On earlier models, the lock tab is black plastic, but the handles are cheap chromed plastic which peels. I now open my door using just the lock tab, and advise my front passengers to do the same. The rear doors never got much use, apparently, so they seem to be OK. I'm thinking of peeling away the sharp edges and touching up with some clear nail polish or other enamel. It won't look great, but it might hinder further inury...

 

Oh *poop* Jon, good catch on the part numbers.

I will wait to see what your dealership has to say.

 

Bad news from the Greensboro dealership's parts department regarding the left-side chrome lock cap (XR856670). There are none available at any Jaguar parts department in the country. So we're back to homemade solutions for this problem unless you're willing to purchase an entire interior door handle assembly (which I refuse to do at this point since I believe the problem will simply reoccur)....

My small-piece-of-duct-tape solution is doing the job for now. Plus, my duct tape is silver-grey in color and therefore blends in fairly well with the chrome door handle. A better option may be actual silver-foil metal tape. I had a partial roll of this stuff left over in September 2003 after converting our clothesdryer vent duct underneath the house from that Slinky-style piping that tends to sag to galvanized metal piping that has held up very well. If I can find my roll, I'll try a small piece of it on the lock button. But for some reason that partial roll is not with my other tape supplies, so I have to keep poking around looking for it. I remember it as a very malleable metal-backed tape, so it may be ideal for the job as long as a very small piece retains enough stickiness to stay on the lock button once it is applied....

 

I was afraid that's where you would end up. I can assure you though, that if you do ultimately relent and go for the new handle assembly, you'll probably not have to worry about the chrome. I have never as yet seen that peeling happen to handles after about the second quarter 2007. I think that was vendor production thing that they quickly got a "handle" on. <<Sorry, Bad Joke>>

Cheers,

 

Bummer Jon, I should have not doubted Steve. BTW Steve nicebad joke !

Ahem when Joyces chrome piece fails I will go the rechrome route, I just can't see being that expensive. Time will tell.

 

I removed the bezel surround from the drivers door handle on Friday so I could get a good look at the entire door handle assembly. I then tried to pry off the lock button using a small flat-blade screwdriver per Steve's PDF instructions above, but that piece is plastic and I was concerned about breaking the tabs that hold it in place and allow it to rotate from locked to unlocked position. When my lock button wouldn't pop out from its assembly with me applying moderate leverage using my screwdriver, I decided not to press my luck and backed off, re-installing the bezel surround and then applying my duct tape fix to the peeling chrome edge of the lock button....

If anyone else manages to remove their lock button without breaking it, please post your exact steps here....

 

"Look Ma, No Hands!!" Ya know, once in a while one just falls in your lap!!

All I can say is good luck fellas......... I've never been able to get the bugger off without breaking the little bar off, so it won't snap back on properly. Could be glued I 'spose.

 

I wouldn't trust any glue to hold those slick plastic parts together for very long, especially since that lock button must rotate back and forth during the lock/unlock procedure....

I finally found my silver-foil tape roll in a hall closet this afternoon. I cut off an appropriate-sized square (less than an inch), cleaned the lock button with a dry cloth after removing the small piece of duct tape I had on it, firmly applied the silver-foil square being sure to overlap the offending peeled/sharp edge, smoothing the silver-foil tape piece down as I worked along from front to rear of the lock button. It stuck quite well. Now we'll see if it will stay on through routine use in the weeks and months ahead. Since it essentially imitates chrome, it certainly looks better than the previous piece of duct tape did....

Again, if anyone figures out how to remove the plastic lock button from the door handle assembly without breaking it, please post the how-to steps here....

 

Chroming plastic properly is not cheap. Just buy the part.

 

Sounds like how Jed Clampett would have done it ...

So I'll give it a try ...

 

It sure beats paying $106 for an entire door handle assembly from Nalley when only the small lock button is affected by the peeling chrome problem. You cannot purchase just a replacement lock button....

I'd be happy to have Jed Clampett's ingenuity (and money) any day of the week....

 

Being the el cheapo that I am I would try the filing trick or the old standby, duct tape over the offending area assuming you can keep it hidden. Jon, you might try some silver muffler repair tape if you can't find your existing roll. Years ago I used this to fix my header on my Suzuki GS 750.

 

While doing a rear door lock assembly fix today (very difficult) that will saved for another DIY thread. I noticed the rear door lock flaking as Jon described above.

I was able to remove the chrome lock cover without screwing it up, well other than chipping a bit more unseen chrome off. Tommorow I will search for a local plastic chromer and will get back to this thread.

Sorry for the crappy picture:

 

Rick,

Can you describe the process and tools you used and the steps you took to remove that rear door lock button without breaking its plastic tabs? Thanks....

 

Jon, I am going to do a picture write up. I have pictures but have not had time to do a write up, as my last one took awhile.

 

Rick,

Any update yet on when you might have your tutorial available regarding the removal of the plastic door lock button without breaking it?

 

Here you go Jon,

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/s...-w-pics-65657/ sounds like lot's of fun!

 

That thread does not cover the specific removal of the lock button from the interior door handle assembly, Norri. But thanks for trying. I'm sure Rick will post his specifics at his earliest convenience. I'll wait for his details before I try it again - I do not intend to break the plastic tabs....

 

Well there's always this as an option but kind of extreme for a driving glove ...

 

Sorry, no way my wife would be willing to wear that....

If I could just convince her to use the lock/unlock button on the dash, all would be well. But for safety purposes, she wants the lock button fixed. My metal foil tape patch has stayed on the lock button quite well thus far, but I do not see that as a permanent fix quite yet....