Assuming it’s the split door variety:
Open both doors (you don’t want it shutting without a handle or on your fingers)
Inside:
Take the inside handle and pull gubbins off (three long allen head etc)
Take the door cover off (numerous Phillips screws)
Now put some rags etc down the bottom inside the door. this is because if you drop a screw etc when working, if there is nothing to stop it, it will disappear into the bottom of the door and you’ll never see it again.
Outside:
Ping the cover off the door handle (opposite side to the lock) with a small screwdriver or similar
Loosen the bolt you find under it.
Inside edge of the door adjacent to the handle is a Phillips head screw. Loosen it. The handle should be loose now.
Inside the door, there are wires to the central locking solenoid. Unclip them from the Solenoid.
There are two operating rods that connect to the lock for the top and bottom catches. Using a small screwdriver flick the clips off the operating rods and lever the operating rods out of the lock mechanism.
At this point, undo the Phillips screw on the inner edge of the door and the bolt in the door handle. You *should* now be able to jiggle the door handle and central locking solenoid out as one piece now. It may help if you loosen the three Allen heads holding the solenoid to the door handle assembly slightly. You can take the solenoid off, but it’s far easier to keep it as an assembly, because if you take it off, you have to deal with the infamous “Plastic Link” between the solenoid and the locking mechanism. Jiggling it out all together is a pain, but with some judicious pressure on the hole in the door it will come out (or mine did, anyway).
You’ve then got to put whatever you need to keep of the old door handle onto the new one (including the key locking barrel if that’s important to you) and take time to clean it all and lubricate the lot with WD40 or similar *but nothing heavier*. Grease, thick oil etc gets gummy and the central locking won’t work in no time at all.
Replacement is the reverse of... etc etc... BUT don’t get the operating rods mixed up when re-fitting or it’s a PITA, and if the mythical Plastic Link goes missing / breaks – as mine did at some point, which is why I had to do this delightful f***ing job - put it all back together anyway, get some strong wire (think HD paper clip) and make yourself a new one, fixing one end firmly to the hole in the solenoid arm and the other to the lever which pushes the lock pawl out so the operating rods no longer function when the handle is pulled.
I think I got everything, but I may have forgotten some of it. It’s been a while. Others will fill in any blanks.
Most of all – have fun!
You will, honest!
No... really... :devil: