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Guide - Removing and Refitting the Front Door Trim Card.

John

John

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How to Remove the Front Door Card.

This is how I managed the removal and refitting of the drivers front door card. This guide is for a Classic T5 Cali if you have a Facelift Cali perhaps you could let us know if there are any differences. For the passenger side it should be slightly easier as there are less switches. It is a bit fiddly and you do need to take your time. However, if your out of guarantee, it may save you a lot of hard earned money as a member on the T4/5 forum was quoted £650 before cost of parts by his VW dealer. :eek:

Here's the tools you will need. Large Philips Screwdriver, Torx T20 driver, and a Upholstery Remover (taped with masking tape to protect the door and door card). Finally a magnetic screwdriver, or a strong magnet to tape to your Philips screwdriver, would be useful when refitting the door.

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Start by removing the 4 Torx screws your find 3 of these at the bottom of the door card and one hidden behind the grey rubber trim in the top door pocket.

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Next the grey plastic trim at the top of the door card. I used the Upholstery remover to gently prize the top trim upwards working from the back. There are 3 wires connected to the window, mirror, and locking switches and you will need to carefully disconnect the 3 miniature plugs by pressing in the small locking tabs. Then remove the side plastic trim again with the Upholstery remover unhooking it from the internal silver door handle.

The two large Philips (door pull handle) screws can now be removed.

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You are now ready to remove the door card, starting at the bottom, it is held to the door by 6 large plastic clips 3 on each side. I found that these sit in slots on mount's on the inside of the door card so its best to prize the sides of the door card out sideways to release the clips. The top of the door card is then pushed up to unhook it from the door frame. Be careful as you will still need to unhook the silver door handle from its bowden cable (held by a plastic clip and metal hook). You also need to disconnect the cable plug that connects the door lock button before you can remove the door card.

How To Replace Door Card.

To start you will need to remove then reset the 6 large plastic unusual clips. I used the Upholstery Remover to prize them out of the door. To reset them again, for fitting in the door card mount's, the Upholstery remover was used to prize them open, see the picture below.

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Refitting the door card first offer it up to the door and refit the bowden cable to the silver door handle and the small plug that connects the door lock button.

Hook the top of the door card back onto the metal seem at the top of the door, take your time as this is tricky and make sure you have got the door lock button in place and the 3 cables for the doors switches in place. I started at the back moving forward and when it was lined up I tapped it back down gently into place.

Next make sure all the 6 large plastic clips are lined up with their respective holes then gently bang them into place to lock the door card back onto the door. Fit the large 2 Philips door handle screws ,I used a magnetic screwdriver, being careful not to drop them in the door. Next fit the 4 Torx screws in the door pocket and at the bottom of the door card.

Finish by fitting the two plastic trims the side one first then the top one after you have refitted the 3 small cable plugs. Its worth checking that all the switches operate before fitting this back in place. :D

Hope this helps if like me you are faced with removing the front door card. :thumb

John
 
anybody taken the sliding door card off? undone the four screws at the bottom of door are there clips on it like the front one?
 
Nice work, will this give me access to stop the glass rattling in the door?
 
edwatters said:
Nice work, will this give me access to stop the glass rattling in the door?
Are you sure it's the glass rattling?

It's normally the wind out awning that rattles. You only notice it when the window is open!

It really does sound like the window is rattling though!
 
Definitely the window as it stops when you put pressure on it. The friendly folk at my local dealer will be fixing it along with a few minor warranty issues highlighted on our service! :thumb
 
:thanks

Thanks very helpful! I need to get into the door to find out why it keeps filling up the footwell with water...

:cry:
 
Replacement door card clips are available on ebay for a few pence each.
 
Just to add to the excellent guide the only bit I struggled with was lining up the locking button when putting the card back onto the door. Easy solution was to slide a bit of rubber tube over the button and feed it through the hole before trying to put the card on. It just autmatically lines the button up with the hole as the card is pushed back down onto the door frame.

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