How to replace Limited Edition chrome handles to color matched

socal4rnr · Mar 17, 2015

Has anyone swapped out their chrome door handles on their Limited Edition? I ordered Magnetic Grey handles this morning from my local dealer. $38 per handle is not bad, however they want to KILL me for the install. $125 per handle!!! Let me say it again...$125 PER HANDLE!!!!!! That's $125 x 4. Seriously! This is not a joke.

Can I do this myself? Is it a nightmare? I have the hands free sensors on the front handles. Will this be a problem?

Help please.

Thanks,

Alex

Seattle206 · Mar 17, 2015

Haven't changed out the handles on a Toyota T4R before but on my 2003 BMW E46 M3. I had both my door lock actuators fail. In the process of installing the new actuators I fiddled around with the external handles and eventually took the whole assemblies off to clean the area(years of dirt and excess wax residue that get in there). Quite easy for a BMW, so I am positive it would be a lot more simple for a Toyota.

What I recall:

Remove door panel. It's a bunch of screws and tabs you will need to pop out. Remove airbag unit(not sure if you need to do for a Toyota, wasn't necessary for the M3 but I wanted more room). Remove foam door liner. Slide retention clips that hold the handle, then the assembly should slide out. Install new handle. It's pretty straight forward. Once you have the door panel off just start taking off the screws/bolts that will give you access to the handle and work from there. Way easier than doing the actual door lock actuator because you run the risk of dropping your window and shattering it if you're not careful! But it shouldn't take an hour per door for this job.

socal4rnr · Mar 17, 2015

[MENTION=117117]Seattle206[/MENTION] Thanks for the info. I'm guessing it may be easier on a Toyota versus a Bimmer. On a side note I had a 2007 M6. I really enjoyed filling it up every 2 days. Ha!

Seattle206 · Mar 17, 2015

I'd do a Google search on "toyota external door handle replacement" and see what types of DIYs are out there. Find of one for any Toyota and the layout should all be very similar from model to model. If you're worried about the sensor, just unplug everything that's connected to the handle.

socal4rnr · Mar 17, 2015

I actually found a thread on this forum. Check it out..http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-g...ou-do-your-5th-gen-today-446.html#post1903932

Keemonrunnin · Mar 17, 2015

socal4rnr said:
I actually found a thread on this forum. Check it out..http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-g...ou-do-your-5th-gen-today-446.html#post1903932

I don't think you can with the LE. That's a SR5 that did the swap. I remember awhile back when the Color matched handles came out. Only the SR5 and TE were able to do this. Because the LE has the touch sensor this was not possible. I wanted to do this same mod but it would eliminate the touch sensors. If you do happen to make this work(with the touch sensors), I will be right in your foot steps on this. The chrome on my door handles are starting to crack. My next move if not this mod will be the anthracite plastidip.

socal4rnr · Mar 17, 2015

As far as the dealer is concerned it can be done on the LE's. I asked specifically about the touch sensors and they said problem. The only problem is, like I said previously they want $125 per door.

harper7 · Mar 17, 2015

socal4rnr said:
As far as the dealer is concerned it can be done on the LE's. I asked specifically about the touch sensors and they said problem. The only problem is, like I said previously they want $125 per door.

Here is the DIY from [MENTION=48991]sp8ball[/MENTION] http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-g...92s-ideas-since-mid-2010-a-14.html#post775510

Like Keemo stated ,Didn't work as LE front door handles are completely different because of the sensor's and have an extra piece. I've taken mine apart a couple of times to paint them and compared them to his pics. Maybe with some dremeling and epoxy. Maybe they have changed since the mid gen refresh but I doubt it.

$125 per door! Takes 10-15 minutes tops per door.Not that hard once you do one.

socal4rnr · Mar 19, 2015

Okay so here's the verdict. ONLY the chrome handles that come on the LE can work with the sensors. I had my local dealer contact Toyota and they confirmed it. Had to return the color matched ones for a refund today. Beatdown!

Looks like I'm headed to the body shop for color match paint, unless anyone has any better ideas.

EasyAndy · Mar 19, 2015

socal4rnr said:
Okay so here's the verdict. ONLY the chrome handles that come on the LE can work with the sensors. I had my local dealer contact Toyota and they confirmed it. Had to return the color matched ones for a refund today. Beatdown!

Looks like I'm headed to the body shop for color match paint, unless anyone has any better ideas.

PLASTIDIP!!

Will cost you about $5 vs a body shop to paint. The anthracite plastidip is a really close color match to the magnetic grey. Take a look at this thread for example or process.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-g...ted-stormtrooper-plastidip-chrome-delete.html

socal4rnr · Mar 19, 2015

[MENTION=108420]EasyAndy[/MENTION] Thanks for the reply and link. I've already dipped all the chrome on my like the guy in the link. My issue are the door handles.

Since you have physically touch the handles daily the inside where your hands slides in and out when opening pealed off. You simply can't give the dip enough time to dry properly since you have no choice in touching the handles.

So my goal is only have the door handles match the paint on the car. See pic attached of my current state of door handle. Total bummer! Now I have three colors going on. Magnetic grey, black and light grey.

diverscale · Mar 19, 2015

socal4rnr said:
[MENTION=108420]EasyAndy[/MENTION] Thanks for the reply and link. I've already dipped all the chrome on my like the guy in the link. My issue are the door handles.

Since you have physically touch the handles daily the inside where your hands slides in and out when opening pealed off. You simply can't give the dip enough time to dry properly since you have no choice in touching the handles.

So my goal is only have the door handles match the paint on the car. See pic attached of my current state of door handle. Total bummer! Now I have three colors going on. Magnetic grey, black and light grey.

oooh nice, you found a solution to one problem I had with my truck: the chrome door handles. This seems like the best one so far for our touch sensitive handles.

mdogg · Mar 20, 2015

socal4rnr said:
[MENTION=108420]EasyAndy[/MENTION] Thanks for the reply and link. I've already dipped all the chrome on my like the guy in the link. My issue are the door handles.

Since you have physically touch the handles daily the inside where your hands slides in and out when opening pealed off. You simply can't give the dip enough time to dry properly since you have no choice in touching the handles.

So my goal is only have the door handles match the paint on the car. See pic attached of my current state of door handle. Total bummer! Now I have three colors going on. Magnetic grey, black and light grey.

might want to pick up a single handle and do a quick DIY paint job with a few layers of color and a few clears. Then swap over the electronics/sensors (if possible) to see if it still works on the truck after multiple layers of paint are added.

I'd hate to see you have 4 handles painted professionally only to find out it somehow interferes with the sensors.

CameronMagee · Oct 20, 2020

Thank you for this!

How to replace Limited Edition chrome handles to color matched

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