Interior door handle broken (spindle) + door panel removal
 

My driver's side door handle stopped working today, I pulled to open it and it made a loud popping sound and just started to swing loosely. The outside door handle still opened the door just fine.

Turns out this is a common problem with the handle on these cars. The handle is two pieces, the metal lever on the inside and a small spindle arm lever inside the door that pulls the lock cable.

The spindle arm just pops straight up out of the casing, it's held down with the friction with the plastic holder so pull up slow and steady and it will come right out. When putting it back in, have the spindle as far back as possible towards the back of the door and the handle closed for alignment.

Here are the part numbers: Spindle = A 320 766 00 67 (and optional white groment that goes in the hole at the end = A 202 997 12 81) (thanks BeltFedBob!)

Here's a pic of what it looks like:

Attachment 383730

Took about 1hr total to take off panel, pop out the old spindle and replace it and then put the panel back in place.

Attached a PDF too for removing the door panel.

thanks for the info and part #.
price for the parts?

Spindle was $18.53.

I just used my old grommet but I wouldn't think that would be more than $5.

thanks!

Could you please tell me where you bought this from? My UK dealer wants to charge me £198 for this part!!! I have exactly the same broken spindle problem, and even with delivery charges from USA it will still be a lot cheaper than U.K. price!

Thanks in advance.

Bought from dealership here... Keyes European Mercedes-Benz

Brilliant! Thanks for the reply.

Wahey! Update - done a bit of scouting around and found a dealer advertising the part for £3.18 - about 4$, plus postage. Result! Should have it tomorrow so I will now be able to open the door from the inside again. :):)

Is it a DIY kind of a job? How hard is it for an average Joe? and What kid of tools would it require. Could you please put this information up?

Appreciate your information.

I did it myself so yes, it was fairly quick as I remember it. I dont have the car anymore but I dont think you need any tools other than a flat-head screwdriver to pry off the panel from the clips. After that the spindle just slides out from the holding cylinder.

Thanks a lot. Local Merc Dealer has the part in stock for $4.00 and I am going to try it over the weekend.

Saved my life. took old one out, fixed it with a bit of bent aluminum and rivets, then ordered the new one. took 5 mins to put it in when it arrived....Thanks again guys!!

wow, I have to invest in Mercedes Benz parts. I just bought the spindle, part number 230-766-00-67 for $37.05 and grommet, part number 202-997-12-81 for $2. All from Autobahn Motors in Belmont, Ca. For that price, I was looking for a bottle of lube inclusive.

The spindle looks to be very cheaply made, perhaps out of pot metal.

Ha! yeah, lube is extra.

I have often thought about seeing if KY would create a special AMG label for me so i could sell it to members. "AMG butt lube" The directions would say: Apply liberally before the purchase of all AMG parts.

I've just done this repair on my 2006 SL500. It was pretty straightforward except for a couple of small issues:

1. I had to cut away a small piece of the door card that was stopping me from withdrawing the spindle from the inside handle. This was easily done with a craft knife

2. The locking button ended up sitting too low in the door card. This may be as a result of not aligning it with its hole the first time I fitted the card back to the door. I have to remove it to replace 4 of the red securing clips that were either missing or broken, but I'd eb interested to know if anyone else has had to adjust the position of the knob on its mounting rod. Is it on a screw thread?

The spindle, part no A230 (not 320 as it says above) 766 00 67 cost me UK £14.64 from a MB main dealer here in the UK and after ordering it yesterday they had it ready for me this morning.

I've finished replacing the drivers side door pull spindle on my 03 SL500. I positioned the spindle (A 230 766 00 67) (handle all the way to shut position), pressed it in...connected everything...cable is a hook that connects to the spindle...door pull snaps back as should be, but felt little to no resistance on the pull, but the door wont release and open...Did I do something wrong here???

(it does in fact appear that it's connected to the cable...by feel and sound...but will not release and open door?)

On my 05 SL600, the door panel does come off easily, removed the trim lock nuts and then two of the screws that hold the inside handle mechanism in place - this created clearance for the spindle to slide past the molded door insulation - that said, the broken spindle itself would NOT come out - prying pulling - very frustrating - thought maybe would have to CUT the handle and replace that too - stepped away to run an errand and came back to it - thought that being a very cold morning (around freezing) and even now with door panel inside the house, maybe WARMING up the interior door handle would ever so slightly increase the clearance - two minutes with blow dryer, and BOOM - broken spindle came out once pulled up !!!

Couldn't find it in Canada, but the spindle is available on Amazon. Search.....

URO Parts 2307660067 Inner Door Handle Spindle

Also, one person above mentioned the door still wouldn't open from the inside after competing this repair. I had the same issue.
There was a bit of looseness/slack in the interior door handle. When pulled to open the travel distance was insufficient to unlatch the door.
Solved by having the interior handle fully closed and dropping the spindle on one notch more forwards, putting the cable under a bit of tension
which holds the interior handle tightly closed.