Similar EZ fix: Had the same problem the last few months with my 2002 to Siena. It would open, but it took 2 or 3 pulls on the handle to do so. So I looked online and found this video, which was very helpful. Getting the door panel off is a breeze. You just have to pry the cupholder out from the clips, Undo the one Phillips head screw that is in the wall of the cupholder, then gently pull the panel away from the door frame In carefully peel back the vapour barrier. At 1st I experimented with moving the black plastic end of the cable sheath as suggested here, but I wasn't comfortable with that. I don't know what they call the yellow part on the end of the cable that slides up in that channel of the latching mechanism, but for me moving that black plastic to the top of its bracket pulled that yellow piece too far up the channel it travels in so that it was tight against the end of the channel to the point of starting to move the latching mechanism, if only slightly. Did that I or will that bother anything? I don't know, bit probably not. I just wasn't comfortable with it and I wasn't comfortable with the cable being out of its bracket. So what I did was i filled in the top of the channel so the yellow piece had less distance to travel. I got a couple of plastic zip ties and I put them through the top of the channel between the yellow piece and the end of the channel. They were smalle enough so that they were not butting right up against the yellow piece, but large enough so that the yellow piece had less distance to travel as it moved up the channel. As the zip ties were between the yellow piece and the end of the channel, the yellow piece would compress against the zip ties causing the latching mechanism to lift. After that I just trimmed the excess off the Zip ties, right to their little catch housing, and put everything back together. The explaining is far more complicated than the doing 😄 Oh, I got the idea of using zip ties to fill in the channel from other people mentioning using zip ties to hold the cable in place.
I did exactly what you did (workaround solution) yesterday on the driver side sliding door! To prevent it from popping out later on, I got a small plastic twist tie from store-bought bread and tied the cable around the slot so that it is fastened and won't ever pop out. Glad this solution worked 8 years ago and still works today. I've also replaced the door handle on the sliding door passenger side. Odometer at 270,000 kms or 160,000 mls
Thank you, brother. I owe you one. Thanks to this great video, I was able to fix both sliding doors on my elderly parent's van. They are thrilled. Take care.
Thanks man. Worked great. Inside works now. And outside also. Unbelievable. Very cool. I used a small zip tie to keep the outside wire in place so that it will never slip off. Thanks again
Simply pull on the middle of the cable in question to pull out some slack. Then zip tie it to the other two cables to keep it from slacking back. That fixed mine.
Hi, my 2001 toyota has just over 210000 miles. the sliding door has been sticking literally for YEARS. Now if it opens twice a year its a lot. i'm going out now to try your method. Right now i only get the click that its open and barely moves. If this works it will seem like a whole new vehicle!!!! Keeping my, fingers, toes, eyes, etc crossed!!!! (i watched a different video on how to change the rear hatch - WOOHOO I accomplished that task yesterday with ease and it now works!)
This is very helpful. I have a 2001 sienna and the rear latch has failed 3 times and one door handle broke. Right now, the driver side slider handle is broken. I got a replacement handle. l save $55 by doing it myself (plus I got the part cheaper than the body shop would charge).
I have a 2002... and ALL of my handles have broken at one point or another. I have replaced (myself) two of them and now going to do the driver side .. since I cant get in.. but I have the sticky door problem, and so going to try this.. worth the try.
The other thing you could do to tighten the cable is add a zip tie or wire to the hole where it catches on to,that way the cable would hit the wire first and pull it immediately
Thats exactly what I have done. Strapped a wire zip tie around the bracket where the gap is and the thickness of the wire tie takes up that space where the gap was. Now it works like a champ. I wouldn't relocate the cable like this guy did, too much of a chance of it falling off.
For the record, I saw other zip tie comments, about holding cables in place, but not these about using them to fill in the channel. So when I left my comment above about doing just that, I thought it was an original idea. Otherwise I would have given credit.
On my 2001 Sienna, the first door problems were the broken outside driver's door handle and rear hatch door handle....easily replaced. My current problem is that the door release button on the driver side sliding door often does not pop back out immediately.
This is not just happening for newer models, because I own a 1999 and almost all of my latches are broken off to include the outside back latch and both inside front door latches. I also have to replace the outside latch on the door you fixed and I am also having the same trouble on both of my sliding doors that you’re having. Very disappointed also.
That seems risky, did you also consider tightening a nylon tie around the end of the cable, which would make the metal ball stick out more below the yellow holder??
This problem occurs when the bracket on the handle side is broken. A new replacement handle (available on Amazon) will take the slack out of the cable. Compare this handle with the functioning one on the opposite side of the vehicle.
Agree, interior component quality SUCK, 88% are US made components that are made cheaply.. Disappointing.. see 30+ year old Toyotas still on the road with the original cigarette light still working yet alone the door handles still functioning, only thing you can really rely on is the driveline these days... SAD #toyota
Agreed. My 1989 truck was Japanese made and nearly bullet proof. Subsequent Toyotas I have owned such as Camry's, Sienna, Tundra, not nearly as durable as that little old truck.
no more problems?? Put a drop of urethane sealant on the CABLE HOUSING TIP where it contacts the bracket. I used a drop of Shoe Goo. DO NOT get any on the cable itself.
So how long did it last? Did the cable ever dislodge from its improvised position? I have the same problem with my 2002. Figured it was a stretched cable.
Similar EZ fix:
Had the same problem the last few months with my 2002 to Siena. It would open, but it took 2 or 3 pulls on the handle to do so. So I looked online and found this video, which was very helpful.
Getting the door panel off is a breeze. You just have to pry the cupholder out from the clips, Undo the one Phillips head screw that is in the wall of the cupholder, then gently pull the panel away from the door frame In carefully peel back the vapour barrier.
At 1st I experimented with moving the black plastic end of the cable sheath as suggested here, but I wasn't comfortable with that.
I don't know what they call the yellow part on the end of the cable that slides up in that channel of the latching mechanism, but for me moving that black plastic to the top of its bracket pulled that yellow piece too far up the channel it travels in so that it was tight against the end of the channel to the point of starting to move the latching mechanism, if only slightly.
Did that I or will that bother anything? I don't know, bit probably not. I just wasn't comfortable with it and I wasn't comfortable with the cable being out of its bracket.
So what I did was i filled in the top of the channel so the yellow piece had less distance to travel.
I got a couple of plastic zip ties and I put them through the top of the channel between the yellow piece and the end of the channel. They were smalle enough so that they were not butting right up against the yellow piece, but large enough so that the yellow piece had less distance to travel as it moved up the channel. As the zip ties were between the yellow piece and the end of the channel, the yellow piece would compress against the zip ties causing the latching mechanism to lift.
After that I just trimmed the excess off the Zip ties, right to their little catch housing, and put everything back together.
The explaining is far more complicated than the doing 😄
Oh, I got the idea of using zip ties to fill in the channel from other people mentioning using zip ties to hold the cable in place.
I did exactly what you did (workaround solution) yesterday on the driver side sliding door! To prevent it from popping out later on, I got a small plastic twist tie from store-bought bread and tied the cable around the slot so that it is fastened and won't ever pop out. Glad this solution worked 8 years ago and still works today. I've also replaced the door handle on the sliding door passenger side. Odometer at 270,000 kms or 160,000 mls
Thank you, brother. I owe you one. Thanks to this great video, I was able to fix both sliding doors on my elderly parent's van. They are thrilled. Take care.
Thanks man. Worked great. Inside works now. And outside also. Unbelievable. Very cool. I used a small zip tie to keep the outside wire in place so that it will never slip off. Thanks again
Fixed my problem. The Toyota door handles are notorious, but still better than replacing a Honda transmission. Thanks for the video!
Thank you for posting, I was able to fix my door problem from watching your video.
Simply pull on the middle of the cable in question to pull out some slack. Then zip tie it to the other two cables to keep it from slacking back. That fixed mine.
Did you mean that do the same as video but add zip tie?
Thank you so much for this video متشکرم سپاس
Thank you😂 work smoothly like as new again 🎉
Thank You. After years of my passenger side sliding door sticking, I moved it a notch and presto, door sticking from the inside is GONE!.
Great, glad it worked out!
Hi, my 2001 toyota has just over 210000 miles. the sliding door has been sticking literally for YEARS. Now if it opens twice a year its a lot. i'm going out now to try your method. Right now i only get the click that its open and barely moves. If this works it will seem like a whole new vehicle!!!! Keeping my, fingers, toes, eyes, etc crossed!!!! (i watched a different video on how to change the rear hatch - WOOHOO I accomplished that task yesterday with ease and it now works!)
Great, hope it worked out.
Thank you for the video. Got the problem fixed. Mechanics wanted $85 only for the diagnosis.
Great, glad it worked out!
Perfect! Thanks. Fixed my door immediately!
Great, glad it worked out!
This is very helpful. I have a 2001 sienna and the rear latch has failed 3 times and one door handle broke. Right now, the driver side slider handle is broken. I got a replacement handle. l save $55 by doing it myself (plus I got the part cheaper than the body shop would charge).
Great, glad it worked out!
I have a 2002... and ALL of my handles have broken at one point or another. I have replaced (myself) two of them and now going to do the driver side .. since I cant get in.. but I have the sticky door problem, and so going to try this.. worth the try.
thanx for the videoo!!!
98 toyota sienna here
all door handles broken. for me lol
The other thing you could do to tighten the cable is add a zip tie or wire to the hole where it catches on to,that way the cable would hit the wire first and pull it immediately
Haha I literally came here to report that I put a zip tie in the hole yesterday on mine and it worked great. You beat me to it
Thats exactly what I have done. Strapped a wire zip tie around the bracket where the gap is and the thickness of the wire tie takes up that space where the gap was. Now it works like a champ. I wouldn't relocate the cable like this guy did, too much of a chance of it falling off.
For the record, I saw other zip tie comments, about holding cables in place, but not these about using them to fill in the channel. So when I left my comment above about doing just that, I thought it was an original idea. Otherwise I would have given credit.
How shiny the paint! Mine is all ashy. But I love its engine.
Thank you this was exactly what I needed
On my 2001 Sienna, the first door problems were the broken outside driver's door handle and rear hatch door handle....easily replaced. My current problem is that the door release button on the driver side sliding door often does not pop back out immediately.
Great tips. Thanks for posting. This should solve my problem.
Thanks so much. I fixed my problem and you saved some money, God bless you.
That was so helpful to me, thanks
متشکرم
Great video
wow, thank you, I have exact same troubles.. thank you, I will do the same ways, thnkyou
thank you!!
nice video shootingstar1015, nice temporary fix.....question have you had any water leak behind the passengers seat by the sliding door?
never had that problem.
This is not just happening for newer models, because I own a 1999 and almost all of my latches are broken off to include the outside back latch and both inside front door latches. I also have to replace the outside latch on the door you fixed and I am also having the same trouble on both of my sliding doors that you’re having. Very disappointed also.
That seems risky, did you also consider tightening a nylon tie around the end of the cable, which would make the metal ball stick out more below the yellow holder??
where in the cable can you tie at? I could not find anywhere to tie the nylon tie
that may work too.my greatest concern at the time was that the cable may pop out. that being said, all these years later and still working fine.
This problem occurs when the bracket on the handle side is broken. A new replacement handle (available on Amazon) will take the slack out of the cable. Compare this handle with the functioning one on the opposite side of the vehicle.
Thanks. works great your instructions.
awsome. glad it worked out!
Life saver 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Not the wife 😂😂😂😂
Same here handles breaking all over
Agree, interior component quality SUCK, 88% are US made components that are made cheaply.. Disappointing.. see 30+ year old Toyotas still on the road with the original cigarette light still working yet alone the door handles still functioning, only thing you can really rely on is the driveline these days... SAD #toyota
Agreed. My 1989 truck was Japanese made and nearly bullet proof. Subsequent Toyotas I have owned such as Camry's, Sienna, Tundra, not nearly as durable as that little old truck.
all the handles are shit! I have a 2001 and have replaced them all ,great can though!
no more problems?? Put a drop of urethane sealant on the CABLE HOUSING TIP where it contacts the bracket. I used a drop of Shoe Goo. DO NOT get any on the cable itself.
So how long did it last? Did the cable ever dislodge from its improvised position?
I have the same problem with my 2002. Figured it was a stretched cable.
worked perfectly. donated the van.
thanks!!!
Do u still have ur van?
I ripped the door handle right off 🤦♀️
Quick and dirty solution, did you mean quick and easy solution? Lol
The phrase is "The down and dirty" DIY.
cool vid till ur wife comment
Hmmm,
I have an '02 Sienna. Every door handle on it is broken.
wow, your a lazy person. why would you not fix them?
@@JohnSmith-uy7sv oh, I fixed 'm alright. Took 'm off and stuck the cable outside with a clamp holdin' 'm.
I have the same problem iam,going try that same year