Effective Repair for Broken Interior Door Handle

[Aero_Tech]

My driver's side door interior handle decided to break like a lot of others have experienced. Car only has 41,000km's on it but the warranty expired in January.

I took it to my local dealer as the service manager has always been helpful. He tried twice to get Kia to cover it under "good will' but was declined both times. He said Kia Canada instructed dealers not to provide information about the Door Trim Repair Kit that's listed in the TSB to customers and only offer to sell a full door panel for huge $$ which he thought was complete BS.

So now I'm left with trying to find an effective repair that won't break every time I pull on the handle. Since the trim repair kit (P/N 82397 J5100QQK) is not sold here I'm left having to try and order it from the US. The kit is only a bunch of longer screws with some washers and a few other things.

Has anyone repaired their door handle and not had it come loose? I don't want simply squirt a bunch of JB Weld in there and hope for the best. I'm hoping this so-called repair kit will help but I need to source it first.

 

[Kodiack]

Look for another dealership, some will order them for you and have no issues. It is likely your VIN isnt identified as needing the TSB.
If not order the kit online...they are cheap. If you jb weld stuff you will be in trouble if you need to take it apart in the future.

 

[Aero_Tech]

Look for another dealership, some will order them for you and have no issues. It is likely your VIN isnt identified as needing the TSB.
If not order the kit online...they are cheap. If you jb weld stuff you will be in trouble if you need to take it apart in the future.

They ran the VIN and said the TSB was only applicable to 2022 knowing full well the issue affects all years. Going to another dealer I don't think will make a difference since the regional rep was also involved and this dealer knows me. The kit is only around US$5.00 so I doubt any online dealer in the US will want to ship that. I found a listing on eBay but shipping is more than the bloody kit and will take until the end of July to received. If anyone has a link to another source it would be appreciated.

 

[Kodiack]

The issue is the part number has the QQK at the end, there is no replacement part without that at the end as it is directly related to a TSB and has to be ordered as so. If you find someone local with the 22 model vin they can order it for that VIN and they can give it to you.
I think the dealer needs to supply the VIN to order that TSB related part.
I had to do the same for a evaporator core that I sourced through Genesis/Hyundai that was a QQH part but is the improved part for the stinger as they share the same core but the TSB was only for the G70 and not the stinger.

 

[Aero_Tech]

The issue is the part number has the QQK at the end, there is no replacement part without that at the end as it is directly related to a TSB and has to be ordered as so. If you find someone local with the 22 model vin they can order it for that VIN and they can give it to you.
I think the dealer needs to supply the VIN to order that TSB related part.
I had to do the same for a evaporator core that I sourced through Genesis/Hyundai that was a QQH part but is the improved part for the stinger as they share the same core but the TSB was only for the G70 and not the stinger.

Funny thing is the parts guy couldn't get any information to come up with that P/N at all; he even tried to use a couple of the VIN's they had on the lot but still nothing. Yet when I enter the P/N into a US online site it pops up just like that. The dealer has been great in trying to help but it's those Jackasses at head office that are being so uncooperative.

 

[Kodiack]

That indicates to me it was a TSB in the US only as well, parts are very controlled country wise. KIA Canada can only get parts from KIA HQ, my AC issue had the evaporator back ordered til the end of august in Canada with tons of them in the US. The warranty wouldnt allow even customer supplied parts from another country to be installed..I think its because some parts arent the same in different countries.

 

[Snicklefritz]

Could you fab the repair "kit" by getting hardware that is essentially the same as that used in the repair kit? Screws, washers, bolts, nuts, are standard items, you just need to get the right sizes.

 

[Aero_Tech]

I managed to find a listing for the kit at another dealer that's close by. Hopefully this will be all I need along with some strategically placed epoxy. Of course nothing as good as a new door panel but I'm not spending $2400 on one. That's just ridiculous.

 

[jinthadell]

Just fixed my passenger side. Check out my post.
“Broken interior door handle fix” I didn’t notice yours until I scrolled down past mine.

 

[djerickd]

order the kit off ebay

 

[Aero_Tech]

order the kit off ebay

Got mine for $5 from a local dealer. No way in hell I was going to pay $24 shipping on eBay for a $5 part.