i have a 1994 RX-7 and i am having problems with the drivers side door, i pull the handle but the door doesnt open. i checked the handle out by taking the backing off and it all looks good so i need to get the interior door panel off so i can look to see if the cable has disconnected, but i dunno how to get it off withoutdamaging it ...any ideas?

thanks in advance.

 

Yeah it's pretty straight foward. First just unscrew the three screws around the outer side of the panel. Next, lift the tab in the door cup and there should be another screw under it, remove it. Then there are a couple of plastic clips at the bottom of the door panel, gently pry them loose, then lift the panel up about an inch, you have to clear the lip on the backside and the door lock, and it should be free. Disconnect the conectors on the backside of the panel, and it is off. At that point you should be looking at the inner door latch and your cables are right there.

 

Wait a minute I just read you post again are you asking how to remove the interior panel with the door closed? If you cant open it from the outside or the inside it's probably the door latch that is the problem. The cable connects from the interior handle to the door latch, then there is a rod that connects from the latch to the outer door handle. If that is the case let me know, I have an old latch laying around and I will take a look and see if there would be anyway to get it to open.

 

thanks that helps alot, it opens from the inside fine so i can do it wen i open the door from the inside. i wanna do it this weekedn because i look an idiot when i have to open it from the passengers door lol

 

I can relate, when I bought mine I was told the handle was broken, so I bought aluminum handles, still didn't fix it, so I bought new outer housings; come to find out the rod coming from the latch was broken and somebody attempted to weld it. But for 3 weeks I was opening it from the passenger side. Good luck with the project.

Kevin

 

cheers okie, wat year is yours?

 

It's a 94, did the post help you get it apart.

 

im guna do it this weekend mate letjust hope the weathers good haha once thts done i can start looking into intercoolers and clutchs

 

ok just an update. i took the door panel off (okie your guide helped loads thanks) and took the outer door handle cover off and found out whats up, turns out that the handle itself is broken so now i have to find a new drivers side door handle and fit that in. thanks for all your help i may need some more in the future lol

 

Glad to help, was the inner or outer handle broken? If it was the outer you might consider aluminum ones, RX7handles.com has a really good set.

 

Oh and if you need help installing the new door handle let me know it is realy easy to do also.

 

cheers il have a look on rx7 handles and see what they got cheers mate

 

Sorry I wrote the address wrong, it is rx7doorhandles.com

 

lol ceers mate, have you seen the carbon fibre covers for the door handles?

 

My understanding is you have to glue the carbon fiber cover on the stock handle, not to big on that. I am loving the aluminum handles, if these ever break I will be surprised.