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Inside door handle spring broke

You can kinda see it if you pop the switch panel bezel off, but doubt you can do much about it. The plastic piece behind the switch bezel which holds the interior handle is pop-riveted to the inner door skin with about a half dozen rivets. Pulling the panel is fairly easy, just expect that you'll probably break a couple of the fasteners.

On the style of interior your 1994 has, you've got the single screw inside the grab handle, gently pry the switch panel bezel off, gently pry all the christmas tree fasteners from around the sides and bottom of the panel, and here's a gotcha - if it's not already broken, there's a hidden screw at the forward portion of the grab handle - on a tab which is in a black plastic portion. Very easy to overlook but often broken anyway. At this point you can lift the panel up and off the door edge and fish the switch panel through the hole in it, no need to disconnect any of the switches. Helps a huge amount lifting the panel off the door if you have the window down.

Then you get to drill those pop rivets out and have fun playing with the clips that hold the handle and lock linkage rods on. ;) A set of small picks helps.

Richard
 
Was afraid of that. Thanks for the tip on the 'hidden screw', will look for it. Sounds like I need to visit the help baggie rack. So, the switch bezel just jiggle wiggles thru the opening? Any suggestions on where to start popping the tree pins out? How flimsy are the clips that hold the pins.
 
I usually start popping the trees at the rear lower corner as there's one right in the corner; that lets you squeeze a finger behind the panel and "feel" for where the rest are so you can try to get the tool right on them instead of to the side where you're more likely to accidentally snap them out of the panel. They twist into slotted holes in the panel - some into MDF and some into plastic. It should be noted the large plastic piece facing the mounting area of the side mirror is plastic-welded to the inside panel and also has a christmas tree fastener behind it.

And yeah, once you have the switch bezel popped loose (use the door panel on it too, just take care) it can easily be fenagled through its corresponding hole in the panel as you remove the panel; no biggie at all. If you choose to replace the handle assembly you'll need to disconnect the window and lock switches which is a little bit of a pain. You might take a quick d-cam pic of the layout of the switches and also the wiring on them before disassembly. It's a little tricky getting the switches disconnected.

Richard
 
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