Removal of Door Trim

Rating: Easy.  Frustrations factor: Excruciating

As with any maintenance job that has plastic grommets and hidden fasteners, it can be hellishly frustrating taking things to bits.

The door trim can be removed as follows:

(1) Unfasten the Phillips head screw which holds the door to the pocket at the bottom of the door on the lock side.

(2) Unfasten the screw on the hinge side at the top and remove the plastic grommet.

(3) Remove the unlatching mechanism trim by unfastening the bolt and sliding the trim backwards.  It sits on 4 plastic lugs which will snap if forced.

(4) Remove the window winding mechanism by pushing the trim away from the winding knob.

(5) Unfasten the screw holding the door handle at the unlatching mechanism.

(6) The door trim is held on by plastic poppers which can now be prized out and released.   Start at the bottom corner away from the hinge.

(7) Remove the door handle upper screw (red arrow)- this is a right pain to do.  You need a long cross head screwdriver with a beefy end.  You can prize open the trim from the rubber seal next to the window where the electric window switch would reside and poke a screwdriver between the window rubber and trim until it locates and unfasten it.   The door trim should then come off.  I didn't know this and broke my door handle in the process. Oops.

Note: When replacing the door trim you should be able to pop open the electric window switch retainer and leave that loose.  That would then make screwing in the door handle a lot easier.