How do you change door locks on a 1992 subaru legacy?

Answer 1

The first thing to suggest is to take your car to a shop that has done this before. This is a "no fun" job, and you should have replacement parts in hand before doing anything, because it will need non-stock (non-stocking) replacement parts, and doing this job more than necessary gets old in a hurry.

Tools required:

1) 10mm and 12mm wrench

2) Phillips and flat head screwdriver(s)

3) 5 gallon pail of patience

4) hands the size of a gnat, and fingers with 6 joints

The left front and right front are the same (mirror images of each other).

If you are here because your key seems to bind in the lock (but will go with jiggling) you NEED a replacement lock cylinder, there is nothing to fix, it was designed that way, get replacement parts in hand before doing anything else.

1) drop window about 1 inch

2) remove door panel (bezel around inside door lock, 2 screws 1 above door handle (behind black foam plug) 1 below door handle (behind square plastic pop-out insert) screw at front of door panel, 2 screws below door panel, it should now pull off, disconnect wiring to window switch at plug and place panel aside)

3) on the lock end of the door is a metal bar that goes from top to bottom, you must remove the bottom nut (12mm) and the two top nuts (12mm). The top studs have a slot in them, with a flat screwdriver turn them out. Now you should be able to move that black bar around enough for you to get the 2 10mm nuts behind on the bracket that holds the door handle in the car.

4) unclip the plastic rod clips and the door handle will come out in your hand.

5) the door lock cylinder is retained in the door handle casting by a clip, remove that clip and the cylinder falls out.

Putting it back together is the reverse of removal, keeping in mind those two top studs holding the black bracket adjust how the top of the window hits the weatherstrip.

Good luck!