180 Section 2 Nonstructural Repairs Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. plastic covers or caps. There is a fastener for the door latch handle and multiple fasteners for the door armrest. The covers or caps, which mar or break easily, are snapped in place. Look for slots on the cover or cap. Insert a small screwdriver blade or plastic stick into the slot for removal. After removing any caps or covers, remove the bolts or screws. See Figure 9-9. Locate the clips along the edge of the door. Pop out these clips with a plastic stick. Some door trim panels are pulled up while others are pulled out. With the trim panel loose, discon- nect any electrical connections and the door latch handle rod or cable. Remove the trim panel. The door may have a carrier panel, which is an assembly that contains the window regulator, power window motor, and door latch as an assembly. See Figure 9-10. To remove the carrier panel, unbolt the door latch from the door frame. Reat- tach the power window switch to operate the power window. Position the window glass up or down so the window glass attachments are accessible. Release the attachments and remove the window glass. Remove the carrier panel fasteners and the latch rod or cable. Pull the assembly from the door. If the door does not have a carrier panel, remove the water seal. With the window up, the backside of the dent may be accessible through the loading holes in the door. If not, remove components as necessary, such as the window glass or regulator. One or two visible screws or bolts inside the trunk, rear hatch, or tailgate, and tapered studs fit into plastic holes may fasten the taillight. After the screws or bolts are removed, attach three or four strips of 2″ masking tape to the taillight to make a handle. A quick pull on the masking tape handle will release the taillight. See Figure 9-11. To prevent damage, do not pry on the plastic taillight to release the studs. For access to the rear portion of the quarter panel, you must remove the trunk lining. Look at the arrange- ment of the lining to determine what needs to be removed first. Often the trim panels are overlapped. To disassemble, remove the outermost trim panel first. Then remove those that are underneath. In some cases, the headliner must be removed to access damage. The headliner is held in place by attachments on the roof and by the roof trim. To remove the headliner, remove the roof trim first. The roof trim consists of plastic panels that cover the A, B, and C pillars and outline the door openings. The trim may be held in place by screws, clips, Velcro, or a combination of these items. Begin by locating any screws holding the trim in place. In some cases, covers are placed over the screw heads to help conceal them. Goodheart-Willcox Publisher Figure 9-10. The carrier panel holds the window regulator, power window motor, and door latch. Goodheart-Willcox Publisher Figure 9-9. The rear portion of the trim was carefully lifted and pulled to the rear of the car to clear the front tab on the trim. The bolts are visible and accessible. Goodheart-Willcox Publisher Figure 9-8. The backside of the fender damage can be accessed with the headlight removed.