Can't get the panel to line up..???

[chivas]

Hey folks! Just did my passenger side door handle fix and everything went fine and dandy (took 30 minutes after doing 4 hours of constant research and videos) but when it came to putting the door panel back on, the front side (by the side view mirror) just won't clip in. I smacked it, pushed it, squeezed it but it just won't go in. what am I doing wrong? any secret sauce on how to get it back inline? Figure the easiest thing is the most difficult for me.

Thanks!

[andrewwynn]

Unlike most cars I've worked on the panel doesn't "hook on" it pushes straight sideways. If it's not going in there is an obstructuon such as a bent retaining clip or a screw that was put back in the hole after removal also possible: routing of the door handle cable through the vapor barrier.

Look for a wire bundle that is rivited to the door frame, sometimes those get twisted and will be in the wrong place


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Crowz]

Like mentioned its probably something keeping it pushed out but also like mentioned the clips could easily be the problems. They don't survive r&r very well.

I buy spare clips for all my bmw's panels and such. The things break all the time when I do an r&r of a door panel and such. They are super cheap so to me its the best solution to just have a few bags of them since the same ones work across multiple cars I have.

[chivas]

It is the top metal clips by the mirror that doesn't want to go in. Everything else fits just fine all the way back to lock pin. Very confusing.

[andrewwynn]

Sounds like one is bent. They go straight sideways not down remove the clip and try. when you get it on with a clip missing you'll know which is bent


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[upallnight]

Originally Posted by chivas

It is the top metal clips by the mirror that doesn't want to go in. Everything else fits just fine all the way back to lock pin. Very confusing.

The metal clips at the top of the panels goes down onto the door to clip in. Once you get the metal clip onto the door, you can go around the door panel and push the plastic clips into the door holes.