2002 Lincoln LS Drivers Side Inner Door Handle

[bluefish]

The drivers side inner door handle on my 02 Lincoln LS "broke" the other day. Now when you pull it, the door doesn't open. Have to roll down the window and open the door from the outside handle. I took off the door panel and looked around. I see there is a cable going to the door lock and another that appears to go to the outside door handle but no 3rd cable going to the inner door handle.

Q1: Is there a cable? Or does the inner door handle use another mechanism?

Q2: Does the whole inner door handle need to be replaced or is there a way to fix it?

Thanks!

 

[AmsterDutch]

The drivers side inner door handle on my 02 Lincoln LS "broke" the other day. Now when you pull it, the door doesn't open. Have to roll down the window and open the door from the outside handle. I took off the door panel and looked around. I see there is a cable going to the door lock and another that appears to go to the outside door handle but no 3rd cable going to the inner door handle.
View attachment 828567476
Q1: Is there a cable? Or does the inner door handle use another mechanism?

Q2: Does the whole inner door handle need to be replaced or is there a way to fix it?

Thanks!

I believe if there is a 3rd Cable its internal within the handle/door panel your best bet is take the handle off the door and inspect if it’s fixable or not...there may be a YouTube video on this also you can check out

 

[bluefish]

I believe if there is a 3rd Cable its internal within the handle/door panel your best bet is take the handle off the door and inspect if it’s fixable or not...there may be a YouTube video on this also you can check out

The handle is riveted to the door. The picture I included is from a youtube video where the guy drilled out the rivets and attached the new door handle to the door using hex bolts. I also looked at another video of a door handle for sale and it didn't seem to have any place to attach a cable but I might have missed it. Here is the video...

 

[AmsterDutch]

The handle is riveted to the door. The picture I included is from a youtube video where the guy drilled out the rivets and attached the new door handle to the door using hex bolts. I also looked at another video of a door handle for sale and it didn't seem to have any place to attach a cable but I might have missed it. Here is the video...

Yes, it's been awhile since I fixed mine you're right there is only one cable it's connected with the locking mechanism and the cable needs to be attached within the groove of the inner handle like I said it's been awhile since I had to mess with if I remember right I used a zip tie to keep my cable locked in place and it's held up better than the original design which is plastic of course just like everything on this car

 

[bluefish]

Thanks. The cable goes to the door lock which is part of the door handle. The door lock works. If I lock the door... when you pull the handle it's supposed to unlock the door and open. But now the door lock stays locked and the handle pulls freely as if it's not attached to anything. Could the gears of the handle be broken? When I took the door panel off and looked at the handle... I saw the handle gears turning (under the handle) when I pulled on the handle but again the lock didn't "unlock" and the door wouldn't open. Note: I can manually unlock the door using the door lock and the power lock motor still works. But the handle now does nothing when I pull on it.

 

[joegr]

There's just one cable from the handle/lock. Locked or not locked just adjusts the offset on the cable position a little.
If you pull all the way out on the end of the cable at the broken handle/lock and the door doesn't open, then you'll need the actuator/latch as well as the door handle.

 

[AmsterDutch]

Thanks. The cable goes to the door lock which is part of the door handle. The door lock works. If I lock the door... when you pull the handle it's supposed to unlock the door and open. But now the door lock stays locked and the handle pulls freely as if it's not attached to anything. Could the gears of the handle be broken? When I took the door panel off and looked at the handle... I saw the handle gears turning (under the handle) when I pulled on the handle but again the lock didn't "unlock" and the door wouldn't open. Note: I can manually unlock the door using the door lock and the power lock motor still works. But the handle now does nothing when I pull on it.

Yes, I think you might have the cable unattached to the proper grooves on the plastic, unfortunately it's a bad design due to the plastic being built so thin and fragile where the cable locks into the plastic which in-turn is connected to the actual gears that work to unlock the door latch .... Hoping you can follow all that...does any plastic latches look broken where cable locks internally within the handle? My door handle plastic was visibly broken very easy to see and fix not sure by your last post if you even have the same issue?

 

[AmsterDutch]

Thanks. The cable goes to the door lock which is part of the door handle. The door lock works. If I lock the door... when you pull the handle it's supposed to unlock the door and open. But now the door lock stays locked and the handle pulls freely as if it's not attached to anything. Could the gears of the handle be broken? When I took the door panel off and looked at the handle... I saw the handle gears turning (under the handle) when I pulled on the handle but again the lock didn't "unlock" and the door wouldn't open. Note: I can manually unlock the door using the door lock and the power lock motor still works. But the handle now does nothing when I pull on it.

The actual cable itself has a metal splice terminal on the end which is what allows the terminal to press against the small hole of plastic which only the cable itself fits through it's a quick design that Lincoln used to save cost and budget if an engineer would or could build this like they would want to these latches would never break unless you were struck by a semi-truck

 

[RockLSonDubz]

My handle just broke a few days ago, as in the actual plastic piece you pull on inside the car ;but the handle itself has been busted since I bought the car in June (was the only cosmetic problem of 3 I was told about when I bought the "perfectly running and reliable" 2000 LS V6) and I bought it with a new inner door handle with the car.
The old one works ;but the door lock piece and door handle (which is now actually broken) has to be pulled really effin hard to get the door to open so you made be able to get yours to open like that Bluefish.
Now that the handle piece of the door handle assembly has broken I will be undertaking the task of finally replacing it with the new handle I got with the car. Worst timing for me to have to focus on the handle (and moonroof thanks to rainy season) as I've just finished getting my 15" Orion XTR pro all snugly fit into the spare tire compartment and have been making a piece to sit behind the rear seats for my amps and Cap ;but now my system is on hold while I work on the door handle and moonroof. I will take pics and post them on my own thread in the next few days if I can be of any assistance to you Bluefish I'm happy to give you all the details of the job required for me to get the new handle in and functioning properly.

 

[heyjewel]

Now that the handle piece of the door handle assembly has broken I will be undertaking the task of finally replacing it with the new handle I got with the car.
****
I had to replace the driver's inner handle as well. Drilled out the rivets etc and installed the one I had gotten from amazon. Surprise! it was for the rear door - it did not have the mechanism to unlock the door as you pulled on the handle. Ordered another from rock auto I THINK. Got same thing. Both swore they were front handles but neither were. I still have a rear handle in the front door.
If yours works - is a front handle - can you let us know where you got it? I dont want to take a chance ordering another til I'm sure its a front handle.
Thanks and good luck.

 

[RockLSonDubz]

can you let us know where you got it? I dont want to take a chance ordering another til I'm sure its a front handle.
Thanks and good luck.

It came with the car when I bought and I'm pretty sure it was pulled from the wreckers ;but I will double check it first and make sure it is in fact a front driver's door handle assembly and then ask the previous owner where he got it.

 

[RockLSonDubz]

Mine is in fact the drivers door handle, on the factory part on the back of the black backing it says front LH, not sure if the ones you've bought on Ebay have the writing on the back to mark the part or not ;but it is something you can use to verify the correct part before buying if buying online.

 

[AmsterDutch]

Mine is in fact the drivers door handle, on the factory part on the back of the black backing it says front LH, not sure if the ones you've bought on Ebay have the writing on the back to mark the part or not ;but it is something you can use to verify the correct part before buying if buying online.

View attachment 828567774

View attachment 828567775

Most Lincoln/Ford parts are marked ....even the door handle bezel is marked LH or RH ... You’re right though always good to look for proper markings when purchasing new or used parts

 

[joegr]

... Both swore they were front handles but neither were. I still have a rear handle in the front door....

I wonder if this would work the other way too? Put a front handle in a rear door and get the unlock-on-handle-pull feature in the rear too?

 

[Ace78]

There's just one cable from the handle/lock. Locked or not locked just adjusts the offset on the cable position a little.
If you pull all the way out on the end of the cable at the broken handle/lock and the door doesn't open, then you'll need the actuator/latch as well as the door handle.

I have a similar problem both the passenger doors won’t open from the inside or outside on 02 Lincoln ls. Door assembly needs to be replaced but we have to get the door open first to be able to replace it. Any suggestions on how to get the door open?

 

[joegr]

...Any suggestions on how to get the door open?

See if you can find replacement door trim panels in a junkyard, then cut yours off so that you can get inside the door to deal with the broken latch assembly.