Gaining Access To Repair Power Windows,
Door Locks, Side Mirrors and More.
(Covers Model Years 1999 to 2001)
In This Article:
Various hidden screws are removed and then the door panel is pried away. Electrical connectors
and the door release cable are disconnected to separate the panel from the door.
This BMW 323i leather
door panel had five T27 Torx-head screws and snap
release clips fastening it to the metal door
shell.
The red arrows point to
the locations of the hidden fasteners.
I used a small flat
screwdriver to pry the electric window switch
out of the armrest.
Then I disconnected the wire connector from the
switch.
Using the #27 Torx screwdriver, I removed the
screw behind the switch.
Note: When replacing the panel I
made sure I fed the wire up through the panel so
the switch could be re-connected.
I removed the cover plugs from the lower area of
the armrest with a small screwdriver.
Then I
removed the two screws behind the plugs with a
T27 Torx screwdriver.
At the top of the leather door panel there was a
plastic trim strip.
I pried on the end with a
tack puller...
...and
carefully un-snapped the trim from the leather door panel.
I pried as close to the snap clips as possible.
I removed the two screws with...
a #27 Torx
screwdriver.
Then I used a rigid putty knife and pried the
panel from the metal door shell.
Air Bag
Warning: Above the armrest is a side
air bag. When the panel is removed the wire to
the air bag must be disconnected before working on the
door.
I pulled the
panel outward slightly and upward over the lip
of the metal frame.
I found the door latch cable had to be disconnected,
and two speaker wires.
I used a flat
screwdriver and pried at back of the cable
end...
...and removed the cable end from the latch.
I removed the
small speaker wire by pushing on the tab and
pulling the wire out.
Then on the second speaker...
...I pressed in
on the tabs on each end of the connector and
pulled the wire out.
At this point the door
panel was completely separated from the car.
View of back of door panel.
View of metal
door shell with dust cover and air bag.
Removing The Rear Door Panel:
The rear door had five screws fastening the
leather panel to the metal door.
I removed the
electric window switch from the pull handle
armrest.
With a flat screw driver I pried the
switch out carefully.
After disconnecting the wire I used a #27 Torx
screwdriver to removed the hidden screw.
I used a
small screwdriver to remove the cover plugs on
the armrest.
Then I used a #27 Torx screwdriver to remove the
two screws.
I pried the
upper plastic trim strip at the end and
carefully released the snap clips.
View of back of the plastic
trim strip and two hidden screws on the door
panel.
I removed the two #27 Torx screws from the
leather panel.
Then I pried
the leather door panel from the metal door shell
using a rigid putty knife.
I pulled outward slightly and pushed the panel upward over
the metal door lip to remove the panel
from the metal door shell.
But the panel was
still connected to the car by some wires.
The door
latch is released by a cable that connects to
the handle in the door panel. The end of the
outer housing is a piece of white plastic,
shown inside the yellow circle.
I used a flat
screwdriver to remove the door latch cable outer
housing.
