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DIY: Removing Door/Side Moldings (96-00 Civic Coupe)

Tools needed:

Phillips Screwdriver

Body Clip removal tool or flat top screw driver (optional)

needle nose pliers

Various wrenches/sockets (for rear seat removal)

I will start with basic info and add more if needed.

1. remove screw in door handle

2. lift and pull back

3. unplug window switch

4. remove screw behind door opening handle

5. pull out and turn to get bezel off of handle

6. remove speaker screws (3) and unplug speaker terminal

7. remove 3 screws around speaker hole

8. pull door panel away from door enough to get body clip tool in to access body clips (may also just pull on door panel near all clips)

9. when all clips are unattached lift up/out and pull back on door panel to remove it completely from door

10. pull back door plastic enough to access spaces in door.

11. unbolt last clip with wrench (no pic - access in door jamb).. this one my be easy to break if rusted (you cannot order these so if you break them you may need to make something to suit - I had to do this.. pic may come later)

12. remove molding clips by using needle nose plyers (squeeze top and bottom of clips and push out)... start from the back and lightly pull molding away from door as clips are unclipped

13. last clip is not accessible so push molding forward to release it from molding (may need to tap on end to loosen clip)... then remove clip from door by turning it 90 degrees... slide it back on the molding

Next remove clips from moldings on fender... maybe hard to reach... the longer the plyers or smaller the hands the better:

14. using needle nose plyers reach in door jamb between fender and car and remove one clip and pull out on molding (pic from driver side)

15. (see step 13)

Removing moldings on rear quarter panel:

16. Remove rear seats (sorry I don't have any instructions on this)

17. remove clips after seats are removed... 2 near back of seat one near bottom of seat (circle near middle of pic)

18. pull body panel from around door jamb ... *may nip fingers*

19. pop out body clip near floor using clip tool (if needed)

20. pop all clips on panel using tool (or just pull on panel near clips, optional.... i don't need to tell you this anymore)

21. lift and pull to remove panel from near window.

22. remove clips from molding... starting from the back

23. (see step 13)

24. final pic with molding removed and all clip holes circled to see how many clips are in each molding:

Front part: 2 - all clips similar (front one can be slid off)

Door Part: 8 - one rear clip (unbolt), six middle clips similar, front clip (slide off)

Rear Part: 3 - two rear clips similar, front clip (slide off)

Repeat this for the opposite side of the Car

Interior of car can be put back together... moldings clip into the holes (no access to the inside needed)