Overview

This procedure describes fixing a Model S rear door handle by rebuilding the “door release assembly,”
which entails replacing the following:

 a paddle gear
 microswitch assembly that contains two microswitches.

Replacing the gear corrects the failure mode in which the door handle will not extend and replacing the
microswitch assembly fixes the failure mode in which the handle stays extended and does not open the
door when pulled. By replacing both the gear and the microswitch assembly, you better safeguard
against future failure.

I purchased the repair parts from EVTuningSolutions.com because their kit includes a stainless steel
paddle gear and what appears to be a superior microswitch harness/assembly. These instructions assume
you have the same replacement parts.

This procedure is divided into the following phases:

 Removing the door release assembly

 Replacing the paddle gear
 Replacing the microswitches
 Testing the door release assembly
 Replacing the door release assembly.

Disclaimers and Additional Information

 When I performed the repair I was focused on the repair, not documenting the repair. As a result,
I wrote these instructions from memory afterwards, incorporating photos I found online and a
few that I took along the way. One casualty of this work flow is the occasional absence of specific
information about tool or bit sizes. I believe I primarily used Torx, but I also seem to remember
grabbing some hex bits along the way, too.
 This is not an official repair guide. I believe it’s correct and helpful but I make no warranties or
claims as to accuracy or suitability. You perform the repair at your own discretion and risk.
 I’ve replaced both rear handles and the procedure is the same, though the doors are mirror
images of each other. Accordingly, I try to use “inside edge” and “outside” edge instead of
“right” or “left” so that the instructions are useful for either rear door.
 While the procedure for a front door is likely very similar, I have not replaced a front door handle
so I do not know how well this procedure would serve in doing so.
 There are some videos online showing various steps in this procedure. (One helpful video is on
the EVTuningSolutions.com web site order page for the rebuild kit.) These videos are a useful
adjunct to these written instructions.
 If you want to see how the door release assembly works, in great detail, this guy does a complete
teardown. Watching this 12 minute video may put the repair process in better perspective:
https://blog.adafruit.com/2017/12/23/tesla-model-s-door-handle-break-down-teardown-tesla/
  A follow-up video to the above video shows the two primary failure modes and how to fix them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1Q2XLC47b0

Replacement Parts Required

 Paddle gear

 Microswitch assembly

 Door panel clips (it’s best to replace these each time you remove the door, though it’s not
absolutely required)

 E-clip retaining ring to replace the one in your handle that’s probably corroded
Tools and Materials Required

 Trim tool kit (optional but nice to have because it’s better than prying plastic parts with a
screwdriver). I bought this one:

 10 mm socket with extension

 Torx and possibly hex bits and driver
 Pliers
 Wire cutters
 Small zip ties
 1” putty knife or similar shaped object

Removing the Door Release Assembly

1. From the outside of the door, place blue painter’s tape on the exposed portion of the door handle,
wrapping the tape slightly to protect the edges of the chrome handle.
2. Ensure that the handle is fully retracted.
3. Remove the rubber insert from the pull cup at the top of the door (the pull cup is the recess used
to pull the door closed).
4. Remove the single bolt from the bottom of the pull cup.

5. Remove the door handle cover (the rigid plastic piece under the door handle) to expose two
screws.
6. Remove the two bolts from under door handle.

7. By carefully wedging a trim tool in between the door panel and the painted door body, remove
the door panel, being careful to keep the panel close to the door frame so that you do not break
any of the wiring connections.
8. Hint: Prior to unplugging the wire connectors, label each connection pair to aid in reconnection.
9. Disconnect each connector to free the door panel.
10. Lay the door panel on a soft surface. I placed the door panel on the back seat with the nice side
down so that the door panel’s exposed hardware didn’t damage the rear seats.
11. Remove the large, black or grey plastic cover from the primary door opening.

12. Use your finger or a trim tool to manually activate the door latch to trick the car into thinking
that the door is closed. This will raise the window the final amount necessary for you to reach the
nuts holding the door release assembly in place. Note: Do not attempt to close the door while the
door latch is in this state.
13. Cut the tie wrap holding the wiring harness on the bottom edge of the door release assembly.
14. Unplug the beige connector that connects the car to the door release assembly.
15. Remove the four nuts that hold the door release assembly:
a. One is plainly visible. (inside edge, bottom nut)
b. One requires the removal of a hole cover and the use of a socket extension. I think it was
the one indicated below. (inside edge, top nut)
 c. The other two require a short socket and some awkward reaching inside the door.
(outside edge, top and bottom nuts)
16. Pull the door release assembly away from the four threaded posts upon which it is mounted,
being careful not to dislodge any of the plastic washer/shims that reside on the threaded posts.
(You may need to add or remove some of the shims when you finish the repair if your handle
doesn’t fit flush as the other handles do.)
17. Move the door release assembly towards the hinged edge of the door, rotating the top towards
the body of the car by about 90 degrees and slide the door release assembly out of the opening.
The fit is close, but if you find just the right angle, not much force is required to remove the
assembly.
18. Take the door release assembly to a workbench or table to work on.

Replacing the Paddle Gear

1. Remove the flexible, black plastic cover from the door release assembly.
a. Hint: Photograph the door release assembly prior to beginning work so that you can
more accurately reproduce the bundling and routing of the wires when you have
completed the repairs. It should look like this:
2. Ensure that the door handle is pushed all the way in.
3. Remove the three bolts that hold the motor in place. (Some door release assemblies that I have
seen online have four bolts.) (Torx T-25, I believe)
4. Remove the motor. Future steps will be easier if you disconnect the motor by unplugging its
wiring harness and set the motor assembly aside.
5. In order to replace the paddle gear, you’ll need to slide the shaft that holds the paddle gear in
place. There are two springs that place tension on the shaft; however, which leaves you one of
two choices: release the spring tension to more easily move the shaft or leave the springs in place
and forcibly move the shaft. Releasing the springs can be a pain (literally) but makes moving the
shaft easier.

If you decide to release the springs:

Move any wiring harnesses out of the way and then release the two springs that put tension on
the handle. This is done by pushing the captive, long end of the spring downward and away
from the midpoint so that it slides under and out of the plastic channel in which it resides. In the
picture below, the arrows show the direction that you will move the end of the springs and the
red squares show the locations to which the springs will snap forcefully. Watch your fingers! The
spring will snap with great force when released. Note: This picture was taken after the paddle
gear had already been removed. The translucent yellow square shows where the paddle gear
resides.

6. Remove the E-clip retaining ring from the rod that goes through the gear. Yours is probably
corroded and will break when you remove it. Don’t worry if it breaks. That’s why the
EVTuningSolutions kit includes a replacement E-clip.
 7. Reaching underneath the assembly, slide the rod away from the paddle gear, just enough to clear
the gear.
8. Remove the gear and any metal fragments that may remain, being careful not to dislodge any
washers that the metal rod passed through.
9. Insert the new gear, replacing washers, as necessary, being careful not to damage the microswitch
that rests against the gear.
10. Slide the rod back through the holes in the gear.
11. Replace the E-clip retaining washer with the new one. It requires a bit of force. I had success
using pliers to get it started and then using the plastic covered handle of the pliers to push the e-
clip the rest of the way.
12. Lock the springs back into place, again being careful of your fingers and any wiring harnesses
that might be in the path of the springs.
13. Replace the motor and the three screws that hold it and plug the motor back in.

Replacing the Microswitches

Note: Photograph or use a permanent marker to note the position and orientation of the
microswitches to enable accurate placement of the new ones.

1. The microswitch that is opposite the wiring connections can be removed easily simply by angling
the driver slightly and turning the screw carefully.
2. The microswitch nearest the wiring connections is more of a challenge. It can only be removed by
drilling an access hole in the housing so that you can reach the microswitch screw from outside
the housing. (Some people online say that a flexible shaft Torx will work instead of drilling, but
even with a flexible torx it looks to me like drilling is required.)

To drill this access hole, you will follow the detailed steps below to mark the location for a hole
and drill a series of ever larger holes until the opening is large enough. (Attempting to drill one
large hole will cause the bit to bind and will likely shatter chunks of plastic out of the housing.)

a. Extend the handle so that the screw on the microswitch is in the middle of its travel, in
the middle of the housing where a hole can be readily drilled.
b. Using the head of the screw as a visual guide, make a mark with a permanent marker on
the inside of the housing, where a pilot hole should be drilled. You will be marking a
spot in the area of the yellow circle and drilling the first pilot hole from the direction
indicated by the arrow. (Even though you’re replacing the microswitch, try not to hit it
with the drill bit.)
 c. From inside the door release assembly, drill a very small pilot hole. The remaining
drilling will be done from outside the housing.
d. Place a barrier (e.g., a 1” putty knife blade) in between the pilot hole and the microswitch
screw. This is to protect the microswitch screw from the drill bit when drilling from the
outside of the housing.
e. Using successive bits, each slightly larger than the previous, enlarge the pilot hole to
about ¼ to 9/32 diameter. This will give easy access to the screw. When you are finished,
you should be able to look into the access hole from outside the door release assembly
and see the screw that holds the microswitch.
3. Holding the handle at the extended position necessary to align the screw with the newly drilled
hole, remove the screw on the second microswitch.
4. Carefully clip the zip ties holding the wiring bundles together.
5. Unplug the wiring harness that includes the two microswitches being replaced.
6. Attach the replacement microswitches by screwing them in the same location and orientation as
their counterparts.
7. Route and bundle the wires as shown in the original photograph.
8. Replace the black plastic cover.

Testing the Door Release Assembly

1. While holding the door release assembly in your hand, pull the wiring harness from inside the
door and attach it to the door release assembly.
2. Using the key fob, unlock the doors. The handle of the door release assembly in your hand
should extend properly.
 3. Pull on the door handle to “open” the door being repaired and verify that the door latch that you
previously closed manually now releases properly.
4. Relatch the door latch on the door being repaired to once again trick the car into thinking that the
door has been closed.
5. Lock the doors using the fob to ensure that the handle in the repaired door release assembly
retracts properly. (This will not work unless you have tricked the car into thinking that the door
is closed.)

Replacing the Door Release Assembly

1. Using the reverse of the removal method, carefully slide the door release assembly into the door
opening.
2. Move the door release assembly up to the door handle area until the door handle is aligned with
the opening. (Looking into the handle opening from outside the door can help.) When the handle
aligns with the opening, the door release assembly should settle onto its four threaded posts.
3. Push firmly on the door release assembly to ensure that the handle is extended the proper
amount when the door is in its closed state. (It should be slightly below flush and should match
the depth of the other door handles.) If an adjustment is required to make the repaired handle
match the depth of the other handles, remove the door release assembly from the four mounting
posts and increase or decrease the number of plastic shims, as necessary, on each mounting post.
4. Once satisfied with the depth of the handle when the door release assembly is firmly held on the
mounting posts, use your fingers to thread the four nuts onto the mounting posts. Do not tighten
the nuts at this point.
5. Looking at the door handle from the outside of the door, reach into the door opening and align
the door release assembly until the door handle is centered in the opening.
6. When you are satisfied with the alignment of the door handle, tighten at least two of the nuts,
finger tight, to the hold the door release assembly in place.
7. Using the socket and necessary combination of extensions tighten all four nuts to secure the door
release assembly.
8. Reconnect the wiring harness and repeat the testing procedure to verify that the handle extends
and retracts properly.
9. Use a tie wrap to bundle the wiring harness as it was prior to the repair.

Replacing the Door Panel

1. Replace the patch over the hole used to remove the one nut from the door release assembly.
2. Replace the large black plastic piece.
3. Hold the door panel close to the door and connect the wiring connections.
4. Snap the door into place.
5. Verify all door functions.
6. Replace the screws behind the handle.
7. Replace the plastic cover behind the handle.
8. Replace the screw in the top recess.
9. Replace the rubber cover over the top recess.
10. Unlock the doors and pull on the extended handle to “unlock” the door prior to closing the door.
11. Savor the fact that you just saved $550 on a door handle repair and ended up with a more robust
door handle, too.