I just removed the driver’s side door panel on my '92 Continental and wanted to share some tips and techniques I learned during the disassembly.

Editor's Note: your experiences may vary slightly depending on your vehicle year.



First, the only tools you’ll need are a Philips screwdriver, door panel tool (looks like an oversized bent fork with only two prongs), a putty knife and metric sockets.

The door panel is secured to the doorframe by seven screws and six “press-in” plastic fasteners. Like me, you may notice that only one screw is visible and easily accessed (the one at the top right corner closest to the window frame. The remaining screws are all hidden. Two are under the plastic end caps of the pull strap mounted on the panel, and four are behind the pouch bag (or what ever they call it). You’ll need to remove the pouch bag first to remove the door panel.

The pouch bag is held to the door panel by nine plastic clips that are part of the molded inner frame (they are not separate clips as with the door panel) and one screw. Five clips just fit into slots on the bottom edge, but four “snap” into square holes along the top. After removing the screw (located in the upper right corner of the bag), take a clean putty knife (or two) and start at the end closest to door hinges. You want to slide the putty knife between the door panel and the pouch bag and carefully “pop” out the four clips. As a guide, the clips are positioned approximately 3”, 7”, 15” and 23” from the screw you removed earlier. Don’t try to start at the left side (or lock side) first! One of the five clips is located in that position, and you’ll break it off if you try to remove that end first. It may take some pressure to “pop” the clips out, but once the first one goes, the rest are easy. Work carefully and slowly.

With the pouch bag removed, you can clearly see the door panel mounting screws located in the recessed mounting holes. Before you start taking screws out, remove the control panel for the windows, mirrors and door locks. This step will prevent you from struggling to disconnect everything once the door panel is loose. Just take you putty knife and carefully pry up the front edge of the panel assembly. There are two plastic pins that fit into metal retaining clips. Once the pins pull out of the clips, lift up and pull forward slightly to clear the rear clip. Now disconnect the wire harness from the switches. You’ll need a metric socket to remove the speed nut holding the connector to the window control switches.

You should also see a big gray connector. That connection is for the adjustable seat controls; disconnect it now.

Here’s a tip: Disconnected the courtesy light bulb socket from the panel now before you forget and break it when you pull off the door panel later. Take the red lens cover off the armrest, remove the bulb and use a flat blade screwdriver to carefully twist the socket out.

Use your door panel tool or putty knifes to carefully “pop” out the plastic retainer that hold the panel to the door. Don’t be surprised if the number of retainers is different on the front and rear panels or even between left and right sides. I guess the number of retainers depended on the kind of day the assembly worker was having! Typically there should be three to four positioned along the sides of the panel. Take your time, these retainers can be difficult to get out.

Now that everything is disconnected, the panel should easily lift off the door.