Removing Door Panels On A 2005 Chevy Equinox

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Removing Door Panels On A
2005 Chevy Equinox

Gaining Access To Repair Power Windows,
Door Locks, Side Mirrors and More.

(Covers Model Years 2005 to 2008)

In This Article:

The mirror cover is removed. Various screws are removed and narrow piece of molding is carefully pried off. The door panel is pried away from the door.

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Skill Level: 2-3 (Basic to Intermediate)

Time Taken: About 15 Minutes

By Jim Wilk, Licensed Auto Body Technician

Start:

This 2005 Chevrolet Equinox has one screw and two hidden bolts holding the plastic door panel to the metal door shell.

Removing side mirror cover, 2005 Chevy Equinox.

But first the mirror cover had to be removed, by prying at the top of the cover to release the snap clip.

Then I pulled upward to unhook the bottom.

Using a small screwdriver I released the tab holding the wire connected to the speaker mounted in the cover.

Disconnecting speaker near side mirror, 05 Equinox.

Removing The Side View Mirror:

Disconnecting wiring for side mirror, Chevy Equinox.

Using the small screwdriver again, I removed the wire connected to the electric side view mirror.

Then with a 10mm socket I removed the three nuts holding the mirror to the metal door shell.

Caution: Hold on to the mirror, if it falls it can cause damage to the outside of the door or the mirror.

Side view mirror fastener locations, 05 Equinox.

View of the mirror after being removed.

I removed the Phillips screw from the inside door latch cover.

Then I maneuvered the cover off the handle.

I found the hidden bolts under the argent molding that went across the plastic door panel.

Using a small prying tool I started at front of molding at the bottom edge.

Removing argent trim molding, 2005 Chevy Equinox.

Prying away argent molding from door panel, Chevy.

I pried outward as I worked in the direction of the rear of the panel, releasing the snap clips one by one

I started at the front because the molding hooks and clips in the rear.

View of back side of the molding:

The red arrows show where the molding hooks in.

Hidden door panel fasteners, 2005 Chevy Equinox.

I removed the two 10mm bolts from the inside pull handle area.

Using a rigid putty knife I pried the plastic door panel from the metal door shell.

This door panel uses the old-fashioned snap-clips to hold the door panel to the door shell.

Many other late-model door panels seen on BodyShopZone employ plastic hooks that are molded into the panel. This style merely needs to be lifted upward (once the screws are removed).