greatwhiteshark

My driver's door handle is loose and creaky and produces a hollow sound when I close the door.

The dealership ordered a new handle and said the whole door needs to be taken apart to replace it...something I definitely want to avoid.

Does the painted door handle cover come off without ripping everything apart - and if so, how?

Thanks in advance.

ToblertheDog

...disasembly from the interior is required to disengage the door mount handle in order to get to the trim.

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/70770/handle_removal1.jpg">
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/70770/handle_removal_2.jpg">

daveak05

w/o removal of door assembly. At least it certainly appears so. There doesn't seem to be a need to disassemble the entire door handle for this piece, as the illustration shows.

ToblertheDog

I'd be surprised if the dealer is ordering a replacement trim piece over a new door handle unit.

I have a feeling the door will be coming apart.

daveak05

in which case, they would be removing the entire handle assembly.

greatwhiteshark

I think it's just the trim piece that's loose. Hopefully. Otherwise it's off to the glue store.

greatwhiteshark

Thank you for the diagram. Where did you find it?

daveak05

but they didn't make any kind of noise when opening and closing the door.

But, on any VAG car using the same type of exterior door handle, you can wiggle the plastic cover slightly. That's normal.

Is yours worse?

Fluffhead

They couldn't fix the original one or they didn't try.

IIRC they did take the door apart to do it.

ToblertheDog

...but these were screenshots from another PC w/ eBahn Desktop (Bentley product/subscription) installed.