Exterior door handle on 1989 240DL Wagon is loose on outside (driver side door). Door opens ok, but handle assemble and trim float around a bit on the outside and I don’t want to let this go and loose any parts.

Can anyone tell me how to fix this? Do I have to take of the inside door panel and tightne something. Is it a complicated fix?

Thanks in Advance

James
89 240DL Wagon

IPD sells the door handles. They are made of cheap metal and tend to break. I had a loose one for a while and it never fell off. Paul

Not a complicated fix if your comfortable removing the door skin. That's about a 10-15 minute procedure. The handle is held on by 2 big philips screws, just cinch 'em down and you should be fine. I had to replace the whole handle on my '81, and it wasn't a big deal. You might be able to go to a trim shop and get them to yank the door "skin" for 5 or 10 bucks.
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1981 Volvo 244 GL w/ 225K Original B21F and 3spd. auto

Thanks very much for the information. One more question if you visit this site again, Does the door skin just pull off by prying those plastic tabs loose and then go back on by popping them back in the holes? Is there anything to be careful of with while doing this? I want to fix it myself, but am new to this and can tend to be all thumbs.

Thansk

James

Carefully pry the plastic tabs out with a flat hard tool like a screwdriver placed as close to the base of the tab as possible (and yes they go back in by pressing them into their respective holes). If the tabs don't pry out with the door "skin" then they will pull out of the cardboard/pressboard of the "skin" and cause a tear in the board .

you will also have to take off the door lock handle and slide the door skin up and over it ... the rubber along the window will slide up and out of the area next to the window glass...

only other thing is you have to remove the inside door handle/armrest... gently pry out the circular "buttons" in the armrest and use a philips screwdriver to unscrew the screws holding the armrest to the door. I'm not sure if you have to then remove the whole handle or not, if so you must turn the handle assembly 90 degrees for the upper part of the handle to slip out of it's slot in the door.

jack
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Bad Blue, '86 245, 250,000 mi., Columbus, Ohio

..more on this. (Warning: my experience is on 81 and 83 240's - if there were big changes in 85/6, not sure if these directions apply)

If you have the door map pockets in place, you'll have to remove them. Unscrew the color-matched plastic screws near the bottom edge by turning 1/4 turn and pulling them out, then push the pocket upward to clear the slots at the upper front and rear corners from the screws in the door - about 1 cm. Finally, swing the bottom of the pocket away from the door until it's at around 60 deg. and you can then pull the upper central tang out of its slot in the door. Sounds more complicated than when you're looking at it.

Pry out the "square oval" trim surround around the interior door handle. On the door pull.armrest - if you have power windows you will have to pry up the switch panel and unplug the switches (I think...I've only done the pass. side on a PW car). Hand cranked window needs the crank removed - pry out the center trim strip with a very thin screwdriver blade, revealing the small Philips screw that holds it on.

Unscrew and remove the lock knob. You will probably have to remove the outside mirror, as its inside (manual) adjusting lever prevents lifting the inner panel up to clear the metal tongues that hold the panel's rubber strip snug to the inner surface of the window. Be VERY careful when prying the panel outer edges away from the door metal. I use two small, thin screwdrivers either side of the plastic plugs and work them gently until they are under the head of the plug, either side of the shank. Then there's virtually no chance of ripping a plug out of the cardboard panel. When you are sure all plugs and fasteners are removed (ie: the panel pulls outward easily from the door bottom) you can wiggle and lift until it clears the hidden tongues and the doorlock stem. Woo-Hoo! you are now looking at the door's guts and can tighten up your inner door handle mechanism as described. While in there, go around every nut, bolt and screw you see and check for snugness. Reassembly is quick and easy. BTW, the outer sheet metal of a door is usually referred to as "skin". and the interior panel is, well, the "panel".
--
Bob (81-244GL B21F, 83-244DL B23F, 94-940Sedan B230F)