So I had my door handle painted and went to go put it back in. Made sure everything was flush before bolting it down and placed both rods back in place. Closed the door and now the door won't open. Could the door handle be broken or is there a specific place I'm supposed to place the rods? One is pretty explainable, but the other with the threads? Am I missing something?

 

did it work when you took it out? did you put it back the same way you took it out?

 

Install was the same as removal.

 

Forgot to mention that it opens from the inside but not out

 

You sure the rode is connected? If so, then you might have broken on you. The chance you take with used parts. It happens.

 

+1 to Hozzman, also, when the rods are put back in, make sure they're linking and working in the correct way. I know I did that once with the lock and it was binding and not actually moving the door jam cam or switch (Whatever that thing is called).

 

a Good TIP when installing the Outer handle?
OK.
after Install Roll the window DOWN,Just in case the install was done incorrectly you don't have to go around the other side of the car and reach at the passenger inside handle!
The handles have 2 rods to connect.Both held on by stupid plastic clips.Maybe you missed one.
I personally hate the BIG rod,but I found that if you leave that rod ON and take the handle,push the whole assembly out,and then Jimmy it towards the Front of the car,you can Unhook that clip,and put it back on too when you put the handle back onto the car.
Then you only have to worry about the small road and clip,which you can get at through the door's inner frame.( I got smaller hands so I am "sailin".yay!)

 

The door and the handle were the same used before the repaint and they were working perfectly fine. I'll double check the rods when I get the chance but I'm pretty sure they're in exactly the same positions they're supposed to be. Is the threaded rod supposed to be pressed in at a specific length to work?

 

I never took that out of the clip.I took the clip out of the handle,leaving the rod intact and not moved.
The thread location never changed.
If you never changed that either,then you must have missed the other small rod.

 

Both rods are in. Took the handle out and the it doesn't look to be broken. Any suggestion on what to use to lubricate the latch to the striker? Wanna cross that off a list of possibilities.

 

You just look for the clean spot on the threads as a guide to where to press the clip back on.

If it opens from the inside, then perhaps you door latch took a dump? Never seen that happen, but there is always the first time.

 

I'll take a look at it when I get back from class.

 

Point being, this is a very simple situation, so don't over think it. Door handle push's rod down, rod go down releases latch. So either the rod isn't going down for some reason, or the latch isn't unlatching for some reason. There isn't anything else it could be.