.
This will leave the handle unmounted from the door.

Step 7

Repair step

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Now that the door handle is no longer resting in the door there is a white plastic clamp that hugs a metal bar.
Release the outer door handle by pushing the white plastic clamp the direction the red arrow is pointing in the second image.
Once the door handle is off the door carefully pull the lock cylinder.