Toyota
Corolla Interior Door Panel Removal Guide
How to take off the plastic interior door
panels in an 11th generation 2014-2018 Toyota Corolla to upgrade the speakers.
2014 Corolla Door Panel |
Pry Off Sail Panel |
Sail Panel Removed |
This
automotive maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist
owners of the eleventh generation (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018)
Toyota Corolla in taking off the plastic interior door panels in
order to upgrade the OEM speakers, add soundproofing material, fix a
faulty electrical switch or replace a broken power window motor. Owners of other Toyota, Lexus or Scion vehicles such as the Yaris, Matrix, Prius, Camry, RAV4, Sienna, Tacoma, Tundra, FJ Cruiser, Venza, Highlander, Avalon, Sequoia, Land Cruiser, IS 250, ES 350, GS 350, tC, xB, xD, iQ and FR-S may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful. The tools needed to take off the door panels include a small flathead screwdriver, a plastic automotive panel pry bar tool (or a large flathead screwdriver) and a Phillips head screwdriver. To remove the OEM door speaker, you'll need an electric drill with some drill bits in order to drill out the metal rivets. |
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Disconnect Tweeter Speaker |
Speaker Unplugged |
Door Opener Handle |
The first two steps
are to lower the power window all the way down and then open the door. Move to the top inner corner of the door panel and gently pry off the triangular shaped sail panel with a small flathead screwdriver. On some models, the sail panel contains the tweeter speaker. Press in the release tab on the tweeter speaker's electrical connector before sliding it straight out of its socket. Set the sail panel aside in a safe place. |
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Pry Out Screw Cover |
Screw Cover Opened |
Pry Off Trim Panel |
Then move to the
area behind the door opener handle and pry out the round plastic screw cover
with the small flathead screwdriver. Next, move to the bottom edge of the door pull handle and pry off the trim panel with a small flathead screwdriver. |
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Door Pull Handle Cover |
Plastic Trim Piece Removed |
Loosen Counterclockwise |
Gently pull off the
door pull handle trim panel and set it aside in a safe place. Remove the screw behind the door opener handle by turning it counterclockwise with the Phillips head screwdriver. |
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Top Door Pull Handle Screw |
Phillips Screw Removed |
Remove Lower Screw |
Then remove the
upper and lower screws in the door pull handle by turning them
counterclockwise with the Phillips head screwdriver. Set the the screws aside in a safe place with the plastic panels. |
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Bottom Screw Removed |
Insert Pry Bar Tool |
Pull Out Plastic Pop Rivets |
Insert the plastic
automotive panel removal tool (or a large flathead screwdriver) in between
the bottom edge of the door panel and the metal door frame. Firmly pull out the bottom edge of the door panel to release the plastic pop rivets. Continue pulling out the friction fasteners all along the bottom edge and both sides of the door panel. |
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Lift Door Panel Off Frame |
Tilt Top Edge Towards You |
Door Lock / Opener Cables |
Lift the plastic
door panel up and off the metal door frame. Tilt the top edge towards yourself and support the bottom edge with your legs. There are two methods for disconnecting the door opener handle and door lock switch cables. |
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Pull Back Plastic Tab |
Release Top Clip |
Pull Back Side Clip |
The first method is
to disconnect the entire plastic bracket from the back side of the door
panel that contains the handle, door lock switch and cables. Gently pull back the plastic clip on the bottom edge of the bracket, another at the top edge and the third on the side near the cables. |
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Use Screwdriver |
Entire Bracket Removed |
Opening In Door Panel |
If necessary, you
may need to use a flathead screwdriver to gently pull back the side
retaining clip located below the cables. Pull the entire bracket out of the back side of the door panel. At this point, I re-attached the bracket in order to repeat the process using the 2nd method for disconnecting the two cables. |
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2nd Method - Pull Out Cables |
Lift Ball Out of Socket |
Door Opener Handle Cable |
The second method
involves disconnecting the actual cables themselves and leaving the plastic
bracket attached to the door panel. Gently pull the white or green plastic collar near the end of the cable out of the "C" shaped socket. Then swing out the cable and lift the metal bar at the end out of its socket. |
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Switch Panel Plugs |
Push In Release Tab |
Remove Electrical Connectors |
Disconnect the two
electrical connectors attached to the bottom of the switch panel by pushing
in their release tabs. Then slide the plugs straight out of their sockets. You might need to use a flathead screwdriver to push in the release tabs if they are very stiff. |
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Door Panel Removed |
Metal Door Frame |
Two Screws & 2 Panels |
Set the plastic
door panel aside in a safe place. The OEM door speaker is located at the bottom inner corner of the metal door frame. The OEM door speakers can be replaced with aftermarket speakers in the following sizes: 6 1/2" (6.5") and 6 3/4" (6.75"). I'd recommend purchasing new speakers from Crutchfield since they usually include any necessary wiring harnesses, power plug adapters or mounting brackets. To make your new speakers sound better, apply some Dynamat Sound Deadener to the metal door frame. It will help stop vibrations and rattles when you crank up the volume. In order to remove the OEM speakers, you'll need to carefully drill out the metal rivets. |
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Drill Out Speaker Rivets |
Hold Panel Near Frame |
Push In Power Plugs |
Start with a small
drill bit to make the first pilot hole and then use a larger drill bit to
drill out the pop rivet. To replace the plastic door panel by holding it near the metal door frame. Push the white plastic power plugs for the switch panel straight in to their sockets. |
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Switch Panel Connectors |
Re-Insert Metal Ball |
Pop In Plastic Collar |
Then replace the
cables for the door opener handle and door lock switch or pop in the entire
bracket depending on which method you used previously. Lower the metal ball at the end of the cable in to its socket, then push the plastic collar in to the "C" shaped socket on the bracket. |
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2nd Method - Pop In Bracket |
Secure Retaining Clips |
Door Handle Bracket Secured |
If you remove the entire bracket, lower in the front edge first and then pop in the rear edge to secure the retaining clips. | ||
Lower Panel On Frame |
Line Up Pop Rivets |
Firmly Tap In Fasteners |
Gently lower the
plastic door panel down on to the top lip of the metal door frame. Line up the white plastic pop rivets on the back side of the door panel with their corresponding holes in the metal door frame. Firmly tap in the pop rivet friction fasteners all along the bottom edge and both sides of the door panel. |
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Tighten Bottom Screw |
Replace Top Screw |
Tighten Door Handle Screw |
Re-insert the two
screws on the door pull handle and tighten them in the clockwise direction
with the Phillips head screwdriver. Replace the Phillips head screw behind the door opener handle and tighten it in the clockwise direction until it is snug. |
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Pop In Screw Cover |
Line Up Trim Panel |
Pop On Trim Cover |
Gently pop in the
round plastic screw cover over the screw behind the door opener handle. Line up the plastic trim panel over the door pull handle and gently push it back in to place to secure the friction fasteners. |
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Plug In Tweeter Speaker |
Push On Sail Panel |
Door Panel Replaced |
Push the electrical
connector for the tweeter speaker back in to its socket. Line up the sail panel and gently push it back in to place to secure the friction fasteners. Sit inside the car, close the door and verify that the door opener handle, door lock rocker switch, power window switch and power door lock switch all still work properly. For more, check out my other
2014-2018 Toyota Corolla DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides. |
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