My passenger door release handle also mechanically failed about a year ago. When I took the door card off, the issue was just that one metal connector had slipped out of the white plastic connector block - possibly due to the spring around it pushing it out of the connector block. I ended up slipping some washers on either end of the spring and using cable ties to secure the metal connectors into the plastic block. No issues since. I’ve attached two pictures.

(BTW taking door card off is relatively simple — screws along sides and bottom of door — plus one in the door release fitting itself.)

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