2005 door panel removal

[GaryM]

I thought this might help a few who need to remove their door cards on the revised 2004 models.

First of start with the guide found here . This will provide the basics.

The guide mentions 4 Torx screws. One of these is now hidden under the bolster attached to the grab rail. To remove it insert a flat blade screw driver in from the front. This will press down on a post on the bolster and will allow you to slide it forwards.

Be very carefully not to mark the silver trim. This finish is already very thin and does not take much to scratch. Use a cloth behind the screwdriver or mask the area off with some tape first.

In the pictures below you will notice that I have not used a screwdriver but a special trim removal tool. It is great for popping the trim clips around the door, although the Mini ones do tend to pull off just fine without breaking. This is a generic one by made by a company called Draper. I purchased from CPC . It costs £3.13 and saves on a lot of scratching and busted clips. It has a tapered end to ease under door cards etc. and squeezes around the clips making it easier to prise off. If you remove to door cards a lot or work on other cars you will find this a good investment

The 1st pic shows where to insert your tool, ooh err and the other shows bolster removed and the clip that you are trying to release.

Hope this helps.

[danbanger]

Took the door panel off my passenger side couple days ago. I didn't actually get the whole door panel off because I didn't know about the torx behind the armrest but I only needed to get to the top part so taking it "half" way off was adequate. The black "felt" trim area that is between my side mirror was partly caught "stuck" under so I had to get to that. This would've made my job easier if I read it before but none the less it was an easy job!

[antsmini]

I dont understand what that clip has to do with it as the armrest part is not actually touching the door. So how do this clip prevent you from removing the door?

[jwardell]

ants, the 2005 armrest is over one of the screws that holds on the door panel. It must be removed to access that screw.

[antsmini]

Does anyone have a shot of that screw, Im having a hard time getting a visual of how the grab rail can attach to the door directly in any way...

[GaryM]

Looks like the site is having a bit of an off as I can't post me pic's here. I have put them in my gallery. However the thumbnails did not render so click on the images to see them.



This shot shows the clip being released and the next shows the armrest removed and the hole of the third (hidden) screw.

[gerry axelrod]

I was working on the driver's side door. These pix are for the passenger side. Insert your screwdriver from the front of the armrest (the engine side not from the trunk side). I spent a few minutes putting the screwdriver in the wrong end. Once I put the screw driver in the correct end the arm rest came right off.