How do you remove the right door trim on a 2001 regal?

Answer 1

I am working here from memory but first you need to remove a plug at bottom of the indent in the armrest then remove the screw under the plug. I removed my 2001 regal panel with a flat nail puller. I started at the rear bottom and pried the corner with a screwdriver blade until I could see the first plastic pop rivet (this may not be the official name). I then pried with the flat bar just like removing a nail but with far less force required. Do this slowly to prevent damage to the door, panel, and plastic rivets. Then you can pull the panel back and find the remaining pop rivets, I recall about 6 pop rivets and, if you're careful, you won't need to get new rivets. You should then be able to get at the wiring harness for your power windows and door locks and disconnect them by prying slightly with a small flat screwdriver on the retainer clamp. Finally lift the panel off over the door lock pop-up (there may have been some spring clips here so be careful). Then you can remove the plastic guard adhesived to the door (I was able to re-use the original plastic over the original adhesive). Reverse the order to re-install and I just used my fist to bang the panel back in place after carefully aligning the plastic pop-rivets. I replaced two window regulators (front and rear for about $80 parts each verses the first one that cost me $350 via a body shop). A rather bad design since the window will fall down (trust me it will happen especially in the South) once the plastic clips decay (really GM plastic when you probably could use metal for another $1 per window?). Again I may have missed a few steps but if you are even still considering it now you should be O.K. I think I popped the control panel out of but I do not believe it was necessary. The entire operation took me about an hour first time.