Driver and passenger exterior door handles...loose.

[DaHonu]

Both exterior handles will open the doors ('05 Astro LT AWD), but both are loose ie. the leading edges of both handles are angled toward the center of the van with "spring tension" in finger relief space on the doors where the handles sit...iow, the outside surface of the handles are not parallel with the door skin when at rest (make sense?). My question is...since I can open the doors in spite of their abnormal positions, does this mean that something slipped off inside? Or does it mean that something broke off inside and that I will need to replace it with new ones or good ones from the JY?

After reading the horror stories about replacing these handles, I'm very sure that I'm going to do the secondary access hole and save myself some grief and learning new swear words in tongue. Thanks for your help!

[sixsix]

I just put a new handle on our driver's side and the new one 'slants in' also just like you say. Works fine, looks wonky.
Can not remember where it was from.

[Astrofarian]

Yeah, my original 89 had a passenger front handle like that, the 92 "Hoopty" had both fronts like that and yada yada yada. Get some new handles ready and treat the ones on there with kid gloves. They all seem to let go sooner or later. Read up on changing the handles. You'll be doing one at least at some point.
I hope I'm wrong, but get your kit together in case I'm not.
-M!ke-

[DaHonu]

I intend to get replacements regardless because experience indicates you all are right. I just wanted to know (without pulling off the panels and peeking with a scope in the meantime) if how it is sitting at rest was caused by something that slipped off or broke off the mechanism inside. I should get a Haynes or Chilton asap, huh?

[augidog]

Same problem here, and also steeling myself for the job.

Look behind your loose handle and you might be able to see a hinge tab has snapped off. Maybe we get the collapse when both tabs break? I think we can baby it along because of the spring return and the connection to the linkage, but clearly a final piece will inevitably snap and then we're climbing in through the side door.

IMG_20200409_001601_064.jpg (16.07 KiB) Viewed 427 times

reviews and opinions on the best replacement vary greatly, and I haven't yet made my choice.

[DaHonu]

Thanks for the pic, augidog, it helps me understand whats going on a bit. I'll be creating the secondary access holes in both doors soon for the inevitable...I checked with my trusty Magic 8 Ball...and got the bad news.