It fuc**** pissed me the hell off. It's three 10mm bolts on the thing. They aren't hard to reach at all but my f'in stupidity cracked it 'cuz I got too happy with the socket wrench and bolted one bolt to tight, cracking the handle and breaking the little f'in thing that the bolts screw to. Anyways, it's not hard. Anybody that knows an easier way, correct me because I'mma buy a new one sometime in the near future and do it the way I'm about to put down.
Difficulty: It's gonna be a buttload (thank you Napoleon Dynamite) easier for you because you actually have ME to help you out. I had NOBODY
Tools needed: 10mm socket, a decently long extention (about 5 inches), socket wrench (I know, obvious but whatever), one Phillips head screw driver and one flathead (used to pop open three little caps that uncover hidden screws)
Special Tools: Download the "Toyota Camry Service Manual" from the sticky, reference the "Body" section and look up the part on the interior panel, this is only helpful to see all the position of the screws. Useless at everything else
EXTREMELY NECESSARY: ONE ICE COLD BEVERAGE OF YOUR CHOICE
1. remove interior door panel. you have like.. lemme see... 6 or 7 screws and three clips. When you take off the panel, pull UP first then out. If you pull it straight out towards you, you'll rip or break the damn thing.
**1a. The plastic ring that goes around the interior door handle is pulled off. For me, that thing was a bitch to pull off. It has three bad-ass, hard-holding clips on it. I found it easy to just remove all the screws and then pull the panel to the left. This allows you to pull and loosen the one of three clips on the thing. Now, pull it to the right and pull the ring down and out. You'll release all three points
**1b. The speaker cover.. It doesn't come off by pulling on it. It's actually bolted on from the reverse side of the panel. So, to take those off you'd need to take off the interior door panel and then unscrew the cover screws from the inside. You don't need to touch this at all but I just wanted to make sure that there wasn't a damned bolt behind it holding the panel down.
2. Lightly peel back the interior plastic (Toyota's "Dynamat") on the left corner (Since you are replacing your driver's handle.
3. You'll notice that the handle has three bolts. At first glance you ask "How the hell do I get those two bolts to the far left? If you look hard enough, you'll see a rubber cap, pop it off and you'll have access to shove your socket wrench and extension right in there to loosen the bolts. If you are smarter than me, you'll probably find a way to take off the little yellow clip thats on the lock
4. Pull out the handle carefully. I think I pulled the bottom out first and then the top or something. You'll have to figure it out 'cuz I forgot (I was sooooo pissed)
5. This is where you are lucky while I will still have a f'in shitty handle that's KINDA loose. Get the keyhole thinger (I dunno the official word for the damned thing) and just bolt it up to the handle WHILE you have the handle out.
**5a. To pull out the key thinger, pull it to the left just enough to get it to come out. Bolt it up to the handle but don't pull on it hard. In other words, you be kneeling down trying to get the bolt in with your fingers, trying not to pull it out. (it's a metal rod so I didn't want to bend it) Be weary of what hole you are putting the bolt in, as it MUST be the one where the keyhole thing was first bolted to.
6. To replace the new handle in the hole you have, pull it to the left and slide it in. You have to tilt it so the top of the handle (the spring) clears the edge of the door handle hole, then ease in the bottom.
7. Bolt up the remaining two bolts that bolt the door handle to the car door.
8. Get a nice glue, a little tape or if you had my luck, you can just stick the door's plastic "dynamat" back in place with the adhesive that was there.
9. Replace the door panel, do the exact reverse to put that stupid ring back around the interior door handle and bolt that old girl all up.
10. Stand back, relax, and grab a cool one because you are DONE.
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