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02 BMW 325i how to remove door panels & rear deck?

dbdreams

By dbdreams
in BMW

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Guest anndouglas123

Guest anndouglas123

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remove silver/wood trim at top of door and remove 2 torx screws from behind it, then one under top if door pull (by elec mirror switch) and 2 under armrest and I think 1 in the door release, then its just clips all the way round, panel is clipped to door along the top, not hooked over like alot of cars, front and rear panels are basically the same

So, can you help a complete new-bee who is removing a door panel, and replacing a speaker for the very first time? I have removed the silver/wood trim at the top of door, and removed 2 torx screws from behind it. Then 1 torx screw from under the electric mirror switch (this model doesn't have electric switch on passenger side so it was just a cover plate), then 2 more under the armrest. Now I am stuck. I am looking for a last remaining screw in the door release. What's a door release? Is the door release the door handle that the passenger uses to open the door from the inside, or is the door release the metal latch that actually releases the door when the handle is pulled? Or, perhaps I am looking for a screw that doesn't exist, since you said, "I think".

So then I try to pull on the door panel to remove it. I've been gentle, since I don't know what I am doing. "Clips all the way around." Does that mean 'yank hard and the clips will open/pop off'? Or does that mean, 'use some kind of tool to get the clips off'?

Thank you in advance for working with a complete car idiot! I'm learning!

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Guest tint325i

Guest tint325i

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door release is the handle you pull to open the door, there should be a little round cover in the middle with a screw behind it, also should be one sehind the airbag logo if it has one

clips round the outside should pop out easy enough then you need to lift the whole panel to remove it from door

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Guest SIR TINTSALOT

Guest SIR TINTSALOT

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sooo, Why are you removing the back panel? I can see if you want to take the door panels off and tint those, but why take out the rear panel?

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Guest shadowline

Guest shadowline

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sooo, Why are you removing the back panel? I can see if you want to take the door panels off and tint those, but why take out the rear panel?

Ive done the E46 saloon and the coupes, and have left everything in place in the past, BUT it is tight towards the bottom corners to clean well and install and get all the mounting solution without using various tools etc etc, if it only takes 15 mins (with pratice) to strip the rear out, in my view, thats well worth doing for a quicker and easier install with plenty of room to work with, the next 46 I get in I will strip it out I think, why not!!

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Guest tint325i

Guest tint325i

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sooo, Why are you removing the back panel? I can see if you want to take the door panels off and tint those, but why take out the rear panel?

because thats the way I like to do it

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Guest tint325i

Guest tint325i

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and anyway its called a rear deck/parcel shelf, a back panel is the metal bit your tail lights and back bumper are bolted to

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Guest tint325i

Guest tint325i

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sooo, Why are you removing the back panel? I can see if you want to take the door panels off and tint those, but why take out the rear panel?

Ive done the E46 saloon and the coupes, and have left everything in place in the past, BUT it is tight towards the bottom corners to clean well and install and get all the mounting solution without using various tools etc etc, if it only takes 15 mins (with pratice) to strip the rear out, in my view, thats well worth doing for a quicker and easier install with plenty of room to work with, the next 46 I get in I will strip it out I think, why not!!

the first time you do one you wont believe it can be done in 15mins but it really can, its so easy its unbelievable, I dont think it even takes me 15mins now as I know exactly what tools I need and exactly every clip and screw are so its all out quick as a flash

1/4 drive ratchet

small ext

7mm socket

8mm socket

small flat screwdriver

t20 torx (coupe only)

small drift (for knocking ot pin clips I use a small torx driver)

panel clip puller (door panel style) you dont really need this, its for the screen side trims, 2 door panel style clips at the top I just get my fingers behind and pull

you might need a 21mm socket if your removing seatbelts,I only really do that when its got the centre 3 point which is only the newer ones I think (I think its a 21 anyway)

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Guest tint325i

Guest tint325i

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there are only 2 bmws I remove the deck from, e46 3 series as discussed, and e39 5 series (96-03) its even easier -headrests out, seatbase out (just pull it it just lifts out), seatback out (2x 10mm bolts then pull) then the deck is held in with 4 little clips along the front, pop them out and remove the deck, 1x 8mm bolt hold brakelight in, less than 5 minutes work (thats what I do while some others are posting 700 times a month on internet forums!!! :thumb ) I only do it so I can tint over the brakelight, I hate it when brakelight is not tinted, if you buy a bmw with factory privacy the brakelight is tinted over

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NvrLate

NvrLate

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remove silver/wood trim at top of door and remove 2 torx screws from behind it, then one under top if door pull (by elec mirror switch) and 2 under armrest and I think 1 in the door release, then its just clips all the way round, panel is clipped to door along the top, not hooked over like alot of cars, front and rear panels are basically the same

rear deck, first remove the headrests, they can be really tight but they do come out, I usually put them up and grab the chrome poles then wiggle hard and force upwards, sometimes they are a real biatch, then it depends if its got opening rear seats, if not you'll need to remove the seat back just pull the top of it back its just clipped to the firewall, if its a coupe remove the plastic shoulder things next to seatbelts, theres a clip in the top just push the little circle on top until it clicks then remove, theres an extra cover where the little arm to open the 1/4s is but it should pop out easy enough, then the screen sidetrims - remove the interior interior lights theres a torxs screw behind them, pull the trims from the top theres 2 door panel style clips, then lift the trims out, remove speaker covers then speakers and speaker cups (3x 8mm bolts each) if its got Harmon/kardon stereo then you'll need to remove subwoofer from under deck in the boot as there is an 8mm bolt behind it (if no Harmon/kardon this bolt is not present, its there to stop the sub rattling the deck), back inside the car there should be 4 pin clips along the front of the deck, knock the pins right through then remove clips (I usually lose these and replace the pins with selftappers) then the shelf should just pull out, it maneuvers into the boot on the coupes to get it out the way but if its got centre 3 point seatbelt you'll need to unbolt the reel to move the shelf, in a 4 door you can pull the shelf down to where the seatback should be or unbolt the bottom of both seatbelt and feed through the holes so you can remove it all together, then all that is left is the plastic vent thing along the back, 4x 7mm bolts and it lifts right out, if the car has sat nav then the sat nav antenna is located on this, it unclips really easy

I know this sounds like lost of work but it really isn't, I can strip the back of an e46 in about 15mins

--------------------------

Sounds like you've done a couple! I've got a strip and retint tomorrow so I may end up taking the deck out.

2000 323i; do you think it may be similar or at least nothing too custom?

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