Passive lock door handle buttons

[LoganB85]

Anybody know if you can get the passive lock buttons changed in the door handles?  I can’t find anything online about changing them.  Everything on my truck is black at this point except the door handle buttons.  I was thinking about covering them with vinyl if all else fails.

[kodiakdenali]

11 hours ago, LoganB85 said:

Anybody know if you can get the passive lock buttons changed in the door handles?  I can’t find anything online about changing them.  Everything on my truck is black at this point except the door handle buttons.  I was thinking about covering them with vinyl if all else fails.

I have mine painted body color. it looks so much better! my truck had all chrome handles factory.

the button is a loose piece that is just sits between the handle cap and the electrical button that it pushes. to get it off you have to remove the handle's outer cap. its actually not that easy to do however.

if you go to the GMC accessories web page (or chevy I'm sure) they sell the handles in a few colors. on that page there is a document that explains how to replace the handles. that doc is incomplete however, it does not mention that you have to remove the whole interior door panel to access the electrical connector. You don't have to actually replace them entirely though just to get to the button. You can follow those instructions to detach the rear of the handle from the door and then it will swing outwards to give you room to work, then you can remove the door handle caps by prying carefully to release all the little plastic tabs that hold it on. start from the back, work forward (I think after the rear is released you have to slide the handle towards the front, the front of it is attached with little tabs) once you get the handle swung away from the truck and look at the back of it you should see what I mean. its pretty tight and difficult to get off without damaging the handle however. Once you get the cap off the button is just loose. you can remove it, paint, wrap whatever then put it all back together.

although putting it back together also is not easy...its a complicated mechanism that holds the handle to the inner parts in the door. I ended up breaking something on my first attempt, and had to have a body shop replace some piece inside the door. they I paid them $25 a piece to swap the handles for me to my painted ones. even the tech who did the work said it was trickier than most.

you might actually want to see if you can cut and install a piece of vinyl to hide the chrome and do it without removing the door handle/button.

 

would I do it again? I don't know...probably, because I love the look so much.

but I would have just paid the shop to the paint and install all at once, it would have been cheaper. I had them paint the handles and buttons then tried to install it myself. that was where I erred.

 

[kodiakdenali]

Another solution to the chrome you might consider is plastidip. it would actually give the buttons a soft rubbery feel at the same time.

[LoganB85]

8 hours ago, kodiakdenali said:

I have mine painted body color. it looks so much better! my truck had all chrome handles factory.

the button is a loose piece that is just sits between the handle cap and the electrical button that it pushes. to get it off you have to remove the handle's outer cap. its actually not that easy to do however.

if you go to the GMC accessories web page (or chevy I'm sure) they sell the handles in a few colors. on that page there is a document that explains how to replace the handles. that doc is incomplete however, it does not mention that you have to remove the whole interior door panel to access the electrical connector. You don't have to actually replace them entirely though just to get to the button. You can follow those instructions to detach the rear of the handle from the door and then it will swing outwards to give you room to work, then you can remove the door handle caps by prying carefully to release all the little plastic tabs that hold it on. start from the back, work forward (I think after the rear is released you have to slide the handle towards the front, the front of it is attached with little tabs) once you get the handle swung away from the truck and look at the back of it you should see what I mean. its pretty tight and difficult to get off without damaging the handle however. Once you get the cap off the button is just loose. you can remove it, paint, wrap whatever then put it all back together.

although putting it back together also is not easy...its a complicated mechanism that holds the handle to the inner parts in the door. I ended up breaking something on my first attempt, and had to have a body shop replace some piece inside the door. they I paid them $25 a piece to swap the handles for me to my painted ones. even the tech who did the work said it was trickier than most.

you might actually want to see if you can cut and install a piece of vinyl to hide the chrome and do it without removing the door handle/button.

 

would I do it again? I don't know...probably, because I love the look so much.

but I would have just paid the shop to the paint and install all at once, it would have been cheaper. I had them paint the handles and buttons then tried to install it myself. that was where I erred.

 

Thanks for all the information.  Those 4 little buttons are the only things left chrome on my all

black 2019 Rocky Ridge Silverado RST, and it bugs the crap out of me.  I just rebadged all the emblems except the Rocky Ridge one on the tailgate.  I know a guy who paints for a GMC dealership and he is a really good painter, might see if he could do the buttons along with the badge.  I also thought possibly covering them

with small pieces of black vinyl.

[kodiakdenali]

Anything is better than chrome!

In this pic you can see the clips that hold the handle cover to the handle body.

[204Denali]

I wouldn't suggest plasti-dip for handles, it just won't hold up.  I would also not suggest vinyl for the "button" as its just to small of a surface area, it might hold, but it might also not.  The best bet is what Kodiak suggested, if zero chrome is your look than have them painted.  Mine are black with the chrome button, and my denali is blacked out.  I don't even notice anymore.

[LoganB85]

3 hours ago, 204Denali said:

I wouldn't suggest plasti-dip for handles, it just won't hold up.  I would also not suggest vinyl for the "button" as its just to small of a surface area, it might hold, but it might also not.  The best bet is what Kodiak suggested, if zero chrome is your look than have them painted.  Mine are black with the chrome button, and my denali is blacked out.  I don't even notice anymore.

I think you and Kodiak are right paint is the best option. 

[kodiakdenali]

4 hours ago, 204Denali said:

I wouldn't suggest plasti-dip for handles, it just won't hold up.  I would also not suggest vinyl for the "button" as its just to small of a surface area, it might hold, but it might also not.  The best bet is what Kodiak suggested, if zero chrome is your look than have them painted.  Mine are black with the chrome button, and my denali is blacked out.  I don't even notice anymore.

right, if going the vinyl route you'd probably have to wrap the vinyl around the back of the button in order to have a chance of it lasting long term, especially once the sun heats up the adhesive. In order to do that you'd have to get the buttons off the handles anyway, so you might as well get them painted at that point.

[mjonesjr84]

On 1/15/2021 at 9:13 PM, kodiakdenali said:

Anything is better than chrome!

In this pic you can see the clips that hold the handle cover to the handle body.

 

Are there anything else holding the outer cover on the handle? I need to replace a button on mine and don't want to buy a whole handle.