Recently, the speaker in the driver's door on my van began cutting out. The first step in getting to the bottom of this is removing the door panel. Here's how I did it. There can be variations on this procedure, but this will get you there.
Here we see your basic Astro door panel complete with the requisite duct tape on the torn arm rest.
My first step is to remove the plugs that cover the star fasteners in the door pull. For this task I use a very small flat tip screwdriver with a dull tip so I don't tear the vinyl.
You'll need a #27 star driver to get at the screws. One of the holes in the pull is small enough to grab the socket and pull it from the ratchet extension so have a needle nose ready to grab it, or, just leave it in there until reinstallation.
The pull should just lift away at this point. You can leave the screws in the handle. The photo clearly shows that I been missing my manicure appointments lately, but just try to get past this.
Now use your #2 Phillips screwdriver to remove the easy to overlook screw in the switch pod. Actually, this photo is fake because I forgot to reinstall this screw last time I removed the door panel. At this point it would be possible to gently pry out the pod if you're after the switches. Each wiring harness plug has its own method of removal and each one is a PITA. The small flat tip screwdriver you used earlier will come in handy here.
At this point you can use a flat tool to pop the panel fasteners out of the door. They love to break. My van came to me with all of them broken so I used 3 1/2" deck screws to fasten the panel to the door. It's hillbilly but it works.
Gently remove the cheap plastic trim pieces.
Ever so gently I pop the switch pod out of the door panel. You may not need to use any tools to do this. Don't stress the wiring harnesses and plugs.
The door panel should be only hooked to the lip on the window opening at this point and otherwise swinging freely.
Grasp both outside edges of the panel and give a slight tug upward. The panel should lift away from the door easily. The switch pod threads back through the opening in the door panel. Use your third arm for this procedure. This is what you see as a result.
You're looking at the foam inner door liner. It wants to tear as much as possible. Resist the urge to trash this piece because it really helps dampen road noise and cold air infiltration. Use a dull-bladed knife or similar implement to work around the edges of the foam and remove it.
For my purposes, I don't need to remove the window and mirror switches so I gently move the pod out of the way.
With the foam liner removed you're looking at the naked innards of the door.
Now I have access to the door speaker but I also want to check on the window regulator and motor that I recently reinstalled. First, remove this piece using your 11mm socket because it covers one of the regulator fasteners. I'm guessing this is some sort of side impact guard. Pretty substantial, eh?
This is an after market motor. The original looks a lot different. I can tell that the original is still in the passenger door because it takes 10 minutes to lower the window.
There are 4 bolts fastening the window regulator and motor. One of them is a little loose and it becomes necessary to be inventive to get to it. The nuts are 9mm.
Because I left the switches connected I can observe the window regulator operate. This is the unit that I recently hammered flat after it pretzled itself. Seems to be working smoothly. If it's time to replace the motor and regulator, you'll remove the four bolts, work the idler pulleys out of the window track, and slide the whole unit out of the inner door. You don't need to remove the window but do need to use tape to hold it in the up position so it doesn't come crashing down when you pull the regulator. Don't forget to unplug the motor.
Okay, I switched out the defective speaker and I'm done screwing around in the door. Time to put it together. Reinstall the foam panel using double-sided tape.
Reinstall the rail.
Hold the panel close to the door and thread the switch pod through its opening. Hook the top edge of the door in the window opening and give it a downward tug to seat it.But, before you do that you need to make certain that you've reengaged the door operating mechanism. See that white tipped piece of metal in the second photo? To the right of this is a plastic pin. Make certain that the pin engages the hole in the white metal piece. Miss this step and you won't be able to open the door from the inside.
If your plastic fasteners remain intact, snap the door panel in place. In my case, reinstall the screws. Make certain all of your switches work. Reinstall the door pull and cheap plastic trim pieces.
Don't forget the plugs in the door pull.
Clean up your greasy finger prints, and, you're done. Easy peasy, right?
Here we see your basic Astro door panel complete with the requisite duct tape on the torn arm rest.
My first step is to remove the plugs that cover the star fasteners in the door pull. For this task I use a very small flat tip screwdriver with a dull tip so I don't tear the vinyl.
You'll need a #27 star driver to get at the screws. One of the holes in the pull is small enough to grab the socket and pull it from the ratchet extension so have a needle nose ready to grab it, or, just leave it in there until reinstallation.
The pull should just lift away at this point. You can leave the screws in the handle. The photo clearly shows that I been missing my manicure appointments lately, but just try to get past this.
Now use your #2 Phillips screwdriver to remove the easy to overlook screw in the switch pod. Actually, this photo is fake because I forgot to reinstall this screw last time I removed the door panel. At this point it would be possible to gently pry out the pod if you're after the switches. Each wiring harness plug has its own method of removal and each one is a PITA. The small flat tip screwdriver you used earlier will come in handy here.
At this point you can use a flat tool to pop the panel fasteners out of the door. They love to break. My van came to me with all of them broken so I used 3 1/2" deck screws to fasten the panel to the door. It's hillbilly but it works.
Gently remove the cheap plastic trim pieces.
Ever so gently I pop the switch pod out of the door panel. You may not need to use any tools to do this. Don't stress the wiring harnesses and plugs.
The door panel should be only hooked to the lip on the window opening at this point and otherwise swinging freely.
Grasp both outside edges of the panel and give a slight tug upward. The panel should lift away from the door easily. The switch pod threads back through the opening in the door panel. Use your third arm for this procedure. This is what you see as a result.
You're looking at the foam inner door liner. It wants to tear as much as possible. Resist the urge to trash this piece because it really helps dampen road noise and cold air infiltration. Use a dull-bladed knife or similar implement to work around the edges of the foam and remove it.
For my purposes, I don't need to remove the window and mirror switches so I gently move the pod out of the way.
With the foam liner removed you're looking at the naked innards of the door.
Now I have access to the door speaker but I also want to check on the window regulator and motor that I recently reinstalled. First, remove this piece using your 11mm socket because it covers one of the regulator fasteners. I'm guessing this is some sort of side impact guard. Pretty substantial, eh?
This is an after market motor. The original looks a lot different. I can tell that the original is still in the passenger door because it takes 10 minutes to lower the window.
There are 4 bolts fastening the window regulator and motor. One of them is a little loose and it becomes necessary to be inventive to get to it. The nuts are 9mm.
Because I left the switches connected I can observe the window regulator operate. This is the unit that I recently hammered flat after it pretzled itself. Seems to be working smoothly. If it's time to replace the motor and regulator, you'll remove the four bolts, work the idler pulleys out of the window track, and slide the whole unit out of the inner door. You don't need to remove the window but do need to use tape to hold it in the up position so it doesn't come crashing down when you pull the regulator. Don't forget to unplug the motor.
Okay, I switched out the defective speaker and I'm done screwing around in the door. Time to put it together. Reinstall the foam panel using double-sided tape.
Reinstall the rail.
Hold the panel close to the door and thread the switch pod through its opening. Hook the top edge of the door in the window opening and give it a downward tug to seat it.But, before you do that you need to make certain that you've reengaged the door operating mechanism. See that white tipped piece of metal in the second photo? To the right of this is a plastic pin. Make certain that the pin engages the hole in the white metal piece. Miss this step and you won't be able to open the door from the inside.
If your plastic fasteners remain intact, snap the door panel in place. In my case, reinstall the screws. Make certain all of your switches work. Reinstall the door pull and cheap plastic trim pieces.
Don't forget the plugs in the door pull.
Clean up your greasy finger prints, and, you're done. Easy peasy, right?