How do you remove the drivers door panel on a 1996 Ford Crown Victoria?

Answer 1

This is not an easy job. TAke the door handle and window crank off then all the screws you can find. Then the retainers on the sides and bottom of the panel, When all is loose, pull out on the bottom and push in on the top of the panel and raise up on the panel to diaengage it from the door.

The above answer is OK for older models, but later models (not sure the year - at LEAST '95 and up) use an arrangement of 90 degree plastic hooks to hold the panel on. First, use a small flat-blade screwdriver to pry the cup from behind the door handle. You will have to hold the handle in the "opening" position to remove the cup completely. Then carefully pry up the window/rearview mirror/doorlock switch panel (one clip at the front (narrow) end, one clip at the back (wide flat) end. Then wiggle and lift the outside edge of the panel up and away from the door to disengage the tabs at the back. There is some slack in the wire harness - get as much of this slack outside as you can. Locate and remove the phillips-head screw behind this panel. There are two other phillips-head screws retaining the panel: one is at the lower front corner of the door pocket, the other is at the lower rear corner of the panel. Remove these two screws. The panel should then slide upward, releasing the plastic hooks (7 or 8 of them)holding the panel flush against the metal doorskin. DO NOT PULL THE PANEL OUTWARD UNTIL ALL THESE HOOKS HAVE BEEN DISENGAGED! It takes about 1/2" of upward travel to release the hooks. Once you feel the panel loosen from the hooks, it will be almost free at the top. Gentle wiggling upward will free it from the door. Then feed the switch panel (with wires attached) through the hole it left in the panel (must be fed lengthwise) carefully avoiding stressing any wires. That's it! When replacing the panel, feed the switch panel through first, then make sure to locate the lock knob in its hole. Then do everything else in reverse order. IMPORTANT NOTE: the plastic hooks are meant to be gently pushed into their respective slots first, THEN slid downwards to seat them properly. The door panel will be tight and flush against the metal if all the hooks are properly positioned.

The plastic door panels are fragile enough without being broken up even more because the hooks were not paid attention to.