How-To Remove Door Panels

[simplyred]

Heres a quick how-to on the door panels incase anyone wants to change their door speakers

Drivers Door

Step 1: Door Panel Screw Locations
Remove the cover on the screw (4mm allen) thats in the pocket of the door lever, also theres a little plastic cover covering 2 more screws in the pocket (4mm also) where the window controls are (see image). Once you remove the screws you can pry the window controls up and remove them by unclipping the harnesses it doesnt take much effort to get these out just be careful to not use to much force. The door lever you can also pry out and loosen up but its can't be removed obviously and when the panel gets removed you just push it through its hole and let it hang there.



Step 2: Tricky Pin
Theres a tiny body pin thats on the door jam side of the panel that you have to pop out, theres no set way to get it out, it just needs to come out (see image)


Step 3: Panel Clips
I used a flathead screw driver on the bottom of the door panel (incase its scratched it wouldnt really show) to pop the body clips that hold the panel in place (theres 8 total on the perimeter of the door panel) once you get all of them started it should come off pretty easily but dont be surprised if some of the clips pop back into place and you have to work them a couple times. This is a picture of the door panel and I marked where all the body clips would approx be and the red arrow is that small pin that needs to come out as well.


Step 4: Removing Door Panel
Pull the door panel towards you a little to clear the pins and pull up (theres a plastic piece that holds the panel by the window). Once you get it going, push the door lever through its own opening and slide the door panel up past the lock. **hint: it's easier to lock the door while you do this so you dont have to pull the door panel up as high**. Theres like one more harness you need to remove that's the trunk button I believe and the panel should come off.

Step 5: Removing the Speaker
Removing the speaker is as easy as one small bolt type screw thingy (not sure on size I just used a small adjustable wrench) unclipping the harness and removing a clip that holds the speaker wire on the basket. Now how you choose to replace the speaker is up to you, I will do a little how-to on this also the way I did it, but it can be done anyway you'd like to obviously. One thing though is to remove the foam from the stock speaker and keep it in one piece, you can use it on your new speaker to seal the sound better!!

Step 6: Replacing the Panel
Reverse the steps and you should be good to go!!

Passenger Door

Step 1: Door Panel Screw Locations
The same one is in the door lever pocket but the other 2 are on the door handle. The bezel needs to be removed (see pic) and then fallow all the same directions as the drivers door!



I know some of my car talk is off but I tried to make it as easily explainable as I can. These panels are not hard to remove maybe a 4 out of 10 once you know what your doing (reason for the how-to). Hope this helps you guys who want to do it, I will post a how-to on how I did my replacement speakers a little later on!

EDIT: If theres something you'd like more description on or something you want to know, let me know and I can add it in or explain

[bluegtp33]

good write up

how hard was the silver piece to take off on passenger side

[GTPGuy82]

Nice how-to. Now I'll have a reference if I ever change my speakers.

[simplyred]

Not hard.. I just used a screw driver and worked it gently from one side to the other.. theres only about 2 main clips that keep in it place the other 4 are just "holder tabs" so once you release it from the 2 main clips it comes off really easily!

[my06v6g6]

wow, that was a real nice write up. you sure nothing will get scratched?? and also, with the trunk release button and all the other stuff.. we aren't gonna hit any wires or mess anything like that up??

[GTPGuy82]

I've never seen it, but I'm gonna take a guess and say the trunk button probably just pops out of the panel, and clips into a harness that you can disconnect.

Now all we need to see is how the Monsoon speakers differ from these.

[bluegtp33]

if i have time i might do this friday while i work over..ill see if i can get some stuff here to do this

unless someone beats me to it

[ShadowLab]

Thanks for the write-up.

I've screwed up the door panels on TWO past cars from not removing them properly. It never fails that you accidentally overlook a plastic fastener and it breaks because you apply just a tad bit too much pressure and boom your screwed and your door panel is always partially falling off.

Why these car companies insist on making key support parts out of plastic is beyond me. At least metal can be bent back into shape or you can Jerry-rig something, plastic snaps and you're hosed.

[bluegtp33]

once you get the screws out and get the first tab broke free, the panel comes off very easily

a word of advice though
WARNING!!!!--the screw inside the door handle slot is hidden behind that small black piece noah showed....i broke the black piece, as did he if you look closely at the picture, the only way to get that piece off without breakin it is on the flat side of it, and with plenty of patience and small devices, as it is tipped on the upper and lower part

like to small hook holding it in, if you can pop them out it will come out, but if you cant, you'll break it

[simplyred]

I dont think that little cover is supposed to come out... I think it just flaps open!!!

[bluegtp33]

i dont know, even if you get the rounded end loose, you still break it, or i did anyway

once you bend it back enuff to get to the screw the plastic breaks, that is how i did it, i think if you do get it without breakin it, bending it more than once would break it, just cheap plastic

[GTPGuy82]

i dont know, even if you get the rounded end loose, you still break it, or i did anyway

once you bend it back enuff to get to the screw the plastic breaks, that is how i did it, i think if you do get it without breakin it, bending it more than once would break it, just cheap plastic

Yea I broke mine too, tried to pull the whole thing out, but it just flaps open. I was looking into getting more, but I'm confused. The part number on the piece is 9400-1629, right? When I look that up on GMPartsDirect, it comes up as "HEX-BOLT", and it's something like $.82. Is that the bolt? Or the plastic piece? I don't get it.

[bluegtp33]

i dont know, didnt look at it long enough to find the part number, i was gonna go by dealership and see if they had 2 i could get to put back in after i change out the speakers

[sicilia_07]

QUESTION

how did you put those little plastic peices that haold the foam insulation back on to the panel??

[bluegtp33]

either very slowly and carefully, cause you have to have some patience, or just push the panel back on and hope some of them go back in the holes