Pontiac Solstice Saturn Sky Interior Door Handle Replacement

Replacing the door handle on 2007 Pontiac Solstice GXP
The interior door handles of a Pontiac Solstice or Saturn Sky can wear out over time. The silver vacuum plating can start to peel, causing sharp edges that can cut your fingers when you open the door. We have found a way to replace them. Believe it or not, the interior door handles from a Chevy Cobalt are an exact match. We will show you how to replace those door handles. Watch closely because it does require you to remove the whole door panel.
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[@stephenclarke359]

I have to replace the handle because the part that holds the cable end broke. This video just saved me potentially hours of trial and error! I greatly appreciate it!

[@CarzPlus]

Wow! That's so good to hear. Glad we could help. Thanks for watching.

[@scott4825]

It's rare to see a repair video this exceptional. Thank you so much.

[@CarzPlus]

Happy to hear that you enjoyed every detail and that you found the video useful. Thanks so much for your comment!

[@thomasharris5151]

I don’t need this now BUT I added it to the favorite videos. I have a Sky…(same thing). Very detailed and informative 🎉

[@CarzPlus]

Thank you. Appreciate your comments. Yes, the Sky and Solstice were both built in the same assembly facility in Wilmington, DE. Thanks for adding our video to our favorites.

[@leonlyons]

Note: If you remove the plastic weld, on the inside of the door panel, FIRST!! You can slide UP the original plastic shaft, (and reuse it.) Dont destroy it. It pulls straight up from the bottom to the top. Slide in new handle, easily slide OLD pin in from Top to bottom, then weld tab on... with solder gun! 😅it's easy, no fighting door panel, and you're finished in maybe 4 or 5 minutes.👍

[@CarzPlus]

Wow, thanks for the tip. Is this how you repaired yours?

[@reedseverance38]

I did this procedure today on the passenger side door. The Dorman number for the handle I used is 81891. The number may be different for gray or black housings. The OEM black plastic rod comes out by pinching together the bottom end with pliers and then using a punch to push it back into the door handle housing. I drilled a hole in the plastic piece of the door that is the inner retainer for the door panel. This allowed the black plastic rod to be pulled out with pliers. The plastic rod will bend a little, the steel Dorman rod will not. To get the rod back in, I pulled on the door panel to allow room while my son inserted the plastic rod into the handle housing through the hole I drilled. Once it was started it is flexible enough to ease into place. I did not pop the handle plastic weld doing it this way. I reused the old plastic rod and the OEM spring. The video was very helpful and this was done in a couple of hours.

[@CarzPlus]

Thank you, your comments are extremely helpful and we're sure our viewers will agree. What we really like about your comment is that you have given a lot of information. One of our viewers asked about the Dorman handle about 3 months ago. We greatly appreciate the time you've taken to describe your process. Thanks for watching!

[@TrentonGold]

Thank you SO much! This video is very well made and helped me replace the driver side interior door handle. Had to replace because the part broke off from the backside that holds the cable. Worked perfectly! Thank you for helping to keep our Solstices operating and on the road!

[@CarzPlus]

Glad it helped! Thanks for watching. Here are some playlists that I think you'll also find useful: 2009 kzbin.info/aero/PL_APaYrVINp871bWlXVJL1j4EGXbruyrl 2007 kzbin.info/aero/PL_APaYrVINp855H6XuJBcRFRVzSHqDHbj

[@GOLD_FEVER]

@@CarzPlus I just bought my 07 gxp and it has tons of tiny stuff that needs a little tlc, so your videos are invaluable! Thanks for doing what you do!!!

[@fredpalacios507]

i was able to fix the driver side door with this video. thank you so much

[@CarzPlus]

Glad it helped! We're excited to know that we were able to help someone in the KAPPA car community. Thanks for watching!

[@fredpalacios507]

@@CarzPlus one again thank you. I save $ by do it myself

[@CarzPlus]

@@fredpalacios507 Good job! You're welcome. We're always happy to show some tips to the self-reliant.

[@terryhites1]

Very nicely done! I just went to Ebay and found a set for both doors for $15, if you look for them on Ebay looking for a solstice they are $50 each!!!

[@CarzPlus]

Thanks for the tip! Hope your findings will be passed on to many others. Thanks for watching!

[@ApartmentKing66]

How'd you find the $15 set on eBay?

[@TheJesseacosta]

Thanks for these videos.

[@CarzPlus]

Our pleasure! Thanks for expressing your appreciation.

[@SpinnakerFL]

10:43 No need to cut the pin out. You an just squeeze the split end together and it will slide through.

[@CarzPlus]

Thanks for writing. We love it when our viewers pass on useful advice. Thanks for watching.

[@SpinnakerFL]

@@CarzPlus You're welcome. You do have to remove the handle assembly though to make room for the pin to slide out. Just did both doors - replaced one assembly with super glue and the other with JB Weld and they both work fine. I pulled Cobalt handle from a local junkyard and it didn't have the metal pin so I reused the plastic one. Then I found the second 2006 Cobalt handle on Amazon with Prime one day shipping. So much easier to get it from Amazon. Although our nice junkyard is a very cool place to find parts and see the old cars.

[@Jackleg]

Thanks for sharing the experience. I wonder if anyone has just remove the entire assembly by melting the plastic then reinstalling it? It could get messy I guess.

[@CarzPlus]

Not that we're aware of. Interesting though and you're right, it could get messy.

[@wortexinternational2598]

How about using the entire Cobalt handle ? Removing the plasti-welded Solstice crap and putting in the Cobalt version with the bezel ? Mine is still good, but in case it goes, I will try and install that whole unit. I do not like the look of the interior handle without the bezel. Looks cheap.

[@CarzPlus]

Yes, that makes sense, and that can be done. We left ours to factory original. Thanks for watching!

[@michaelfrielingsdorf9741]

Have you contacted Dorman to let them know it also is usable on a Solstice with some modification?

[@CarzPlus]

Good question! We hadn't thought of that. It's good that you mentioned it. We'll add it to the video description. Maybe that way it'll search for anyone who may be looking for it under that terminology.

[@CarzPlus]

Hello, sent a note to Dorman. Also want you to know that another viewer (Reed Severance) mentioned the Dorman part in a comment today.

[@michaelfrielingsdorf9741]

@@CarzPlus Thanks for the update, So far I haven't rebroken my driver side door handle. I suspect if I wait to long though the Cobalt parts won't be available any longer.

[@Faithoverfear2911]

My door will not open from outside or inside on driver side door??? And suggestions

[@CarzPlus]

It's likely that some of the plastic parts have deteriorated. The rods between the plastic parts are metal and should still be sturdy. Sounds like you'll have to remove the door panel in order to completely repair it and you'll probably have to replace the interior and exterior door handles as well.

[@bytemevv-4616]

Does it matter which year make or model of the Chevy Cobalt?

[@CarzPlus]

Good question! Any year will do. Thanks for watching!

[@bytemevv-4616]

@@CarzPlus I'm going to find out 😅

[@The_ClayDayz]

Is there something that can be sprayed on the handles to prevent the peeling/separation?

[@CarzPlus]

Good question, although not to our knowledge. The failure is due to it being a plastic vacuum plated part where the coating has failed from the inside out. Thanks for watching!

[@wayneC7]

My 2007 Sky didn’t come with door lock switches 🤦🏽‍♂️

[@CarzPlus]

We noticed lately that some Solstice base models also came with hand cranks. These are rare instances. Thanks for watching!

[@annascott2865]

Need to get latch from car 2008sky from driver side.when driver side is not opened

[@CarzPlus]

For clarification, it sounds as if you're trying to repair the driver's side door handle while the door is still closed. Is that correct?

[@mikekusa]

Hi do you have a part number for both side door handles?

[@CarzPlus]

Dorman 81890, available online at www.dormanproducts.com/

[@katiegossman3982]

Will this work for a 2008 Saturn Sky?

[@CarzPlus]

Yes, I believe they will. If you compare the doors on our vehicle to yours, they should be the same. Dorman 81890, available online at www.dormanproducts.com/

[@mandsjanzen2]

Yes, just install on my 08 Sky RL

[@leonlyons]

Yep!