desibaba

I saw it was loose and yesterday I finally noticed it was gone. Ordered a new one from eBay. Anything I can do to make sure I don't lose the new one too?

tones160

Door handle cover? Pics?

MarcoNorthPolo

Yeah, let's see what you mean. If it's what I'm thinking of, aren't they just held on with 3M two sided tape anyway?

djdonte

Are you talking about the little painted piece that covers where the key hole is on the drivers side? If so, they sell them color matched at the dealer and they snap right on.

tones160

Yeah thats what I'm thinking off. you can just buy a strong 3m tape off Staples and slap them bad boys back on if the clips or broken or something. Is better explanation if you would have some pictures dude. It's kinda hard to picture it lol

ChuckP

I had 2 fall off and get lost a while back. I went ahead and ordered new ones and used epoxy to secure them. There is no need to take the door panel off. You can just use a small flathead screwdriver to pull back the handle and pop them in. While I was doing that I decided to check my two other caps. Both were very loose and barely hanging on. I epoxied both those on as well. I check them periodically and they are still solid.

desibaba

The thing that covers it.

jjjoootttaaa

It happened to me as well last year. Ordered one from the dealership and hasn't fallen off (cross fingers).

I've heard of people using 3M to hold it. I popped mine in and its been good for 9 months.

desibaba

I ordered it on Ebay. It was 12 bucks for the part and 10 bucks for shipping. I dont even think I should care since its a 9 year old car but it looks ugly.

jateelover

I got one for 12 shipped once I think...let me see if I can dig up ebay sale

jateelover

Search "southernmotorsacura outside cap"..11.80 shipped, was good

Will Y.

Those caps are held on by the metal base that fits into a slot in a plastic tab on the cap; those tabs eventually wear out after some years.

As ChuckP wrote, the best thing to do is use a small screwdriver to help pop the plastic tab over the metal base plate that's under the cap.

FWIW, the dealerships carry the part for @ $16 each in SoCal.

ChuckP

Pull the door handle out all the way and shove a towel under to keep it extended. Then use a small flat head to pry up on the metal base to get the cap to clip in. Wanted to clarify that. As Will stated those tabs break and they eventually fall out. All of mine had broken tabs.

tones160

yea use 3m tape for that

robocam

I wish there was a key hole there. I used to not carry my remote around, and I had to go to the other side to unlock my car every time I had passengers. My new solution is to remove all the buttons from my remote so that I don't accidentally open all the windows while it's raining, and not discover it until I get back to the car (yes this happened to me).

FamilyGuy

^^

You need to find a new pocket for your keys mate. They're getting crushed.

There's a TSB about the door handle that you can search for in the garage here on Azine. Sry I don't remember the number but basically it says that if it doesn't snap on to also replace the metal base piece (the one that the plastic handle snaps into).

Good luck.

DuoDSG

I would definitely try the advice that you read in this thread first, with the tape and such.

When mine fell off two years ago, the dealership told me that in order to get the piece to stay on "like it's supposed to" for my 2004 TL, I would need to pay them to tear apart my door to get at the metal bracket that pokes out through to the outside (because it needed to be replaced, according to them).

So

I laughed, bought the plastic cover for that part of the door handle, clipped it on and went on my merry way.

Two years later, including tons of highway miles and two brutal winters here in northern Utah, and it has stayed with no problems.