How to: R230 SL - Change door trims
This procedure is useful if you want to remove your door trim to get it hydro-dipped for a carbon fibre finish or piano black or any other hydro dipped finish. When I did this I had bought some secondhand trims and had them hydro-dipped so I simply replaced my old ones with the new ones, but you could equally just remove your existing, send them for dipping and then put them back on when you receive them back.
Anyway here is the procedure for removing the door card and then removing the trim along with the re-install.
Removing door card
Firstly note the position height wise of the door lock buttons on the top of the door cards when the car is locked. On several SLs I have seen these are recessed or too high and differ from one door to the other which looks a bit crap for such a prestige car. Later while the cards are off you can wind these up and down to adjust their height. It's worth making sure they are at least the same on both sides so the look is universal and if you are really cunning you can raise or lower them to get them perfectly flush with the door card (which I think is how they should be).
1) Open door and wind window down. Turn off ignition and remove keys from ignition.
2) Grip triangular mirror cover at top and pull gently towards you until you feel the top clip release. Then lift it up and remove it. The two pictures below show it being removed and then after it is removed. You will notice mine as a white clip attached to it. This may not happen to yours as that should remain in the door, but if it does no worries we will deal with it later.
3) Turn the SRS 'badge' through 90 degrees and remove it. Then remove the screw behind it (it's a Torx head). Don't worry if the screw drops down as you can retrieve it once the door card is off.
4) Remove the aluminium door jam trim. There are six screws including a pesky one at the bottom
5) Now slide a trim removal tool into the gap at the bottom corner of the door trim as shown and gently lever until you hear the first clips 'pop' off. If you don't have a trim removal tool use a plastic spatula, but not a metal screwdriver as that will scratch the door down to bare metal. Once a few of the clips have 'popped' get your fingers in and gently pry the card free from the clips. There are clips along the bottom and a couple up each side. Work firmly, but not aggressively from the bottom upwards.
6) Once they are all free you need to firmly lift the door card up and it will release. Lift it over the door lock button on the end of the top of the card near the door jam, BUT DON'T PULL IT AWAY FROM THE DOOR YET!
7) Now you need to disconnect the wiring from the plug connectors in the door. It helps to have two people here. One to hold the door card and one to do the disconnecting. I didn't hence why I have no pictures of this bit. Do not worry about which connector goes where as they are all unique and cannot go back in the wrong place.
8) Then disconnect the door release cable from the door handle. The cable runs through a guide which is braced against the cable sleeve. Grip the sleeve and pull it towards the hinge of the door and them you can release the cable form the guide. Once released you swivel it through 90 degrees and unhook it from the door handle on the door card.
9) Voila.... your door card is free. Remember to retrieve the screw that was behind the SRS cover if it fell down earlier.
Removing the trim from the door card
1) Place the door card face down on an old towel so as not to scratch it. The trim is secured by seven clips as indicated on these two pictures.
2) Remove the clips by gripping them with some needle nosed pliers and rotating them while tugging them gently upwards... more or less 'unscrewing' them. Once all seven are off the trim can be pushed off the door card by applying gentle pressure to the pins.
If you are sending your trims away be sure to remve the plastic spacers from the back located on the pins. They are the yellowy washers in the picture here.
Reinstalling trim in door card.
1) Reinstall is effectively a reversal of the removal. Be sure to replace the spacers on the trim first.
2) Place the trim back on door card and push the clips back over the posts. You can tighten the clips up a bit by gently squeezing them flat again with some needle nosed pliers, but don't overdo it as otherwise you won't get them back on.
3) Once the trim is tightly in place the door card is ready for reinstallation.
Reinstalling the door card
Firstly remember the door lock buttons I mentioned earlier... well now is the time to adjust them if they need it!
Now here is where you could really use two people. I did this bit on my own and it was fiddly.
1) Reconnect the door release cable to the door card handle by hooking it over the connector and turning it making sure it locates properly. Then pull the sleeve back towards the hinge, slide the cable through the guide and let the sleev slide back in to the guide.
2) Reconnect all the wring connectors to the door.
3) Now this is the tricky bit. You will see three plastic locators on the back of the door card and you will also see the three receiving openings for these. If you study them you can see the card needs to locate in them and then slide down and in towards the door for the it to re-seat. At the same time you need to make sure the door locking button is locating in the door card opening on the top of the card near the door jam edge and that the top of the card locator channel seats over the top lip of the door next to the window.
It is fiddly, but can be done by one person. With two it would be a lot easier. You will know when it all locates as it is very positive when it does... there is no half way house if you see what I mean.... it's on or not.
4) Once the card is re-located you can pop the clips back in by gently, but firmly pressing on the card and then re-fix the door jam trim and the the screw from behind the SRS cover. Reattach the SRS cover.
5) Finally re-attach the mirror trim, but if you ended up with your clip stuck to it like I did you need to separate this from the cover and pop it back in it's slot on the door first. Then slide the cover down and in .. you will feel it locate.
Job done!
This procedure is useful if you want to remove your door trim to get it hydro-dipped for a carbon fibre finish or piano black or any other hydro dipped finish. When I did this I had bought some secondhand trims and had them hydro-dipped so I simply replaced my old ones with the new ones, but you could equally just remove your existing, send them for dipping and then put them back on when you receive them back.
Anyway here is the procedure for removing the door card and then removing the trim along with the re-install.
Removing door card
Firstly note the position height wise of the door lock buttons on the top of the door cards when the car is locked. On several SLs I have seen these are recessed or too high and differ from one door to the other which looks a bit crap for such a prestige car. Later while the cards are off you can wind these up and down to adjust their height. It's worth making sure they are at least the same on both sides so the look is universal and if you are really cunning you can raise or lower them to get them perfectly flush with the door card (which I think is how they should be).
1) Open door and wind window down. Turn off ignition and remove keys from ignition.
2) Grip triangular mirror cover at top and pull gently towards you until you feel the top clip release. Then lift it up and remove it. The two pictures below show it being removed and then after it is removed. You will notice mine as a white clip attached to it. This may not happen to yours as that should remain in the door, but if it does no worries we will deal with it later.
3) Turn the SRS 'badge' through 90 degrees and remove it. Then remove the screw behind it (it's a Torx head). Don't worry if the screw drops down as you can retrieve it once the door card is off.
4) Remove the aluminium door jam trim. There are six screws including a pesky one at the bottom
5) Now slide a trim removal tool into the gap at the bottom corner of the door trim as shown and gently lever until you hear the first clips 'pop' off. If you don't have a trim removal tool use a plastic spatula, but not a metal screwdriver as that will scratch the door down to bare metal. Once a few of the clips have 'popped' get your fingers in and gently pry the card free from the clips. There are clips along the bottom and a couple up each side. Work firmly, but not aggressively from the bottom upwards.
6) Once they are all free you need to firmly lift the door card up and it will release. Lift it over the door lock button on the end of the top of the card near the door jam, BUT DON'T PULL IT AWAY FROM THE DOOR YET!
7) Now you need to disconnect the wiring from the plug connectors in the door. It helps to have two people here. One to hold the door card and one to do the disconnecting. I didn't hence why I have no pictures of this bit. Do not worry about which connector goes where as they are all unique and cannot go back in the wrong place.
8) Then disconnect the door release cable from the door handle. The cable runs through a guide which is braced against the cable sleeve. Grip the sleeve and pull it towards the hinge of the door and them you can release the cable form the guide. Once released you swivel it through 90 degrees and unhook it from the door handle on the door card.
9) Voila.... your door card is free. Remember to retrieve the screw that was behind the SRS cover if it fell down earlier.
Removing the trim from the door card
1) Place the door card face down on an old towel so as not to scratch it. The trim is secured by seven clips as indicated on these two pictures.
2) Remove the clips by gripping them with some needle nosed pliers and rotating them while tugging them gently upwards... more or less 'unscrewing' them. Once all seven are off the trim can be pushed off the door card by applying gentle pressure to the pins.
If you are sending your trims away be sure to remve the plastic spacers from the back located on the pins. They are the yellowy washers in the picture here.
Reinstalling trim in door card.
1) Reinstall is effectively a reversal of the removal. Be sure to replace the spacers on the trim first.
2) Place the trim back on door card and push the clips back over the posts. You can tighten the clips up a bit by gently squeezing them flat again with some needle nosed pliers, but don't overdo it as otherwise you won't get them back on.
3) Once the trim is tightly in place the door card is ready for reinstallation.
Reinstalling the door card
Firstly remember the door lock buttons I mentioned earlier... well now is the time to adjust them if they need it!
Now here is where you could really use two people. I did this bit on my own and it was fiddly.
1) Reconnect the door release cable to the door card handle by hooking it over the connector and turning it making sure it locates properly. Then pull the sleeve back towards the hinge, slide the cable through the guide and let the sleev slide back in to the guide.
2) Reconnect all the wring connectors to the door.
3) Now this is the tricky bit. You will see three plastic locators on the back of the door card and you will also see the three receiving openings for these. If you study them you can see the card needs to locate in them and then slide down and in towards the door for the it to re-seat. At the same time you need to make sure the door locking button is locating in the door card opening on the top of the card near the door jam edge and that the top of the card locator channel seats over the top lip of the door next to the window.
It is fiddly, but can be done by one person. With two it would be a lot easier. You will know when it all locates as it is very positive when it does... there is no half way house if you see what I mean.... it's on or not.
4) Once the card is re-located you can pop the clips back in by gently, but firmly pressing on the card and then re-fix the door jam trim and the the screw from behind the SRS cover. Reattach the SRS cover.
5) Finally re-attach the mirror trim, but if you ended up with your clip stuck to it like I did you need to separate this from the cover and pop it back in it's slot on the door first. Then slide the cover down and in .. you will feel it locate.
Job done!
