R32: GTR Door Trim Removal

[mazgtr]

This is very simple and basic for most, but not me. So i thought id share my experience at doing this myself tonight, so other non-mechanically minded people can have a go..

For this tutorial, front of the door means closest to the engine when doors closed. Back of door is closest to the boot when door is closed.

Drivers Side.

2 screws at the front of the door midway up. Should be covered with little plastic circular covers, these pop off with a bit of force.

3 screws running along the bottom edge of the door from front to back.

1 screw in the little door handle cavity, also should be covered with little plastic tab.

Now use a small flat head screw driver and slowly/gentley lever the power window black control unit up and out of its spot in the door.

Once free, unplug the 2 plugs connected to it, and place somewhere safe.

Now use that same small flat head screw driver and slowly/gentley lever the door catch release trim from around it, it then slides off and away from the actual door release handle/tab.

Now go to the bottom back corner of the door and slowly apply force to the door trim until it pops away from the door. There are 4-5 little plastic pop clips that hold it in, all no higher up than half the door height.

Once you feel the trim is loose and has started to come welll clear of the door, use an upward motion to lift the top of the door trim up and out of the door sill (inbetween the glass and door).

It should lift up and away. Voila!!!

Passenger side.

2 screws at the front of the door midway up. Should be covered with little plastic circular covers, these pop off with a bit of force.

3 screws running along the bottom edge of the door from front to back.

1 screw in the little door handle cavity, also should be covered with little plastic tab.

Now just below the door handle (where the little black window switch is) theres a little tab hidden flush into the door trim. This needs to be popped out, to reveal another screw. This one is a bit of a bitch and is easy to drop behind the trim once you've undone it!!!!

Now use that same small flat head screw driver and slowly gentley level the door catch realease trim from around it, it then slides off and away from the actual door realease handle/tab.

Now go to the bottom back corner of the door and slowly apply force to the door trim until it pops away from the door. There are 4-5 little plastic pop clips that hold it in all now high up than half the door height.

Once you feel the trim is loose and has started to come welll clear of the door, use an upward motion to lift the top of the door trim up and out of the door sill (inbetween the glass and door).

Be carefull not to pull the door away straight away, as you need to reach in and down, to unplug the power window cable, its just a plastic white plug.

Done!!!

For both door trims i found the lever door release to be quite difficult to avoid fouling on while trying to pull the trim away.

Putting it back on.

Try and line it up so you can see the door release handle through the hole.

Start from the top, and try and slide the top of the trim down and into the cavity between the glass and the actual door.

Once it slides down and in, you might have to adjust it slightly front to rear or vice versa to get it lined up.

Once again the door release handle is the bugger to get lined up and through the little hole for it.

Once it all lines up , i quickly got 1 screw in so it didnt fall back off.

Try and push the plastic clips back into their spots, and then start doing up screws!!!

*Dont forget to replug in the passenger side power window plug!!!

*Dont forget to plug both plugs back into the drivers side power window unit!!!!

Also, the screw that hides under the little tab on the passenger side is a little bastard to get back in, make sure you've got a magnetised screw driver, otherwise you risk it dropping back in behind the trim, to rattle and annoy you till you take the door trim off again!!!

Cheers Matthew

[brettly]

just adding to this...

on my R32 gts there was another screw on the passenger side door, it was hiding behind the power window switch. that black switch just pops out and there you see the screw in question

had me stumped for a few seconds