getiing door panel off a "93"

[citydweller99]

Need help getting the door panel off my 93. I read somewhere in here about needing a certain tool. Is that true? and are there instructions to use it. Would hate to have it not go back together or break something. How many screws are there? I think I found two. Need to replace my head lamp switch(I think) Lights wont shut off. I do not believe there is any daytime or setinnel options or whatever it is called. Please help getting tired of disconnecting the battery. Have ordered the switch should be here next week.

[avatar307]

GM always thinks you need a "special tool." I've never needed one. Though I've had to modify vice grips, 2x4s, and disassemble extra componets in the past because I didn't have their tool.

Getting the door panel off should be as simple as removing a 4 bolts. The one behind the door handle, one under the ash tray (two under the electric controls on the drivers door), and one under the reflector on the outside edge of the door (which is a pain to get to even with a 1/4" drive socket).

Then the rest of the door is held on with those... stupid plastic snap in fasterner things. (Door retainer clips?) There is a special tool for getting them out without tearing up the plastic/fiberglass backing of the door panel when pulling them out of the holes in the steel door. It's basically a putty knife with a 1/4-3/8" wide slot in it. They tell them at auto parts stores... probably called a "door panel remover."

[avatar307]

Pull..
If it doesn't come loose, there's bolt.
Find the bolt and remove it.

That's how I took them off my 95. Course, then I had to fix the door panel where I ripped out a couple of the 15 plastic fasters.

Also, rubber cement does not work to glue the plastic back on the door after you've ripped it off. Neither does silicone. There's some special glue for it... I swear I knew what it was the other day.

[citydweller99]

Thanks for the help. I guess I am more worried about breaking those fastners. Didnt think about the screw under the ash tray. Thanks! Head lamp switch should be here Wed. Hope that fixes my problem.(headlights wont turn off). Thanks again

[Bluthunder]

How do you remove the door panel on a 91 Les? The power windows go up really slow and I want to see why.

[avatar307]

The exact same way. The only general word of advice I did not include above is....

"If you have manual windows, you will likely need a special tool to disengage the retaining clip holding the handle on. Most of the handles don't use screws anymore unfortunately."

As you have power windows, that does not apply. However, there is likely NOTHING you can do about your power windows going up slow from inside the door. Minus:

1) Replacing the spring. (Something I would NEVER want to attempt, as it probably means replacing the entire mounting assembly.)
2) Replacing the motor. (Which shouldn't slow down, it should fail. Plus, I wouldn't want to find or buy one. I've got one for a drivers door I might sell though... Hmm...)

A good idea would be to buy some silicone greese and lube up the window tracks and the "squigy?" type thing along the bottom of the window. That's probably where your problem lies...

Or I guess is could lie with inadaquate voltage getting to your power windows. Which you could test at the motor connector, if you knew what the voltage should be. Most likely though, the problem would be caused by a bad power windows relay or fuse.