I've got a '99 Civic EX and I've got the screws out of the panel and the electrical unhooked, but I feel like I'm going to bust the panel trying to get it off the door. I need to get to the window motor. Any tips on getting the panel off properly before I bust something?

Thanks...

 

you sure you have all the screws out?

1 around the lock bezel.
1 on door panel grab hole.

3 more under the speaker trim. NOT the 3 holding the speaker to the door panel... theres 3 other deep holes with screws deep in there....
then the rest is simply a few plastic retainer snaps

 

Use a trim tool like this...

 

You don't need that, it's just "recommended."


OP: Pull hard, but only from the bottom of the door panel. Make sure you have all the screws out before you do this otherwise you risk damaging something. Once you have the trim panel clips popped out of the metal part of the door, slide the whole door panel up to get the black interior window trim out of its slot. Disconnect all electrical plugs before setting the panel aside.

 

You'll also have to pull the door handle through the door panel when you take it out or remove the handle from the lever thing but its really easy to break that stupid plastic clip. Yeah like trustdestruction said, pull from the buttom start down at like the bottom right and pull you should here the clip pop out and then work your way around the door popping each clip out.

 

Pulling the door panel is the easy part, putting back on is the real trick. The top part of the panel is a pain to line up.

 

Yeah that's another reason you can't just pull from the center, the top hooks in between the window and the door so basically you remove all the clips then pull the bottom away and lift it out.

 

well the way i put the panels back on is angle the panels so you can catch the front corner lip on the door frame and after you have it slightly hooked the rest is easy... just put your hands on it on the top with your fingers over the top of the panel wraping around it and rotate your hands back to pretty much torque/twist the top of the door panel to make it easier to get that lip over the doors metal lip.... pretty easy after the first one youve done.