How To Replace The Door Panel On Your Toyota Truck

Posted on: 9 December 2016

If the inner door panel of your Toyota truck has become stained or damaged, you might want to replace it--and it can make a huge difference to how clean and comfortable your truck feels when you do!

The method for making the switch is common between most contemporary Toyota truck models--and by buying your parts from a reliable source and making the change yourself, you could save a great deal of money. Read on to learn how to get the job done quickly and easily.

Step One: Gather Your Tools

You don't need anything strange or hard to find to do this! You probably already have all the tools you need in your home toolbox:

  • Two flat-bladed screwdrivers, one standard size and one small

  • One cross-headed screwdriver

  • A strong putty knife

  • A new door panel from your local truck parts dealer

Step Two: Disconnect The Battery

Open up the hood of your car, and find the battery--it will be located on the driver's side of the engine. Carefully disconnect the negative cable by loosening it with a screwdriver, gently pulling it off the terminal and tucking it down to the side. This is a basic safety measure; you'll be dealing with some of the electrical components of your truck, so it's important that there's no power to them when you do.

Step Three: Unscrew The Old Door Panel

Open the door up, and gently prise off the panel covering the hinges--it will be somewhere near the hinge side of the door, and on most models it's to the bottom right hand corner of the window. Using the large flat-head screwdriver you can then prise the switch panel up out of the door and unplug it from its wiring.

There's a little trap-door inside the door handle that conceals a small screw. Use the smaller screwdriver to open this door and release the screw inside.

There are a few more screws to find and release before you can move on to the next step! Across the inner panel of the door you'll see several small panels that blend in with the door itself. You'll need to prise these open, too. They'll be evenly distributed across the inner surface of the door: one in the door handle, one underneath the armrest, one by the edge and sometimes a couple more depending on your model. Open them up and unscrew the screws inside.

Step Four: Remove The Panel Entirely

Prise the whole door handle up and out of the door, and push the pins along the far door edge right in. Using your putty knife, start at the bottom left side and gradually ease the whole front panel of the door right off. There will be a few clips to disengage as you go! If it seems to be sticking anywhere, check carefully to ensure that you didn't miss a screw in the last step. You should now be looking at the exposed interior of your car door.

Step Five: Install The New Panel

Now for the easy part! Your new door panel should fit snugly over the exposed door, and you can engage the clips by knocking them into place one by one around the edge. When you've done that, work methodically through all the places you unscrewed on the old one, ensuring your new screws are tight and secure. Replace all the covers well, and take some care as you connect the new switch panel.

All there is left to do is to reconnect your battery cable and you're done!

Share