Interior Panel Removal

[Stratus]

Hi,

I was just curious to see if anyone knows, or knows where i can find out how to remove the interior door panels of a '95 subaru legacy. I am interested because i want to replace the sounds system. I looked and couldnt find any skrews or fasteners of any kind. I appretiate your time.

 

stratus

[SevenSisters]

Not exactly sure how they put on the door panel for you guys with new cars, but there should be a couple of screws holding on the door handle and a lot of plastic clips holding the pannel to the door frame. Get a $5 clip tool at an auto parts place and gradually go around the outside perimeter of the door and pop off the pannel. Once it's loose, it should lift up and off.

[ejlain]

Pretty easy to get the panel off actually. There is ONE screw right where the door handle is and ANOTHER screw in the center of the arm rest. This one requires that you pry out the little plastic cover hiding it. One you remove those screws use a wide screwdriver or putty knife to pop the plastic fasteners around the perimiter. There are about 8 of them I think, 3 on each side and 2 on the bottom IIRC. Once it's free, carefully lift UP and OUT. If you have electric windows, there will be a connection you'll have to undo if you want to remove the panel completely. You'll probably have enough room to work, though, if you just swing it out of the way.

 

NOTE!!!: Make sure the window is UP if you need to get into the door to install your wires. Also, be CAREFUL when you stick your hands in and out of the metal openings..the edges can be EXTREMELY SHARP and DANGEROUS!!

 

Hope this helps.

 

Ed

[Sydfloyd44]

Make Sure You Have Clearance Behind Your Speaker For The Door Glass And The Regulator To Operate Freely. Otherwise, Budget In The Cost Of At Least The Door Glass For Replacement.

[canedog18]

I just replaced the door speakers in my '97 Legacy Outback. I can't get the front passenger side on. I used a door panel removal tool and was very careful taking it off, but now it doesn't want to go back on correctly. The back half fits in nicely, but the front part, where the sideview mirror is will not fit it tightly. The gap in the window molding widens towards the front. Is there some trick to this? The rear doors were a snap, and to replace the speakers you don't have to disconnect the wiring, but the passenger door is just not going in. I quit trying because I got frustrated and I didn't want to mess up the panel and have to buy a new one. Thanks for any tips!

[Setright]

One part of the instructions is lost above: Remove the "sail" on the door mirror housing. It pulls off, held in by three "prongs".

 

This could help you too, Canedog :-) Take the sail off and try again, sail on last.

[pwoens]

Thanks for any tips!

make sure and remove the little plastic piece behind the mirror first...the triangle piece....it pops off with no problems. When placing the panel back on, start from the top, handle first, then place the very top portion of the panel in its track snug to the window the entire distance of the door panel.....push it towards the window and down at the same time. Everything else will line up if you get that very top portion of the panel snug.

 

hope that came out right??

[canedog18]

That was the missing link. It was a 2 minute job after taking off the sail. You both have saved me a trip to the dealer, 'cause that's where I was headed. On the drivers side, the panel was not coming off, but I was able to swing the bottom out of the way and put in my replacement speaker, but I decided to take the passenger side off completely. I can't thank you both, and this entire board enough. Something so simple was so hard it was a major aggrivation. for the record. the Haynes manual for my car said NOTHING about the sail in the panel removal section. You fine people are better than Haynes !!