Door panel removal process (1 Viewer)

[Jimthom]

dnp:
And I forgot to thank you for the excellent write-up.
I purchased a set of these plastic trim removal tools when installing my VAIS unit behind the Nav/audio, and they made me much more comfortable about prying on plastic trim.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Some great tips... I've got to swap a lock actuator and speaker grill material on the Death Star

 

[maxse01]

Just did all my door speakers with these instructions, very informative. Thanks op!

 

[Drogon]

Can I replace the courtesy lights in the door without removing the panel?

 

[dnp]

Can I replace the courtesy lights in the door without removing the panel?

Yes. With a plastic instrument, pry the light housing out of the door panel. One side has a clip, and the other one has a fixed plastic nub. Whichever side comes out easiest, that's the side you want to pry out.

 

[re_guderian]

Yes. With a plastic instrument, pry the light housing out of the door panel. One side has a clip, and the other one has a fixed plastic nub. Whichever side comes out easiest, that's the side you want to pry out.

Press in on the front side (so you're pressing towards the back). There is a metal clip. The clip is not near the surface, btw, so you have to angle it up a bit. They are easily broken. The back side of the light has a molded-in hook that goes in first, and comes our last.

 

[Drogon]

Yes. With a plastic instrument, pry the light housing out of the door panel. One side has a clip, and the other one has a fixed plastic nub. Whichever side comes out easiest, that's the side you want to pry out.

Thanks!

 

[looking4lc]

Thanks for posting - great writeup!


Step 7 tricked me up - you want to be careful b/c if you force it you can bend/break the plastic and if you scrape the front of the piece you can damage the wood easily. Just cosmetic, but be gentle if you don't want to damage it. Also - the FSM points out to cover the tip of your screwdriver with tape to minimize likelihood of damage. Others use a blade to get in there - just careful not to damage the leather/plastic/wood.

Thanks for the helpful post.

in step 7, I have a "metal base" for the switches attached in the door "when you remove the door panel"

I tried to stick it back when door put back in and the switches is not in placed correctly.

any advice?

Thanks

 

[PabloCruise]

Great content! What are people doing these days for speaker cloth covering?

 

[re_guderian]

Great content! What are people doing these days for speaker cloth covering?

I spray painted mine with tan bedliner. Match was not perfect, but better than dirty, ripped cloth...

 

[Newps]

Thank you again for this write up. I just pulled apart my door to find the rear window track bolt was missing. Without this tread I surely would have lost a few years out of frustration and broken a few plastic pieces along the way.... :O.

 

[weakspleen]

Chiming in to say thank you for this write up. I took my door panel off for the first time today and you made it easy for me. Here's a couple more pics of the door latch trim and how I got it off easily.



1. The black nub that sits just above the lock switch is what you have to overcome.



2. Another angle so you can see it better.



3. As I'm putting pressure on the right to pull the trim piece out, I insert the forked tool under the nub and it pops it out pretty easily. There's a nub on top and bottom, but as soon as you get this top one released, the whole trim piece comes out easily.

 

[PabloCruise]

Chiming in to say thank you for this write up. I took my door panel off for the first time today and you made it easy for me. Here's a couple more pics of the door latch trim and how I got it off easily.



1. The black nub that sits just above the lock switch is what you have to overcome.



2. Another angle so you can see it better.



3. As I'm putting pressure on the right to pull the trim piece out, I insert the forked tool under the nub and it pops it out pretty easily. There's a nub on top and bottom, but as soon as you get this top one released, the whole trim piece comes out easily.

Great pictures! Thank you

 

[PabloCruise]

Has anyone had to replace the inner lever for opening the door? On our '99 LX, the piece is plastic with a sheet of chrome over it. The chrome is delaminating and my wife has cut her fingers on it a few times... That stuff is sharp! No fun.

Not sure if others have experienced this?

 

[LEX]

It'll be fine, just loud.

 

[TheForger]

Found a nice detailed video of the door panel removal process. I found this while searching through a link posted in another thread about tow mirrors. Makes it seems pretty simple

 

[verruckt1]

I used this thread today to repair my right door speaker which was blown. I purchased the Harbor Freight Trim and Molding 5 piece set (on sale now $7.99) as I did not want to use metal tools in order to prevent pinching or otherwise damaging the leather or plastic trim. I placed my iPad on the pass seat next to me and I walked through this step by step. Excellent write-up on doing this task and it made it very easy. The video ^^ is very good as well, except I would not use metal screwdrives to pop off any of the plastic clips.

 

[Yeeper62]

Awesome write-up, Thank you!

 

[White wings]

I have a dedicated tool I use for panels. I believe it's intended use is a caliper piston spreader but since my racing days (motorcycles) are gone, I took this tool and wrapped the prongs with a tape...one press and I will never be defeated by a panel or stubborn fastener.

 

[buddysharp]

Great write up and pictorial! The video was quite helpful, as well, so thanks to both.