I originally found and did use instructions for replacing the door handle off of the www.siennachat.com site. Only the release of the latch to open the door didnt work I got a small mirror and set it inside the lower hole behind the mechanism that the cable went to and while messing around found the slight piece of metal that lays right on that first mechanism that the cable attatches to. I pushed that piece of metal with a flat head screw driver and it opened the hatch. I wish I had some pics to go buy and unfortunately at dusk when I decided to attempt this task, my cell phone pictures are dark and grainy. The majority of them came out well enough to see but some didnt. Hopefully the next person who takes on this repair will get and post a great tutorial on fixing this irritating problem with the sienna door handles.. I had gotten down to two functioning handles and had to replace the hatch one at least! so I am now working with a driver door and a passenger slide door and a hatch. the driver slide side door outside handle broke and the inner passenger front door handle broke so I still have those yet to replace.

Then go around to outside of van door and pull the handle assembly away from the van carefully as your light for the plate will be attatched by its wires still flip up the handle and look under it there are TWO more screws holding the handle in place. remove those and the handle will fall free. ((( MY VAN IS BLACK so the pictures of this didnt come out black on black wasnt great with late eve light sorry)))My new metal handle had bolts already attatched but no nuts. I placed the handle where the old was removed (I did have to push one of the bolts over some as it mustve bent in shipping) but once in all was great! gently replace the handle/light assembly piece back on (your lock hole will fit back into its spot as well. get under door again and replace the three nuts you removed. Re attatch the cable as you did to remove it.. only now you will push it in to the right and back and then snap the neck of the shaft part back into its clip. replace the upper window trim, then the two side trims, then the bottom trim as well. I started at the top of the bottom trim at window edge pushing in the tabs and then just went around the door frame (( easiest part of all! THEN you can try out your new door!! i was very leery of closing it and trying but figured now that i know how to open it THE HARD WAY, that I could always redo so. It worked beautifully!!

on the Left side in that hole remove TWO nuts. i marked them the one in right corner and the farthest one to the left. ((by the way all three nuts on my van were golden colored. ))

now that you have the hatch open i sat on the back of the van floor and pulled the hatch to my lap. then remove with a wrench or socket (10 mm) the three NUT holding the door handle on. On the left , in the top hole, there is ONE nut and a plastic tab that you must pinch (i used pliers) and push thru the hole. ((DONT pull from front you will break it)) SAVE YOUR NUTS as my replacement didnt come with them. I bought the metal replacement door handle I didnt want to repeat this procedure if i could avoid doing so.

This is the lower of three holes in the hatch door. the large solid rod is from the locking mechanism, and the cable comes down from the left to the right. pulling on this (I READ ) should have released the latch and let me open the hatch. it did not! but a piece of metal behind that moving part the cable attatches to, i pushed with a flat screw driver and the hatch released and I pushed it open.

This is the cable freed from its connections. The ball can be pulled out of the shaft part so you can move it around while removing and installing it

This is the cable assembly that you must disconnect. the ball must come forward then to the left. the neck of the shaft part clips into a little holder easy to pull it free.