How To: Remove Door Trim Panels

[djjasond]

Background: These instructions were intended to help those who would like to remove their door panels to upgrade the factory speakers and / or apply sound deadening material to the door. The front and rear door panels are almost identical in terms of how they are removed. The front doors just have one additional locator pin and more electrical connectors to disconnect. The pictures below are of the passenger side rear door.

Disclaimer: This was a true Do It Yourself pictorial and as such may not be 100% technically accurate. The pictures are of a 2006 300C. Other years and models may have slight differences. I expect follow up posts from the loyal members of this site with corrections as needed. As most of you will be using this information as part of an audio upgrade, please be sure to read the Audio FAQ before posting any questions to this thread. (FAQ - Audio Upgrades).

[djjasond]

How to remove the door trim panels:

1) Disconnect the negative battery terminal using a 10mm socket. Battery is in the trunk next to the spare tire. (picture 01) Once the battery is disconnected, do not close the trunk or you will be forced to crawl through your backseat into the trunk and pull the emergency release handle. This is about as fun as touching your toes after Thanksgiving dinner. I recommend taping the latch so that “helpful” friends and relatives are unable to close the trunk in your absence.

[djjasond]

2) Remove the Phillips head screw hidden behind the rectangular panel beneath arm rest. This can be gently pried open from the top using a flat blade screwdriver. (picture 02) Remove the Phillips head screw hidden behind the nickel sized panel behind the door handle. This can be gently pried open from the top using a flat blade screwdriver. (picture 03).

[djjasond]

3) Remove the four exposed Phillips head screws along the bottom of the door trim panel. Note: Only three screws appear in this picture. There are four. (picture 04)

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4) Remove the correct four out of six quarter sized push pins (plastic rivets) securing the trim panel to the door. I say this because you will easily spot six of these but only the bottom four (tan = good, dark grey = bad, in these pictures) actually secure the panel to the door. (pictures 05, 06) In these pictures, the dark grey push pins, while visually look to be part of the door trim panel, are actually independent of it and do not require removal. Note: My ’05 service manual indicates that there are only 5 in total with 3 lower push pins needing removal on the ’05 models.

Upon close inspection, these push pins are scored in the center. The center is actually a plunger and when pushed in, releases the internal side pressure which holds the rivet in place. To release these rivets, you must apply firm but not excessive pressure to the scored area in the center of the push pin. The pin only needs to be depressed about 2mm. Excessive pressure will send the plunger firing into the door and will require collection later when the door panel is removed. I used one end of an Allen key to apply the pressure and found it worked well.

[djjasond]

5) Pull the trim panel away from the inside of the door far enough to disengage the locator pins near the top of the panel from the door (white plastic rivets) (picture 07) then lift the rear of the panel upward far enough to disengage the interior door latch lock link and knob from the clearance hole at the upper rear corner of the panel. Basically pull up and out towards you to disengage the locator pins and then slip the panel up and over the door lock stem. DO NOT attempt to fully remove the panel yet.

[djjasond]

6) Reach between the top of the trim panel and the inside of the door shell to unsnap the plastic clip that secures the end of the interior door handle latch release link to the handle lever and disengage the link from the handle. There is a very small tab at the top of this clip that I was able to apply really firm pressure to with my thumb. The clip rotates towards the door and and allows you to release the door lock link upwards (looks like clothes hanger wire). (picture 08, 09)

[djjasond]

7) Disconnect all electrical connectors: power window/lock/mirror switches, the door module, and the door courtesy lamp, depending on model and whether this is a front or rear door. (picture 10) Also disengage the retainers that secure the door wire harness to the inside of the trim panel. Put another way, not only are there electrical connectors that you have to unsnap but there are also retainers that secure the wires to the door trim panel which need to be pulled or pried out.

[djjasond]

8) Hot Tip: Before reinstalling the door panels, you’ll want to remove the white plastic rivets (locator pins) from the door and reinsert them into their respective holders inside the door trim panel. Note: See pictures of these in step 5. It is basically impossible to re-hang the trim panel over them while in the door. They do not come out easily and look delicate as hell. I was able to pry them out using a large set of wire strippers. I slid the wire strippers around the pin as far back as I could, gently closed the strippers on the pin (risky!), then gently rocked them out, rotating the wire strippers about 90 degrees with each tug. If I had to do it again, I would just get 10 (3 for each front and 2 for the rears) from the Chrysler parts department and not worry about breaking them on the removal.

[djjasond]

9) Optional: If you are planning to remove the factory 6x9’s from the front door and replace with 6.5” speakers, you may wish to view my hints on building speaker adaptor plates in this thread: How To: Remove Rear Deck Cover & Rear Speakers