LCI Door trim / panel removal
#1
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Searched everywhere and couldn't find a description of how to remove the interior door panels for the LCI, so having done it, here is a simple description. It is easy and takes about 10 minutes per door but you need a bit of confidence to be pulling your nice car apart! The panel is held by two screws, a set of plastic clips around the bottom and metal ones at the top that pull apart and a central retainer which comes apart by sliding upward slightly. You don't have to remove the bamboo/high gloss whatever trim along the top of the door.
Tools neeeded: Torx screwdriver, flat blade screwdriver, cross head screwdriver, small plastic wedge (I used a plastic door wedge from Poundland), pliers, chair or box to support the panel.
1. Disconnect the batttery negative terminal, just to be safe that you don't get an airbag warning light that needs to be reset. It's in the boot on the drivers side.
2. Lever out the Airbag badge with the flat screwdriver. It is on a strap so you can't loose it.
3. Undoo the torx screw behind
4. Lever off the small plastic dome covering the screw head at the hinge end of the door
5. Undo the philips screw behind
6. Starting at the mirror, drive the wedge along the gap between the trim and the metal of the door with your hands. The retaining clips will pop undone. Work way around botttom of door and back up other side.
7. Pull top edge of door panel out of metal clips of the window rubber trim strip. Takes a bit of force, but they do give in.
8. Now all that should be holding the panel on is the central retainer that secures the centre of the panel. This can be released by wriggling the panel upward slightly.
9. The panel should now be free, but still teathered by 3 or 4 inches of wire to the speakers and airbag etc..
10. These can be unplugged, but to save this, rest the panel on the box or chair.
Re-assembly is easier if you remove the central plastic retainer from it's metal clip on the door panel by pressing together the metal clips with pliers and then sliding it back onto place on the door. This then means the panel can be fitted by simply pushing into place without any sliding. The metal tabs may need to be bent back out slightly.
Tools neeeded: Torx screwdriver, flat blade screwdriver, cross head screwdriver, small plastic wedge (I used a plastic door wedge from Poundland), pliers, chair or box to support the panel.
1. Disconnect the batttery negative terminal, just to be safe that you don't get an airbag warning light that needs to be reset. It's in the boot on the drivers side.
2. Lever out the Airbag badge with the flat screwdriver. It is on a strap so you can't loose it.
3. Undoo the torx screw behind
4. Lever off the small plastic dome covering the screw head at the hinge end of the door
5. Undo the philips screw behind
6. Starting at the mirror, drive the wedge along the gap between the trim and the metal of the door with your hands. The retaining clips will pop undone. Work way around botttom of door and back up other side.
7. Pull top edge of door panel out of metal clips of the window rubber trim strip. Takes a bit of force, but they do give in.
8. Now all that should be holding the panel on is the central retainer that secures the centre of the panel. This can be released by wriggling the panel upward slightly.
9. The panel should now be free, but still teathered by 3 or 4 inches of wire to the speakers and airbag etc..
10. These can be unplugged, but to save this, rest the panel on the box or chair.
Re-assembly is easier if you remove the central plastic retainer from it's metal clip on the door panel by pressing together the metal clips with pliers and then sliding it back onto place on the door. This then means the panel can be fitted by simply pushing into place without any sliding. The metal tabs may need to be bent back out slightly.
#4
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"Dieseltouring" - was it comforting for you to find out that the LCI door panel removal procedure seems to be identical to the procedure for pre-LCI model cars ?
Originally Posted by dieseltouring' post='829600' date='Mar 29 2009, 09:55 AM
Searched everywhere and couldn't find a description of how to remove the interior door panels for the LCI, so having done it, here is a simple description. It is easy and takes about 10 minutes per door but you need a bit of confidence to be pulling your nice car apart! The panel is held by two screws, a set of plastic clips around the bottom and metal ones at the top that pull apart and a central retainer which comes apart by sliding upward slightly. You don't have to remove the bamboo/high gloss whatever trim along the top of the door.
Tools neeeded: Torx screwdriver, flat blade screwdriver, cross head screwdriver, small plastic wedge (I used a plastic door wedge from Poundland), pliers, chair or box to support the panel.
1. Disconnect the batttery negative terminal, just to be safe that you don't get an airbag warning light that needs to be reset. It's in the boot on the drivers side.
2. Lever out the Airbag badge with the flat screwdriver. It is on a strap so you can't loose it.
3. Undoo the torx screw behind
4. Lever off the small plastic dome covering the screw head at the hinge end of the door
5. Undo the philips screw behind
6. Starting at the mirror, drive the wedge along the gap between the trim and the metal of the door with your hands. The retaining clips will pop undone. Work way around botttom of door and back up other side.
7. Pull top edge of door panel out of metal clips of the window rubber trim strip. Takes a bit of force, but they do give in.
8. Now all that should be holding the panel on is the central retainer that secures the centre of the panel. This can be released by wriggling the panel upward slightly.
9. The panel should now be free, but still teathered by 3 or 4 inches of wire to the speakers and airbag etc..
10. These can be unplugged, but to save this, rest the panel on the box or chair.
Re-assembly is easier if you remove the central plastic retainer from it's metal clip on the door panel by pressing together the metal clips with pliers and then sliding it back onto place on the door. This then means the panel can be fitted by simply pushing into place without any sliding. The metal tabs may need to be bent back out slightly.
Tools neeeded: Torx screwdriver, flat blade screwdriver, cross head screwdriver, small plastic wedge (I used a plastic door wedge from Poundland), pliers, chair or box to support the panel.
1. Disconnect the batttery negative terminal, just to be safe that you don't get an airbag warning light that needs to be reset. It's in the boot on the drivers side.
2. Lever out the Airbag badge with the flat screwdriver. It is on a strap so you can't loose it.
3. Undoo the torx screw behind
4. Lever off the small plastic dome covering the screw head at the hinge end of the door
5. Undo the philips screw behind
6. Starting at the mirror, drive the wedge along the gap between the trim and the metal of the door with your hands. The retaining clips will pop undone. Work way around botttom of door and back up other side.
7. Pull top edge of door panel out of metal clips of the window rubber trim strip. Takes a bit of force, but they do give in.
8. Now all that should be holding the panel on is the central retainer that secures the centre of the panel. This can be released by wriggling the panel upward slightly.
9. The panel should now be free, but still teathered by 3 or 4 inches of wire to the speakers and airbag etc..
10. These can be unplugged, but to save this, rest the panel on the box or chair.
Re-assembly is easier if you remove the central plastic retainer from it's metal clip on the door panel by pressing together the metal clips with pliers and then sliding it back onto place on the door. This then means the panel can be fitted by simply pushing into place without any sliding. The metal tabs may need to be bent back out slightly.
#5
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I guess we shouldn't be surprised it is pretty similar. Without having found a description, half way through I was questioning if the wood trim was hiding more srews. Actually, just wasn't pulling hard enough. Thought I would pass on my, perhaps trivial, experience in case it might help someone.
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