Door panel removal DIY

[Lexmex]

Last year I did a short thread, http://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx30...indow-bad.html about greasing up the window motor and several of you wanted to know how to remove the door panel.

Earlier this morning before the rain fell, my cousin Rodrigo and I removed the front door panel on the passenger side. For this we need a long and a short philips head screwdriver along with a short and a long flathead screwdriver.

Start by lowering the window completely.

NOTE:
If you want to proceed to thread that goes on to show the full removal of the window and motor, see
http://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-f...r-removal.html

[Lexmex]

First you have to remove these little plastic thingys here by pushing them in.

[Lexmex]

There are three of these 2, on the side of the panel and one underneath close to the hinge connecting it with the rest of the vehicle.

Put a flathead underneath the one you just pushed in and they should come out with a little push and tug with your fingers.

[Lexmex]

Next use the short philips head to take the two metal screws out. One is here and the other is on the other side of the courtesy light. That plastic one like the one in the last photo is on the other side of the screw that is just left of the courtesy light.

[Lexmex]

Next is the power window switch which I showed the other day. You the short or long handed flathead, the longer one gives a better fulcrum. Put it at a 45 degree angle and insert it as shown.

[Lexmex]

Eventually you should be able to see a clip/hook you want to push the front of this clip/hook toward what would be the bottom of this photo. This will be clearer in the next shot.

[Lexmex]

Here you can see the front of the clip/hook and the flathead is on top of it. Again, you need to push the top of it toward what would be the bottom of this photo.

[Lexmex]

The switch will come out quite easily after that.

[Lexmex]

Now I might be wrong about this, but after looking at both buttons carefully, it does not appear you can remove the power window buttons from the top and you must pry off the power window switch first as we have done. On the door lock switch, the area I circled in blue has two round hinges that move slightly when the button is pushed and has to be carefully removed. The window switch appeared to be held in by screws.

[Lexmex]

Next step (all though we did it later) is to remove the connection to the power window switch as shown.

[Lexmex]

A few photos ago you may have noticed a gold screw behind where the power window switch was. Here you need a philips head.

[Lexmex]

Next, underneath the interior door handle you will find another philips head screw to remove.

[Lexmex]

Now comes the biggest PITA of this whole operation, what is known as the removal of the inside handle bezel.

First step is easy, there is a small piece just to the left of the locking mechanism that has to be pried open with a flat head and behind it is a philips head screw to remove.

[Lexmex]

Here comes Mission PITA...start by using a either a long or short flathead, longer one worked better for us, and pry at this point right here. There is another point at the bottom of this piece in the same location that is also holding the bezel in place, but easier to attack it from the top, push it out carefully.

[Lexmex]

You should be able to get to about this point.