Ford Focus Door Handle Repair 

You sir are a Master mechanic! I changed the door handle on a 2006 Ford Focus today and I absolutely could not have done it without your step by step video. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom and God Bless. :)

I am so grateful this video is still up. It enabled this 62 female who has never turned a wrench to complete the repair easily on my car. The videography was incredible and the explanation spot on. Heartfelt thanks to rich pin06

I've watched about a handful of videos on changing this part and I must say that yours was the best and most helpful. Thank you!!!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Another one of your videos that has been very, very helpful. I used the Dorman reinforcement, part #81970 for my 2006 Focus. Reuse the original screws, new ones aren't long enough. Make sure to take the new plastic screw retainer out of the new reinforcement (original is the little white thingy on the outside of the door, I reused this) before putting the assembly back in the door. Lesson learned, I had take it back out of door. Thanks also to the other comment for additional tip to pull the lock rod down to get the outside handle to mesh with the little metal lever that was broke.

Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video. My handle assembly broke a few days ago. This video was invaluable for diagnosis and repair. Took me less than an hour start to finish; it would’ve taken 3x that long without your efforts and knowledge!

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You. The local shop wanted to charge my folks $300+ to do this. With your help, under $40. Thank you again!

Outstanding instructional video. Watched it a few times until I had basically memorized the process and then completed the job in about 45 minutes. Thank you for this!

My father bought a Focus 2000, and the door didn’t work. But we saw your video and now it opens great. Thanks!!!

Extremely helpful guide. I couldn’t find anything else that explained it this well with great camera angles and steps

GREAT video! I found when sliding the handle back in I had to pull down on the rod inside the door in order to engage that "little metal piece that always fails", in the proper position for handle engagement.

Outstanding explanation AND demonstration! Well done sir.

This video is the reason I was able to fix my door on my own! The hardest part was honestly just muscling the mechanism out of the hole in the door, lol. Thank you for the helpful video!

Thank you so much for this. It is the clearest, most helpful video I could find on the process. Cheers!

This was really helpful to me. Thank you so much for taking the time to record and post this video. Saved me quite a few dollars. Thanks.

Thank you for doing this video and showing the failure point! That's exactly what happened on my housemate's 2006 Ford Focus ZX3, helped me know what parts to order for him, and the steps to complete the repair--successfully! The little springs that support the keyhole cover... those were almost our undoing! My housemates (even less skilled "mechanics" than me, noobs like "which way to turn it to tighten?") did the part for moving the lock cylinder, so maybe they missed a step or something... not sure. Anyway, there were 2 tiny springs and a pin, IIRC, that wanted to flop out of place. I almost gave up and said "no lock cover for you", but then decided to try using some quick-set epoxy to hold little pieces together long enough to get the keyhole cover to stay put during the reassembly. Amazingly, it worked! In rainy Western Washington, the lock cover is a very good idea if you want your lock to last and not have "issues" as moisture and grit get into the lock mechanism.

just went to get in my car today and it has always been sort of tough or clanky may be a better word, it just always felt like you had to pull harder than you should to get the handle to release and make the door open. well anyway today is the day the handle finally gave up the ghost so after watching this im on my way to auto parts store to get a new reinforcement piece. Bless you for making this video fine sir!!

The best and only video that really showed how to replace the door handle reinforcement, with the spring loaded metal piece that useully breaks...A life saver...watched it while doing a few times and all good to go on a 2005 Focus Wagon! The metal had snapped off just where you said. Another video described how to just replace that piece from a salvage yard, but not so easy to find for me:) Thanks so much!

Excellent video. Great camera work on the interior of the door showing where those screws are and how to remove them.

This video saved me from going insane thank you so much. Very helpful and good camera angles.

Thank you for such a thorough explanation. I was easily able to fix my door handle with your guidance.

This is by far the best.. actually the ONLY useful video on the door handle/door handle reinforcement replacement for the Ford Focus.. cheers, sir!

Thanks to your video, just finished my 2003 focus svt door handle. You rock !!!

Very helpful, thanks for the video! Was able to get mine changed out almost painlessly.

Super grateful for this gentleman and the video. You are incredibly informative and helpful. I was able to replace the exterior door reinforcement piece myself. It broke exactly where you said they usually break. Thank you thank you thank you.

Using this video's step by step instructions, I was able to easily replace the door reinforcement mechanism. $33 part +$0 labor...Perfect!! Thank You?

I fixed it. Thank you. You saved me hundreds of dollars.

Very good video. Very ell explained. I liked that you also told what size of tools you used, that way I could have the right ones on hand at time of work. Impressed with the camera work also. Again, thank you for such a consise and knowledgeable video.

Best video I've seen outlining the process. Bravo

coming back to this video once again. this is the third time I have had to replace this in my car. gotta go to the junk yard, rip it out. Thanks for the video.

What an excellent video sir thank you so much the camera work was just excellent best video I've seen on this particular item how to change it you have helped me a whole lot thanks again

Thank you so much. Made it easy to fix my wife's car

Thank you sir for this well put video. I came across your video and it helped tremendously with my 2007 Ford Focus.

"This is where they like to break." YUP. Exactly where mine broke. Thanks for this video! ******P.S. Took me an hour to do this job. Should have been 40 minutes but the aftermarket part had a fault with the little piece that holds the keylock in place. I had to fiddle with it until it would actually slide under the keylock's ledge and hold it in place. There was a screw to insert too (to hold that piece over and keep the keylock locked), which is NOT how the OEM one was. So if anyone encounters that, just know it's going to be ok. Just be careful and don't break it.

I've watched several videos and they take the latch mechanism out through the upper hole in the inside door. Learned by trial and error that if you remove the lock cable and plug you can drop it down and take it.out the bigger cutout or hole in the door panel and it is much easier.

It was a pain to get that thing out but other than that this video helped tons. Thanks man

Thank you so very much!!! Wonderful instruction with useful explanations. Very well done!

Ah so that whole latch needs to come out to get to that, thanks for the video. Piece lasted 20 years in a 2003 but finally gave out.

Thank you! This video made changing my door handle so much easier.

My friend this was the best video ive ever seen in my life.you must had a hollywood cameraman with.

Very good video I wish I would have found it early , but I didn’t know what to google just came up door handle replacement This is very helpful . I had to take apart more stuff to get it out

Greetings from Mexico...great video my friend..helpme so much,God bless you.

thank you! this was for me the best diy video for this problem! i watched before 3 videos but this one is very easy to undestand! good job! if you have a part number for this mechanism please white in the description....

Thanks. I just used your video to help in a dual repair of a 2010 Focus. Although the screws and panel are a bit different, this worked. When I went in to replace the reinforcement plate, I found my window regulator was partially broken. So, removing the window made this a breeze

Been watching mechanical video longtime... BEST ILLUSTRATED VIDEO I EVER SEEN .. 🎖🏆🏅🥇🥈🥉,,, AWESOME VIDEO FELLA

About to schedule pick-n-pull day to pick up new part, my door just gace out. Thank you, will be coming back to this video to help me along my way or replacing broken piece.

The best. Tank you. Im from Brazil. São Paulo

Awesome video and explanation. Saved me time, money and time in the confession booth :)

Just got it done. Thanks for the video!

OK thanks man for you explanation, because for me was of great help. Thanks man, Good job, thanks....

I'll be doing this little job tonight. I did not find this video until I tried to replace the handle and got the wrong part 😅😅. I have the correct part now.

Just did this last week on my 06. When you said that was tight, you weren't kidding. That was the hardest part of the job, you really have to pull on that to get it through. I thought it was going to break. Could it have killed Ford to just allow another 1/4" bigger opening in the door?

Good job explaining

It's usually the door handle support that's broken, especially if there's no tension on the outer handle.

Great video - thank you! Paul

Thanks Ford for making this so sturdy! 8:00

Super helpful! Thank you so much

Thanks for mentioning that there may be other parts besides the handle itself that are broken. I'll put off this job until after I replace my blankety blank alternator! (Both broke this morning... What are the odds!

You missed a step in getting the latch connection out you just said “remove these 3 screws” then it cut to you having it out… Now i’m stuck plz help

Thanks for the video

Kudos sir excellent job and demonstration

Thanks richpin06a for this repair video! I must say this was a pain in the @$$ to repair though.

Thank you, this helped so much.

Thanks you very much. You show me something very important. But do you think that that latch cable can be the issue if I can't open the door from inside? The key can open the door without problem. Only when try to open from inside, it is hard and I can't open.

Thanks for the help

Great video! Why hasnt ford recalled these handles and have an option for something stronger?Those stupid little flimsy flanges break constantly. Why dont they just sell the plate and flange piece instead of the whole friggin reinforcement plate? They need to recall these handles. The flange shouldn't be so easy to break off so easily!

Look easy but am working on that and required a lot of patient,all was ok until the bolt fall 2 times but in the third one i cant found the small bolt and i was so mad that my sugar level went so low that i stop trying to fix it,tomorrow i will try again and here i am watching videos to see if am missing something, am working in the rear doors and i noticed no link from the handle to the lock,for me is supposed to be like a small varilla to connect the handle with the lock, am planning to go to the junkyard to destroy one there to see how operate and buy the part just in case something is missing!!

Exceptional video

You've been doing really well thank you I had to take the window and window regulator out why don't you mention anything about that?

You rock!

Removing the door glass on older Focuses is easy . . makes this job much easier

Question- how do you do this if the door is stuck shut? Will not open from inside or outside?

You rock!! Saved me a couple hours and possibly my marriage. Lol!

So I installed everything even replaced the handle but the handle wont pull on the bracket? And the long screw for the lock part doesn't screw into the outside lock piece. So essentially I replaced everything with no victorious result. Sughestions???

3:47 I got 15 minutes in and discovered that my socket extension didn't fit in that hole. I had nothing to rig together to get that screw out. I had to go buy a 1/4" drive 3" extension to reach it.

Thanks

The metal rod that connects to the door handle is hanging loose at the bottom and I have no idea where to put it. I thought I did this at least twice before, so this may be a new problem. Any helpful input would be appreciated.

That hooked rod you had to slide the handle onto and off of, mines not connected to anything on the bottom part of it that is connected to the side of the door, the locking mechanism. Should I buy a new rod or a whole new locking mechanism

If you only take the handle off, can you see if it's the tab on that that's broken and just replace that?

Did I miss where it was mentioned what EXACTLY was wrong with this door handled?

You sound like Peter Griffin

I know doors are similar but the rear door is a little different. Is the same or do you need to remove the door handle?

I have a 05 focus. No power windows or locks. My back passenger door won't lock. The latch doesnt click like the other when engaged manually. Is it the same issue and process?

It is easier to disconnect the cable from the door latch instead of letting it hang down with the inside door handle attached. Not a big deal.

Mine is a 2005 zx4 same problem how much does the reinforcement plate cost and where did you get it

Perfect

that little piece of metal was designed to fail, we have a dodge dart 86 and never had this problem with the doors unlike the ford focus where every little piece seems to be failing after 10 years

Is it necessary to remove negative battery cable?

Good video plus you sound like kermat the frog

How did you unlatch the power door lock?

When doing this job do I need to get a closing latch too or just the reinforce thing?

And yes it was the metal that broke

I got that nightmare to do myself but you never showed what was broke and why

You sound like Peter Griffin from the "Family Guy"!!!!!!

That t-20 screw your removing at 5:33 on the video, on my 2008 SES this screw is completely behind glass even with the window all the way up, glass extends about 1.5 inches past this. Not sure how to finish its almost as if they put together this cheap handle assembly before they installed the Window. Thinking I will try to drive the plastic back into the main opening from the outside with screwdriver and hammer which might break this, okay on the bad part but the new one might be tough to reassemble. Any one else have this issue and how did you get past?

Now what would cause the two front windows to stop working but the back ones still roll down 😂 my handle is destroyed and I can't find the issue 😢

Fun part! 6:22

Can you do a video with the rear doors?am so mad that i want to burn the car🔥!!ok now i figured out that i need to remove the actuator if i want to install the reinforcement!!

When I close my car door it lock by it self ford focus 2007 and i can't get in.what can it be?🤨

7mm screws were really difficult to remove

Do you have to remove the window?