DIY - Remove door panel, help please
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 32
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From: SF, CA
DIY - Remove door panel, help please
I searched and searched and could not find a DIY on how to remove the door panel, driver side, '98 2.3CL (yes, window regulator is dead, ordered one but I'd like to get the window up for now)
Is there a posted DIY or if anyone could please post details on what screws need to be removed and where the plastic clips are (and how to safely remove them) ... Thanks much.
Is there a posted DIY or if anyone could please post details on what screws need to be removed and where the plastic clips are (and how to safely remove them) ... Thanks much.
Staggered 1st Gen
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,348
Likes: 11
You're in luck, as I JUST performed this to gain access to the stock speakers.
First, remove the plastic triangular mirror sail piece (on the other side of your power mirror) by gently prying it up and 'out.' Dont worry about using some pressure, you won't break it.
Next, remove the little round circle piece that covers the phillips screw inside the door handle area:
[img]https://i30.tinypic.com/p96q0.jpg[img]
Then turn that screw counter clockwise and it should come out. Next, use a small flathead to pry out the little 'rectangular' plastic piece in the arm rest area (you can see it from the top looking down into the armrest). There's a phillips screwdriver under that: take it out.
Then looking at the armrest from the side and under the power window switches, there's another large rectangular plastic piece covering a phillips screwdriver. Remove both. After this there is one last phillips screwdriver (not covered) which is located on the very far right side of the armrest on the underside of the power mirror control cluster. Remove it.
Now you can take out the black doorhandle piece pictured in the beginning by lifting the doorhandle (like you're opening the door) and then prying that black piece out and towards you. It may take a little wiggling to get it free. Once it's out, there's a socket for the doorlock that you'll need to unclip.
Now start from the speaker area and carefully 'pry' the doorpanel out and towards you. You will hear the clips snap out...it's ok....you'll have to use quite a bit of force to get them to pop out. Then work your way around the bottom of the door panel and keep prying it out until all the clips pop out.
At this point you'll have to do a bit of contorting. Lifting up the bottom of the doorpanel, kneel down and unplug the clip going into the doorlight on the lower lefthand corner. Then (assuming you have the factory acura alarm) there's a clip up towards the upper left corner for the security light. Unplug this harness.
Then, you'll have to use a bit of creativity and 'fish' your hand up and underneath the panel to unplug the harnesses going into the power window/ power mirror clusters. There's like 2 or 3 of them, and took me awhile to 'feel out' and unplug. The one that's the big pain in the ass is the power mirror plug...it's located deep and right under the power mirror controls...you'll have to really reach under to feel it out and remove it.
Once everything is unplugged, you want to hold the doorpanel from the bottom and 'lift' it up and 'outwards.' You'll see that the top chrome portion starts coming free...you'll probably need to give it a few upward 'tugs' all across the bottom to get the top completely free, but once there's enough clearance, lift the door panel 'towards' you so that the woodtrim 'clears' the chrome doorhandle. The whole panel should come right out after that.
That's the best that I can explain it. I still haven't put them back on, and have a feeling that's the hard part. Good luck with that and let me know if you have any tips if you do it successfully.
First, remove the plastic triangular mirror sail piece (on the other side of your power mirror) by gently prying it up and 'out.' Dont worry about using some pressure, you won't break it.
Next, remove the little round circle piece that covers the phillips screw inside the door handle area:
[img]https://i30.tinypic.com/p96q0.jpg[img]
Then turn that screw counter clockwise and it should come out. Next, use a small flathead to pry out the little 'rectangular' plastic piece in the arm rest area (you can see it from the top looking down into the armrest). There's a phillips screwdriver under that: take it out.
Then looking at the armrest from the side and under the power window switches, there's another large rectangular plastic piece covering a phillips screwdriver. Remove both. After this there is one last phillips screwdriver (not covered) which is located on the very far right side of the armrest on the underside of the power mirror control cluster. Remove it.
Now you can take out the black doorhandle piece pictured in the beginning by lifting the doorhandle (like you're opening the door) and then prying that black piece out and towards you. It may take a little wiggling to get it free. Once it's out, there's a socket for the doorlock that you'll need to unclip.
Now start from the speaker area and carefully 'pry' the doorpanel out and towards you. You will hear the clips snap out...it's ok....you'll have to use quite a bit of force to get them to pop out. Then work your way around the bottom of the door panel and keep prying it out until all the clips pop out.
At this point you'll have to do a bit of contorting. Lifting up the bottom of the doorpanel, kneel down and unplug the clip going into the doorlight on the lower lefthand corner. Then (assuming you have the factory acura alarm) there's a clip up towards the upper left corner for the security light. Unplug this harness.
Then, you'll have to use a bit of creativity and 'fish' your hand up and underneath the panel to unplug the harnesses going into the power window/ power mirror clusters. There's like 2 or 3 of them, and took me awhile to 'feel out' and unplug. The one that's the big pain in the ass is the power mirror plug...it's located deep and right under the power mirror controls...you'll have to really reach under to feel it out and remove it.
Once everything is unplugged, you want to hold the doorpanel from the bottom and 'lift' it up and 'outwards.' You'll see that the top chrome portion starts coming free...you'll probably need to give it a few upward 'tugs' all across the bottom to get the top completely free, but once there's enough clearance, lift the door panel 'towards' you so that the woodtrim 'clears' the chrome doorhandle. The whole panel should come right out after that.
That's the best that I can explain it. I still haven't put them back on, and have a feeling that's the hard part. Good luck with that and let me know if you have any tips if you do it successfully.
its funny cuz you been here since 2003 and dont know how to use the search function.
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=172484
btw it took me under a second to pull this up.
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=172484
btw it took me under a second to pull this up.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
From: SF, CA
Originally Posted by starboy2nv
its funny cuz you been here since 2003 and dont know how to use the search function.
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=172484
btw it took me under a second to pull this up.
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=172484
btw it took me under a second to pull this up.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
From: SF, CA
Originally Posted by fliplyricist1
You're in luck, as I JUST performed this to gain access to the stock speakers.
First, remove the plastic triangular mirror sail piece (on the other side of your power mirror) by gently prying it up and 'out.' Dont worry about using some pressure, you won't break it.
Next, remove the little round circle piece that covers the phillips screw inside the door handle area:
[img]https://i30.tinypic.com/p96q0.jpg[img]
Then turn that screw counter clockwise and it should come out. Next, use a small flathead to pry out the little 'rectangular' plastic piece in the arm rest area (you can see it from the top looking down into the armrest). There's a phillips screwdriver under that: take it out.
Then looking at the armrest from the side and under the power window switches, there's another large rectangular plastic piece covering a phillips screwdriver. Remove both. After this there is one last phillips screwdriver (not covered) which is located on the very far right side of the armrest on the underside of the power mirror control cluster. Remove it.
Now you can take out the black doorhandle piece pictured in the beginning by lifting the doorhandle (like you're opening the door) and then prying that black piece out and towards you. It may take a little wiggling to get it free. Once it's out, there's a socket for the doorlock that you'll need to unclip.
Now start from the speaker area and carefully 'pry' the doorpanel out and towards you. You will hear the clips snap out...it's ok....you'll have to use quite a bit of force to get them to pop out. Then work your way around the bottom of the door panel and keep prying it out until all the clips pop out.
At this point you'll have to do a bit of contorting. Lifting up the bottom of the doorpanel, kneel down and unplug the clip going into the doorlight on the lower lefthand corner. Then (assuming you have the factory acura alarm) there's a clip up towards the upper left corner for the security light. Unplug this harness.
Then, you'll have to use a bit of creativity and 'fish' your hand up and underneath the panel to unplug the harnesses going into the power window/ power mirror clusters. There's like 2 or 3 of them, and took me awhile to 'feel out' and unplug. The one that's the big pain in the ass is the power mirror plug...it's located deep and right under the power mirror controls...you'll have to really reach under to feel it out and remove it.
Once everything is unplugged, you want to hold the doorpanel from the bottom and 'lift' it up and 'outwards.' You'll see that the top chrome portion starts coming free...you'll probably need to give it a few upward 'tugs' all across the bottom to get the top completely free, but once there's enough clearance, lift the door panel 'towards' you so that the woodtrim 'clears' the chrome doorhandle. The whole panel should come right out after that.
That's the best that I can explain it. I still haven't put them back on, and have a feeling that's the hard part. Good luck with that and let me know if you have any tips if you do it successfully.
First, remove the plastic triangular mirror sail piece (on the other side of your power mirror) by gently prying it up and 'out.' Dont worry about using some pressure, you won't break it.
Next, remove the little round circle piece that covers the phillips screw inside the door handle area:
[img]https://i30.tinypic.com/p96q0.jpg[img]
Then turn that screw counter clockwise and it should come out. Next, use a small flathead to pry out the little 'rectangular' plastic piece in the arm rest area (you can see it from the top looking down into the armrest). There's a phillips screwdriver under that: take it out.
Then looking at the armrest from the side and under the power window switches, there's another large rectangular plastic piece covering a phillips screwdriver. Remove both. After this there is one last phillips screwdriver (not covered) which is located on the very far right side of the armrest on the underside of the power mirror control cluster. Remove it.
Now you can take out the black doorhandle piece pictured in the beginning by lifting the doorhandle (like you're opening the door) and then prying that black piece out and towards you. It may take a little wiggling to get it free. Once it's out, there's a socket for the doorlock that you'll need to unclip.
Now start from the speaker area and carefully 'pry' the doorpanel out and towards you. You will hear the clips snap out...it's ok....you'll have to use quite a bit of force to get them to pop out. Then work your way around the bottom of the door panel and keep prying it out until all the clips pop out.
At this point you'll have to do a bit of contorting. Lifting up the bottom of the doorpanel, kneel down and unplug the clip going into the doorlight on the lower lefthand corner. Then (assuming you have the factory acura alarm) there's a clip up towards the upper left corner for the security light. Unplug this harness.
Then, you'll have to use a bit of creativity and 'fish' your hand up and underneath the panel to unplug the harnesses going into the power window/ power mirror clusters. There's like 2 or 3 of them, and took me awhile to 'feel out' and unplug. The one that's the big pain in the ass is the power mirror plug...it's located deep and right under the power mirror controls...you'll have to really reach under to feel it out and remove it.
Once everything is unplugged, you want to hold the doorpanel from the bottom and 'lift' it up and 'outwards.' You'll see that the top chrome portion starts coming free...you'll probably need to give it a few upward 'tugs' all across the bottom to get the top completely free, but once there's enough clearance, lift the door panel 'towards' you so that the woodtrim 'clears' the chrome doorhandle. The whole panel should come right out after that.
That's the best that I can explain it. I still haven't put them back on, and have a feeling that's the hard part. Good luck with that and let me know if you have any tips if you do it successfully.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
From: SF, CA
Originally Posted by 98 CL
heres my diy for taking the door off-
FIND THE SCREWS THAT HOLD THE DOOR ON
UNSCREW THEM
PULL!
do you really think a DIY is necessary?
FIND THE SCREWS THAT HOLD THE DOOR ON
UNSCREW THEM
PULL!
do you really think a DIY is necessary?
Trending Topics
where is....
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 8,376
Likes: 1
From: palmyra,pa
Originally Posted by sf_tls
yes, because i'm talking about the door panel, not the door ... only if people read the question ...
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
From: SF, CA
Originally Posted by fliplyricist1
You're in luck, as I JUST performed this to gain access to the stock speakers.
First, remove the plastic triangular mirror sail piece (on the other side of your power mirror) by gently prying it up and 'out.' Dont worry about using some pressure, you won't break it.
Next, remove the little round circle piece that covers the phillips screw inside the door handle area:
[img]https://i30.tinypic.com/p96q0.jpg[img]
Then turn that screw counter clockwise and it should come out. Next, use a small flathead to pry out the little 'rectangular' plastic piece in the arm rest area (you can see it from the top looking down into the armrest). There's a phillips screwdriver under that: take it out.
Then looking at the armrest from the side and under the power window switches, there's another large rectangular plastic piece covering a phillips screwdriver. Remove both. After this there is one last phillips screwdriver (not covered) which is located on the very far right side of the armrest on the underside of the power mirror control cluster. Remove it.
Now you can take out the black doorhandle piece pictured in the beginning by lifting the doorhandle (like you're opening the door) and then prying that black piece out and towards you. It may take a little wiggling to get it free. Once it's out, there's a socket for the doorlock that you'll need to unclip.
Now start from the speaker area and carefully 'pry' the doorpanel out and towards you. You will hear the clips snap out...it's ok....you'll have to use quite a bit of force to get them to pop out. Then work your way around the bottom of the door panel and keep prying it out until all the clips pop out.
At this point you'll have to do a bit of contorting. Lifting up the bottom of the doorpanel, kneel down and unplug the clip going into the doorlight on the lower lefthand corner. Then (assuming you have the factory acura alarm) there's a clip up towards the upper left corner for the security light. Unplug this harness.
Then, you'll have to use a bit of creativity and 'fish' your hand up and underneath the panel to unplug the harnesses going into the power window/ power mirror clusters. There's like 2 or 3 of them, and took me awhile to 'feel out' and unplug. The one that's the big pain in the ass is the power mirror plug...it's located deep and right under the power mirror controls...you'll have to really reach under to feel it out and remove it.
Once everything is unplugged, you want to hold the doorpanel from the bottom and 'lift' it up and 'outwards.' You'll see that the top chrome portion starts coming free...you'll probably need to give it a few upward 'tugs' all across the bottom to get the top completely free, but once there's enough clearance, lift the door panel 'towards' you so that the woodtrim 'clears' the chrome doorhandle. The whole panel should come right out after that.
That's the best that I can explain it. I still haven't put them back on, and have a feeling that's the hard part. Good luck with that and let me know if you have any tips if you do it successfully.
First, remove the plastic triangular mirror sail piece (on the other side of your power mirror) by gently prying it up and 'out.' Dont worry about using some pressure, you won't break it.
Next, remove the little round circle piece that covers the phillips screw inside the door handle area:
[img]https://i30.tinypic.com/p96q0.jpg[img]
Then turn that screw counter clockwise and it should come out. Next, use a small flathead to pry out the little 'rectangular' plastic piece in the arm rest area (you can see it from the top looking down into the armrest). There's a phillips screwdriver under that: take it out.
Then looking at the armrest from the side and under the power window switches, there's another large rectangular plastic piece covering a phillips screwdriver. Remove both. After this there is one last phillips screwdriver (not covered) which is located on the very far right side of the armrest on the underside of the power mirror control cluster. Remove it.
Now you can take out the black doorhandle piece pictured in the beginning by lifting the doorhandle (like you're opening the door) and then prying that black piece out and towards you. It may take a little wiggling to get it free. Once it's out, there's a socket for the doorlock that you'll need to unclip.
Now start from the speaker area and carefully 'pry' the doorpanel out and towards you. You will hear the clips snap out...it's ok....you'll have to use quite a bit of force to get them to pop out. Then work your way around the bottom of the door panel and keep prying it out until all the clips pop out.
At this point you'll have to do a bit of contorting. Lifting up the bottom of the doorpanel, kneel down and unplug the clip going into the doorlight on the lower lefthand corner. Then (assuming you have the factory acura alarm) there's a clip up towards the upper left corner for the security light. Unplug this harness.
Then, you'll have to use a bit of creativity and 'fish' your hand up and underneath the panel to unplug the harnesses going into the power window/ power mirror clusters. There's like 2 or 3 of them, and took me awhile to 'feel out' and unplug. The one that's the big pain in the ass is the power mirror plug...it's located deep and right under the power mirror controls...you'll have to really reach under to feel it out and remove it.
Once everything is unplugged, you want to hold the doorpanel from the bottom and 'lift' it up and 'outwards.' You'll see that the top chrome portion starts coming free...you'll probably need to give it a few upward 'tugs' all across the bottom to get the top completely free, but once there's enough clearance, lift the door panel 'towards' you so that the woodtrim 'clears' the chrome doorhandle. The whole panel should come right out after that.
That's the best that I can explain it. I still haven't put them back on, and have a feeling that's the hard part. Good luck with that and let me know if you have any tips if you do it successfully.
It's all off now, thanks to your great instructions! A lot easier to know what screws you're looking for than to try and figure out why it's not coming off ... Thanks again for your help.
where is....
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 8,376
Likes: 1
From: palmyra,pa
Originally Posted by 972.2
i dont see whats so hard about taking the door panel off? you take off three screws, pull, unplug your door light and power window/locks/mirrors, and pull up. it seriously takes like 3 minutes tops.
Originally Posted by 98 CL
heres my diy for taking the door off-
FIND THE SCREWS THAT HOLD THE DOOR ON
UNSCREW THEM
PULL!
do you really think a DIY is necessary?
FIND THE SCREWS THAT HOLD THE DOOR ON
UNSCREW THEM
PULL!
do you really think a DIY is necessary?
It is way too ez. I was going to do a DIY on this but I gotta finish the other one I started.
Originally Posted by 97BlackAckCL
Taking it off may take 3 minutes, putting it back on is 10 times worse
Putting anything back on the ack is hell. *cough* bumper *cough*
Racer
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 424
Likes: 0
bumper does suck ass, agreed. maybe its just my car, but ive take both door panels off like 3 times, its always been really really really easy for me. it always pops right out and right back in. taking out the dash on the other hand...
Staggered 1st Gen
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,348
Likes: 11
Originally Posted by sf_tls
It's all off now, thanks to your great instructions! A lot easier to know what screws you're looking for than to try and figure out why it's not coming off ... Thanks again for your help.
no probs man glad it worked out for ya.
Please let me know if you were able to put the doorpanel back on successfully and if there are any tips you could share to do so. I 'tentatively' tried putting my drivers side back on yesterday evening but gave up after about 10 minutes, and just drove my car around door panel'less for the remainder. I felt like one of those hardcore zilvia weight reduction drifters lol
Staggered 1st Gen
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,348
Likes: 11
^^ yeah dude, that was the hard part, getting the top down...seems like it was just too tight a 'squeeze' to fit the side near the mirror in....I was too scared to put more pressure for fear i'd break something or seperate the chrome liner piece...
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
From: SF, CA
Putting the door panel back on was not that hard. I think the trick is to have the window all the way down, then start from the top, making sure the top chrome part is all in. That's the hard part, but if you hold the panel at an angle and apply a little pressure on top, it should snap in. After that it's easy, re-attach all wire connectors, snap the clips back in, screws and all ...
I have a new window regulator now, for those interested I purchased one for a Honda Accord 2-dr 94-97 from ebay user "doctorautoparts" for $52.64 shipped. The 1-touch down function still works - not that I really care about it, in fact I hate it, I don't like rolling the window all the way down out of fear it won't come back up.
I have a new window regulator now, for those interested I purchased one for a Honda Accord 2-dr 94-97 from ebay user "doctorautoparts" for $52.64 shipped. The 1-touch down function still works - not that I really care about it, in fact I hate it, I don't like rolling the window all the way down out of fear it won't come back up.
Intermediate
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Putting the door panel back on was not that hard. I think the trick is to have the window all the way down, then start from the top, making sure the top chrome part is all in. That's the hard part, but if you hold the panel at an angle and apply a little pressure on top, it should snap in. After that it's easy, re-attach all wire connectors, snap the clips back in, screws and all ...
Also, I work for Komatsu and one of our engineers once worked for Honda. He was on the team that designed the door panels for the Accord/CL. He told me that the window regulators were always a problem and that they would fail the most in colder climates due to the glass window being too heavy for the type regulator that was used. The window was so heavy that they tried to solve the problem by adding the tracks on the outside of the door, the one with the circle fastener on the outside. I guess that didn't help much either
W WHIP.
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,859
Likes: 1
From: 412, PA & always ballin in FLO RIDA.
I just got home from vaca and came back and my door handle to open the door like sticks when I open it so i have to go back to the shop when i get a chance to get it fixed cause its their fault and im not going to stress myself by putting that damn thing back on.
and why was she in the shop you may ask? well i just got something re-done and blackack is gonna wonder why the hell i did it...haha
and why was she in the shop you may ask? well i just got something re-done and blackack is gonna wonder why the hell i did it...haha
Staggered 1st Gen
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,348
Likes: 11
yeah getting the doorpanels back on was cake...just have to line up the top and have the bottom of the panel at about a 30 degree angle to the door...i was just too scared to put some 'umph' and pressure up top to get it into the track, but once it's in, it's gravy. took me about 3 minutes for both sides
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 92,773
Likes: 4,687
From: ShitsBurgh
Originally Posted by ZeroCL
I just got home from vaca and came back and my door handle to open the door like sticks when I open it so i have to go back to the shop when i get a chance to get it fixed cause its their fault and im not going to stress myself by putting that damn thing back on.
and why was she in the shop you may ask? well i just got something re-done and blackack is gonna wonder why the hell i did it...haha
and why was she in the shop you may ask? well i just got something re-done and blackack is gonna wonder why the hell i did it...haha
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