If you own a car, you might think that removing a door panel from any vehicle is a difficult thing to do but it’s actually quite simple. In fact, we have decided to provide you with some of the basic steps that you can easily follow in-order to remove your car door-panels.
Step-1: How to Remove the Control Panel & Door Latch:
-Start by opening the car door: You will begin by opening the car door and then locate the small and big screws. After, unscrew the small screws and then the big ones. However, make sure the child lock is off and every switch on the side of the door is off. Likewise, you may consider carefully removing the door by pushing it up and then place it into any desired area.
-Lift the door latch & remove the screw attaching it to the panel: Gently, hold the door handle latch open and look for a fastening screw at the base of the latch. Take a screwdriver and remove the screw. After, set the screw aside so that you don’t lose it. However, you may need to hold the latch open in order to access the fastening screw.
-Use pliers to pull the door latch off of the panel: The door latch is usually held in place by small plastic clips that can make it difficult to remove by hand. So, use a pair of pliers to get a good grip on the latch and then gently, but firmly pull the latch away from the panel. However, don’t yank or twist the latch or you could damage the connecting clips. Additionally, be careful not to squeeze the latch too hard with the pliers or you could crack or crush it.
-Wedge a screwdriver into the lower edge of the control panel and pry it up: Most vehicles have a panel on the door that controls the windows and door lock. So, take a flathead screwdriver and wedge it into the lower edge of the control panel where it connects to the door panel. After, use gentle pressure to pry it up and pop it out of place. Likewise, the control panel is held in place by small connecting clips that can be easily damaged if you snap or jerk the screwdriver to remove it. On the other hand, if If you’re having trouble prying up the control panel, wedge the screwdriver into the side and then the top of the panel to disconnect the small connector clips holding it in place. Once all of the clips are disconnected, the control panel will slide right out.
-Disconnect any wires from the control panel before removing it: Locate the plugs on the backside of the panel and then take a firm grip on the plug. Gently wiggle the plug as you pull it off. Remove any other plugs attached to the panel. However, some plugs may have clips that you need to press as you pull them for removal. Don’t try to force or yank on the plugs or you could damage them.
-Remove the clip wire & pull-off the window crank: Some vehicles may have a manual window crank that needs to be removed. So, take a metal pick tool and wedge it behind the crank. Locate the small clip wire holding it in place and slide it out from behind the crank then pull the crank straight out with your hands to remove it. There may also be a plastic washer behind the crank, so make sure you don’t lose it when you pull it off if you plan to reassemble the door panel later.
Step-2: How to Take-Off the Trim Pieces:
-Insert a screwdriver into the edge of the armrest cover & pry it off: The armrest cover may be concealing a fastening screw. So, take a flathead screwdriver and wedge it into the crack at the edge of the panel. Apply gentle pressure to pop it out and remove it. However, don’t snap the armrest cover or you could crack it or damage the clips holding it in place. So, if you hear any creaking or cracking sounds, stop applying pressure and move the screwdriver to a different location on the cover so that you don’t crack or break it.
-Pry-off the cover at the edge of the window with a screwdriver: Look for a small, triangular cover piece at the top edge of the door panel where the window connects to it. Wedge your fingers into the edge of the cover piece and gently pull against it to remove it. But in case you can’t get the cover off with your hands, wedge a screwdriver into the edge of it and pry it off.
-Remove the speaker cover and screws: Remove the speaker cover by wedging a screwdriver into the edge of it and prying it off then remove any screws holding the speaker in place. Pull the speaker out of the door panel and unplug any wires connected to it. However, the wire harness may require you to pinch or hold the clip holding it in place. Likewise, speakers can be damaged easily so don’t drop or yank it from the door panel.
Step-3: How to Pull the Door Panel Off:
-Pry-off any screw covers from the door panel using a screwdriver: Search for small, round plastic pieces that are the same color as your door panel and then wedge a flathead screwdriver into them. After, pry them off to expose the fastening screws beneath them. Check behind the door latch beneath the control panel and on the sides of the door panel. In fact, fastening screws can be installed in a variety of locations depending on your car door, so be sure to look all around for the covers that conceal them.
-Remove any fastening screws from the door-panel: Use a screwdriver to take out all of the fastening screws from the door panel. In fact, some panel screws may be plastic and can simply be pulled out of place with a pair of pliers. However, most door panels are held on by specialized screws that can be difficult to replace. So, keep the screws together in separate, labeled bags so they’re organized and you don’t lose them if you plan to reassemble the door later on.
-Grab the door panel at the top & bottom then wiggle it: Take a firm grip on the door panel with your hands by holding it at the top and bottom. Make sure that all of the fastening screws have been removed by giving the panel a good shake to see if it’s loose enough to pull off. However, if there are any spots that won’t wiggle, then there may be a fastening screw that you missed. Additionally, gently wiggling the panel will loosen the connecting clips, making it easier to remove.
-Pull the door-panel straight out using your hands to remove it: Disconnect any small, plastic connector clips holding the door panel in place by pulling the door panel straight out using 1 swift motion. These clips will unsnap and the panel will come right off. However, don’t pull at an upward or downward angle or the clips won’t release the panel. Additionally, avoid using multiple, jerky motions and check if you’ve removed all of the fastening screws and trim pieces that may be holding it in place.
