Passenger door handle stopped presenting. I bought the kit on Amazon (paddle gear and two micro switch harness) and later bought a used door assembly on eBay and that fixed it. But here's my suggestions if you are going to do this. Its not hard. Watch videos to gain insight. I watched several (many) Model S Door Handle repair videos on YouTube. One in particular gave me this idea. Watching Rich Rebuilds, video on removing the assembly, he talks about plugging the window switch back in to move the window glass up and down to access/improve access to nuts.
Door Window Switch
1. I used a Torx #8 to remove the one screw that holds the switch in the inside door trim panel, so I didn't have to dance the trim back and forth just to plug the switch in. Left it plugged in until time to put the trim back on. Saved a lot of 4 letter words.
2. Do yourself a favor. NOW, before you need to worry about removing the door assembly, go to eBay and order a spare window switch. I didn't have the spare when I took mine apart. But I ordered one and now have it - just in case. You know how life works, if we are prepared, we don't need it. Never need it. So spending the <$4 for the spare switch is like future proofing or insurance. I'll likely never have another door handle present issue, since I have the switch to help. The door window switch is the same as one used on a MB.
Door Handle Assembly
3. The door handle assembly has 4 each 10mm nuts holding it in place. Three are pretty easy. The fourth, is hardest at the top, crowded by the window glass. You need an open end 10mm wrench even easier if you have a 10mm ratchet-wrench. Its a snug fit getting the box-end/ratchet-wrench past the glass and over the end of the bolt. Barely enough room, but some could risk breaking glass. Be careful. Easy part is getting this off, compared to getting that nut back on and turning it with a wrench when the assembly is in the door. Not much room for fingers. Which brings me to my suggestion.
4. Before you try to put the door handle assembly back in the door, I recommend notching the top hole. Sorry, no picture. Watching those videos, I didn't see anyone's efforts to put that top nut back on. Makes me wonder if they skipped it. I installed it. I took a rat-tailed file and filed though the top of the top bolt slot to open the closed hole. The cut needs to only be 11-12mm wide for the 10mm bolt to slip through. Doing this, gave me a wide enough opening to slide the door handle assembly up instead of over the bolt. So when I put the assembly back in, I only have to wrangle the other three slots over three bolts and what was the hardest, now becomes the easiest - the top one.
5. Before I put the assembly back inside the door. Before I raised the window to get it out of the door, I managed to get the nut started on the top bolt, and threaded up at least even with the end of the bolt. This left plenty of room for the top notch cut slot to slide up vice over the end of the bolt. There was plenty of room for the top slot to slide over the bolt. Now, that the nut is already threaded on, I can snug it up. Even with the notch cut, its secured better than if anyone leaves the nut off because its difficult.
6. One final word of advice, picked up from Rich. Be sure you cover those access holes with the stickies else risk how the air pressure affects door air or seat airbag pressure (or something). Not worth the possible risk. Just do it.
Door Window Switch
1. I used a Torx #8 to remove the one screw that holds the switch in the inside door trim panel, so I didn't have to dance the trim back and forth just to plug the switch in. Left it plugged in until time to put the trim back on. Saved a lot of 4 letter words.
2. Do yourself a favor. NOW, before you need to worry about removing the door assembly, go to eBay and order a spare window switch. I didn't have the spare when I took mine apart. But I ordered one and now have it - just in case. You know how life works, if we are prepared, we don't need it. Never need it. So spending the <$4 for the spare switch is like future proofing or insurance. I'll likely never have another door handle present issue, since I have the switch to help. The door window switch is the same as one used on a MB.
Door Handle Assembly
3. The door handle assembly has 4 each 10mm nuts holding it in place. Three are pretty easy. The fourth, is hardest at the top, crowded by the window glass. You need an open end 10mm wrench even easier if you have a 10mm ratchet-wrench. Its a snug fit getting the box-end/ratchet-wrench past the glass and over the end of the bolt. Barely enough room, but some could risk breaking glass. Be careful. Easy part is getting this off, compared to getting that nut back on and turning it with a wrench when the assembly is in the door. Not much room for fingers. Which brings me to my suggestion.
4. Before you try to put the door handle assembly back in the door, I recommend notching the top hole. Sorry, no picture. Watching those videos, I didn't see anyone's efforts to put that top nut back on. Makes me wonder if they skipped it. I installed it. I took a rat-tailed file and filed though the top of the top bolt slot to open the closed hole. The cut needs to only be 11-12mm wide for the 10mm bolt to slip through. Doing this, gave me a wide enough opening to slide the door handle assembly up instead of over the bolt. So when I put the assembly back in, I only have to wrangle the other three slots over three bolts and what was the hardest, now becomes the easiest - the top one.
5. Before I put the assembly back inside the door. Before I raised the window to get it out of the door, I managed to get the nut started on the top bolt, and threaded up at least even with the end of the bolt. This left plenty of room for the top notch cut slot to slide up vice over the end of the bolt. There was plenty of room for the top slot to slide over the bolt. Now, that the nut is already threaded on, I can snug it up. Even with the notch cut, its secured better than if anyone leaves the nut off because its difficult.
6. One final word of advice, picked up from Rich. Be sure you cover those access holes with the stickies else risk how the air pressure affects door air or seat airbag pressure (or something). Not worth the possible risk. Just do it.
