I searched a little but did not see how to get the door open once the handle breaks so that you can get the interior panel off to work on it. Also if you get the new handle from mazdatrix, does that come with everything you need? No junkyards nearby have any 7's.

 

If you are good with a slim-jim, you can catch the actuator rod from inside the door. It's longish horizontal rod that's close to the top of the door. This takes talent though and I've never been able to do it.

What I usually do is open the other door, and then remove as many of screws from the panel as I can. This allows the panel to be peeled slightly at the rear of the door, and if you have small hands you can reach in and manually move the opener rod.

 

Now i know what it means to have small hands

 

the same thing happened to me before. u have to remove as many screws as u can on that door, then from the inside u can kinda open the door panel slightly (kinda flex it but it wont come off)then take a 10mm and remove the door handle and open it from pushing the rod down from the out side of the car(the one that attaches to the door handle) and it will open.

 

wow sounds fun, does the mazdatrix handle come with all the parts?

 

hahaha i got lucky. turns out it was the lock not releasing. it feels kind of dead, not going all the way up or down.