2009 Yukon XL Denali - Rear Drivers Door Won’t Open

[KraftMatic87]

I ordered new textured black door handles last week, and they arrived yesterday. I walked out to my car to open the drivers side door this morning and the handle immediately broke and would not open the door. What terrific timing I have! So I took the door panel apart because I was planning to replace my interior door handles anyways since the chrome is peeling on some of them. When I attempted to take off the drivers side door handle, it appears the sleeve that the bolt screws into has separated from the handle. Does anyone have any tips how to remove it? I've tried channel locks but I am just stripping it trying to get it off. I can't install my new handle until I can get it off. Help!

 

[Doubeleive]

if you can't get it off with vice grips, then I would just drill it out from the other side, using a torch to heat it up would probably damage the paint around that area. hacksaw won't fit

 

[Onlyone]

Spray some pb blaster in it, wait a little bit then clean it with some brake clean or the like and use some good vice grips.

 

[89Suburban]

Dang that sucks.

 

[KraftMatic87]

PB Blaster and some vice grips did the trick! Got the driver outside / inside handles changed successfully. Found some candy wrappers inside the door panel not sure how those got there! Now only 3 doors left to do I'll do the front passenger tomorrow and the rear doors next week. I'm expecting to run into some more of these stripped bolts as I move along but at least I know how to get them off. Thanks ya'll!

 

[swathdiver]

Pebbled work truck door handles on a Denali? If it bothers you as much as it does me, see if Putco or someone makes some chrome covers! LOL

The other option people use to free those bolts and nutserts is a heat gun.

We did ours recently and the box (sealed from the factory) had a wrong passenger front handle in it. We swapped the hardware over from the old one and were back in business.

 

[KraftMatic87]

Pebbled work truck door handles on a Denali? If it bothers you as much as it does me, see if Putco or someone makes some chrome covers! LOL

The other option people use to free those bolts and nutserts is a heat gun.

We did ours recently and the box (sealed from the factory) had a wrong passenger front handle in it. We swapped the hardware over from the old one and were back in business.

I am going to be doing a chrome delete soon on my Denali, and I honestly like the look of these textured black ones. They will look a lot better once I get some black wheels and remove the chrome trim from the doors. They are AC Delco so I’m sure they will hold up fine, at least as long as my original ones.

I’ll post some progress pics once I get the rest installed. Tomorrow I’m installing some K2069 Powerstop Z23 drilled and slotted rotors and ceramic brake pads on the front so I probably won’t get to the rest of these handles until next week!

 

[swathdiver]

I am going to be doing a chrome delete soon on my Denali, and I honestly like the look of these textured black ones. They will look a lot better once I get some black wheels and remove the chrome trim from the doors. They are AC Delco so I’m sure they will hold up fine, at least as long as my original ones.

I’ll post some progress pics once I get the rest installed. Tomorrow I’m installing some K2069 Powerstop Z23 drilled and slotted rotors and ceramic brake pads on the front so I probably won’t get to the rest of these handles until next week!

Yes, they'll certainly last a long time. Mine are GM OE too. I like the chrome and didn't want the hassle of having to paint new ones Onyx Black so chrome went back on.

 

[petethepug]

 

[KraftMatic87]

We got the rest of the interior and exterior handles changed out today. Turns out it goes a lot faster when you have a little help! Get em' started young I say!

Had some more of those fun stripped door handle bolts! Rear drivers side was the only handle that had zero.

Here's some of the wrinkly chrome door handles we got rid of:

 

[89Suburban]

We got the rest of the interior and exterior handles changed out today. Turns out it goes a lot faster when you have a little help! Get em' started young I say!

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Had some more of those fun stripped door handle bolts! Rear drivers side was the only handle that had zero.

Here's some of the wrinkly chrome door handles we got rid of:


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What did you do about the stripped nuterts?

 

[KraftMatic87]

I really like the way the black handles look over the chrome. I think it will look much better once I get the chrome door trim off and eventually a set of some black GMC 20” rims. If anyone is ever looking to get rid of a set in the Denver, CO area please let me know!

 

[KraftMatic87]

What did you do about the stripped nuterts?

WTF is a nutert?? Soaked them in PB Blaster and let them sit for half an hour. Then applied dad strength torque to a set of vice grips on those boys and they usually came loose alright. I'll tell you there were moments where I was definitely getting a lil nervous. Luckily they all came loose!

 

[89Suburban]

Soaked them in PB Blaster and let them sit for half an hour. Then applied dad strength torque to a set of vice grips on those boys and they usually came loose alright. I'll tell you there were moments where I was definitely getting a lil nervous. Luckily they all came loose!

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ge

So what did you do re-use the old ones? Aren't they crimped to the body panel somehow?

 

[KraftMatic87]

So what did you do re-use the old ones? Aren't they crimped to the body panel somehow?

The door handle is only attached to the body with 2 10mm bolts. Reused those no problem but the issue was that the sleeve in the original door handle would become separated. It would just spin freely because its a round metal piece and doesn't really have edges.

 

[89Suburban]

The door handle is only attached to the body with 2 10mm bolts. Reused those no problem but the issue was that the sleeve in the original door handle would become separated. It would just spin freely because its a round metal piece and doesn't really have edges.

View attachment 408140

Yup I'm a dumb @ss thanks for the lesson LOL.

 

[91RS]

Pliers and an impact. I’ve done hundreds.

 

[KraftMatic87]

I had just replaced all interior / exterior door handles a few weeks ago but noticed one of my rear lock actuators was not unlocking / locking on command. I ordered a Dorman OEM actuator and installed it. The door now unlocks and locks perfect but when I put the door back together neither the interior or exterior handle work! So now I cannot open the door at all.

I tried pulling on the latch for the exterior handle to open the door with the panel off, which has worked for me in the past but it didn’t work this time. Does anyone know how I can get this door open? I have an appointment at the shop next Tuesday if I can’t figure it out this weekend.

Pic of new actuator installed

Got the panel off the door despite it being locked shut and still can’t get it open. HALP!

 

[89Suburban]

I had just replaced all interior / exterior door handles a few weeks ago but noticed one of my rear lock actuators was not unlocking / locking on command. I ordered a Dorman OEM actuator and installed it. The door now unlocks and locks perfect but when I put the door back together neither the interior or exterior handle work! So now I cannot open the door at all.

I tried pulling on the latch for the exterior handle to open the door with the panel off, which has worked for me in the past but it didn’t work this time. Does anyone know how I can get this door open? I have an appointment at the shop next Tuesday if I can’t figure it out this weekend.

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Pic of new actuator installed

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Got the panel off the door despite it being locked shut and still can’t get it open. HALP!

So in my pic here the red line that should be up all the way and either of the green lines should open the door. Maybe the child safety lock is enabled?

 

[91RS]

Dorman is JUNK. You’re going to have to destroy the match to get where you can release it.