Door panel removal

[SHOrod]

I have a slight rattle that I hear sometimes when going over expansion joints and potholes. My first thought was there was something plastic or metal in the passenger door pocket. Not the case. I also checked the glovebox - nothing rolling around in there. Then I read about the TSB for the rear window shade. I found a stretch of road where I could reliably duplicate the rattle, then raised the window shade - no change.

This weekend, with the passenger door open, I used my palm to tap on passenger door panel and sure enough I can hear a rattle. It seems to maybe be where the speaker grill covers the speaker, maybe there isn't enough clearance between the speaker and the door panel? Anyway, I'd like to remove the door panel and take a look for myself. Yeah, my car is still under warranty, but I'd much rather take a look at it than schedule an appointment and have them tearing in to my car only to say they can't find anything.

So my question is, does anyone know how to remove these door panels (2011 SHO)? I know there are probably a couple of screws and maybe some plastic rivets, then the door panel likely lifts off the door and door release handle, but I'm wondering where all the screws may be. And I'll be honest, I haven't spent any time looking for the screws yet, but when I tried to remove the door panel on my wife's 2010 MKZ I couldn't find any hidden screws. My 2004 Mountaineer door panels are probably the easiest to remove of any door I've had apart and I hope the SHO is similar.

I've had several door panels off before, ('81 Horizon TC3, '88 EXP, '93 SHO, '93 Probe GT, '95 Pathfinder, '99 Passat, '98 SHO, 2002 Lincoln LS, 2000 Mountaineer, 2004 Mountaineer, Caravans, several variations of Grand Cherokees, 2009 Scion xB, and probably a few others) so it bothers me that I couldn't figure out my wife's MKZ.

-Rod

 

[SHOrod]

Not finding any information on the Internet regarding how to remove the front door panel, I decided to try it this afternoon. Below are what I wrote up.

1. Lower the door window completely.
2. Remove two Philips head screws along bottom of door panel.
3. Remove 1 Philips head screw inside rubber bumper at the lower rear of the door panel.

4. Remove the trim piece behind the interior door handle. There are small retainers at the front, top center, and bottom center. Use a small pick or paperclip to hook the piece at the front and pull it away from the door.
5. Remove the power window switch by gently prying it loose from the rear. Swing the rear up and pull back to unhook it. Then disconnect the electrical connector(s) and place the switch assembly aside.

6. Pop the pseudo carbon fiber trim loose from the rear of the door and gentle unsnap it working forward.
7. Remove the two fasteners behind the trim (Philips screw at rear, 8mm bolt at front).

8. Remove the 2 – 10mm bolts from behind the door handle trim and underneath the power window switch assembly.

9. Pull the triangular trip that covers the side mirror bolts away from the door. There are three clips holding this piece in place.
10. There are several clips (looks like about 6 from the photo) that hold the door panel to the door around the perimeter. You might start at the front of the door panel above the speaker. There is a recess in the metal that allows you to get a grip behind the door panel. Work your way around the door.

11. When the panel is loose, unhook it from the door lock pin and window channel (easier with the window lowered). Move the door panel away from the door far enough to disconnect the electrical connections for the ambient lighting. Also disconnect the door latch cable from the door handle.

I think my “rattle” was actually caused by a drum head effect of the plastic covering the access hole for the power window regulator. I placed a piece of Dynamat in the center of the plastic to see if that will quiet things down.


Reassembly

As much as I hated to see this comment in service manuals, you basically reverse the procedure to reinstall.

-Rod

 

[SHOrod]

Thanks for the Kudos!

I didn't measure the speaker, but it sure looks like the standard 6x8 that Ford likes to use. Quite a few options these days for 5x7 / 6x8 speakers.

-Rod

 

[jobes]

They do look beefy. I'm sure they can handle more "clean power". That is the key. It's garbage amps that **** speakers. Replace the amp first with a quality multi channel amp first. This is another thing on my growing list.

Excellent write up SHORod!

Kudos and a big +1 in the thank you department for providing this information!

I wonder what size speaker that is in the door? Mulling over replacing the stock speakers w/ something that can handle a lil more power and sound a lil throatier.

 

[darreli]

Thanks for that write up SHOrod!! The audio is something I'm going to tackle over the winter I believe.

 

[ttrull]

where is your window?

I dropped a credit card down in my window a couple weeks ago, guess i better get cracking on this. Thanks for posting!!!!!

 

[SHOrod]

where is your window?

See step 1).

-Rod

 

[2010sho]

Geez,

This is why I don't work on my own stuff anymore.

It looks like a 30 minute project to get the door panel off

 

[mjhpadi]

They do look beefy. I'm sure they can handle more "clean power". That is the key. It's garbage amps that **** speakers. Replace the amp first with a quality multi channel amp first. This is another thing on my growing list.

So where is the amp located in the SHO? I thought I had heard that the Sony System has 2 amps? More of a question then a statement.

 

[SHOrod]

Yeah, 30 minutes the first time is probably about right. If there's a second or subsequent times it shouldn't take as long.

-Rod

 

[jobes]

Amp location no idea...yet. Two amps from what Ive read one drives the mains the second for the woofers.

 

[SHOrod]

Well, either my dampening material fell off already or that wasn't the fix for the noise I'm trying to track down.

-Rod

 

[way2evil]

Its coming from the passenger area? Its the sunvisor making that noise. I havent tried to fix it but I know thats whats making the noise.

 

[SHOrod]

Hmmm, I'll have to try that. I did remove my sunglasses from the holder thinking maybe that was the source. It sounds to me like it's coming from the front passenger door. However, yesterday I had someone in the passenger seat and passenger side rear seat and neither of them heard the noise. I heard the noise and even said "there it was" just after it happened about 10 times in 3 miles. Still, neither of them heard it. They're both about my age (one younger, one a few years older) so their hearing should be fine. If the noise were coming from the passenger visor that could explain it, the sound might be bouncing off the windshield to my ear but not necessarily audible to them.

-Rod

 

[hawkeye18]

Hmmm, I'll have to try that. I did remove my sunglasses from the holder thinking maybe that was the source. It sounds to me like it's coming from the front passenger door. However, yesterday I had someone in the passenger seat and passenger side rear seat and neither of them heard the noise. I heard the noise and even said "there it was" just after it happened about 10 times in 3 miles. Still, neither of them heard it. They're both about my age (one younger, one a few years older) so their hearing should be fine. If the noise were coming from the passenger visor that could explain it, the sound might be bouncing off the windshield to my ear but not necessarily audible to them.

-Rod

Or, you're paranoid. Happens a lot to new car owners. They get paranoid and start hearing noises that aren't really there, or aren't nearly as loud as they think they are.

I know it's gonna happen when I get my mustang. I'm gonna go "THERE, YOU HEAR THAT RATTLE!?" and my wife is gonna go "You're insane."

 

[SHO4]

Hey Rod,
FWIW ...
I had a dickens of a time tracking down a passenger side noise a month or so ago.
It turned out to be 'AA' battery I had dropped weeks before that found its way into seat track cavity.
Lots of little nooks and crannies under the seat and carpet ...just a thought.

 

[SHOrod]

Yep, I've looked under the seats and in the door pockets, center console, seat back pockets, in the spare tire well (where there's only a compressor and fix a flat), glove box, and sunglass holder. The noise is definitely not something I added to the car.

I'm pretty sure way2evil is on the right track. After reading his post over lunch I lowered the passenger sun visor to a 45 degree angle and bumped it. Sure enough, I heard the noise that's been driving me nuts. I opened the mirror cover, no change. I opened the visor all the way, no change. I thumped on the edge of the headliner where it curves up to the sunroof, same noise. I think it's above the headliner near the passenger visor. Now my dilemma is do I take it back to the body shop that did the paintless dent repair and accuse it of being something they did when they dropped the headliner to fix the dents, or do I tackle it myself? I still hate the idea of someone else working on my car....

-Rod

 

[way2evil]

Yep, I've looked under the seats and in the door pockets, center console, seat back pockets, in the spare tire well (where there's only a compressor and fix a flat), glove box, and sunglass holder. The noise is definitely not something I added to the car.

I'm pretty sure way2evil is on the right track. After reading his post over lunch I lowered the passenger sun visor to a 45 degree angle and bumped it. Sure enough, I heard the noise that's been driving me nuts. I opened the mirror cover, no change. I opened the visor all the way, no change. I thumped on the edge of the headliner where it curves up to the sunroof, same noise. I think it's above the headliner near the passenger visor. Now my dilemma is do I take it back to the body shop that did the paintless dent repair and accuse it of being something they did when they dropped the headliner to fix the dents, or do I tackle it myself? I still hate the idea of someone else working on my car....

-Rod

I never had any dent removal and we have the same rattle....

 

[ViPER1313]

My advice - turn up the stereo. Rattles are a never ending battle that you can never win.

 

[SHOrod]

Up until I fixed the sunshade rattle, turning up the stereo didn't make things better. Even so, just knowing something is less than good on my car would drive me nuts.

-Rod