Noticed the right front inside handle peeling about a day after buying our '07 Yukon D. It was "very" small at the time, and I just happen to catch a little reflection. Of course, I've picked at it a little since then. I bought the new door handle a few days later, and of course "then" decided to check here. I really didn't think this would be such a widespread and talked-about item, but have found lots of discussion here and many other forums/sites.
Apparently the repair kit is just $12 (per the above post, and other sources), includes 2 chrome handles and 2 new pins (why the pins?), whereas the handle from the dealer is the whole handle, and its parts cannot be ordered separately, and cost $125 (see attached pic). I was thinking about just replacing it myself, now that I know how the assembly is attached to the door panel (see 2 pix - there are a lot of protuberances, but only 3 are the clips that go into the door panel), but GM might not want to reimburse me for the whole handle assembly, if all they're really replacing is the chrome piece and a pin.
BTW, I had a new '84 Celebrity whose both front door inside handles broke after about 5-6 years, just a month apart. They broke at the little hole where the long rod slips through - the holes were drilled with not much material remaining along one edge, so it's surprising they lasted that long. The new ones were the same, but I only kept the car for another 4 years.
So, I will print out a few things and see what the dealer can do. My VIN is beyond the list's numbers, but sure has the same problem. From "gm-trucks.com", Jan 11, 2011, one who had an Avalanche with this problem, got this letter from the Chevrolet Customer Assistance Center :
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Thank you for contacting the Chevrolet Customer Assistance Center. I understand that you're requesting that your 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche be included on Special Coverage 09239 Front Rear Chrome Int Door Handle.
I am sorry to hear that your vehicle was not included on the list of vehicles affected by peeling of the Chrome on the inside door handles. Please know that special coverages are Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) specific and not all vehicles with the same year, make and model are included. Your vehicle was not built on the plant that manufactured 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche's that may experience this condition within 10 years or 100,000 miles. I apologize if our decision was not in accordance to your wishes but we will no longer address communication pertaining to this issue.
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[Door slams]
That appears to be his last post.
Well, I don't care where mine was built, because I bet the handles were all made somewhere else (at least all the bad ones), and according to the summary at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov:
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MY 2007 subject vehicles are cited in more than 90 percent of the consumer complaints, injury reports, and warranty claims, respectively. In addition, improvements in the door handle manufacturing process during the MY 2007 production resulted in a decline in the occurrence of peeling/flaking of the thin chrome plating.
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The other handles (LF, LR, RR) look really good.
I'll let ya know.
Dave H.
my dealer agreed to take care of it for me.
