Prior to starting this job, I searched the MCF archives to get some help. And although there were a few people looking for the same basic info there were not a lot of answers. So I took what I could find together with my Haynes manual and went to work.

The problem I was trying to solve was an intermittent issue with the driver-side window switch for the passenger window of our ’02 MC (my wife’s daily driver). I bought a new switch assembly (BWD from O’Reilly Auto) to swap out with the original unit. The switch assembly contains both driver & passenger window switches in one box.

I’m accustomed to doing this kind of work on older cars - cars where you can usually pry-up a piece of molding (carefully) to release the switch assembly and pull it out from above. My Haynes manual was obviously showing / discussing an older model MC and was no help; it showed removing a small piece of molding and pulling the switch out. The help I found on the MCF was a little unclear as to whether I needed to pull the whole door panel off or not. So I tried the easy approach first and carefully started prying up the edges of the molding on the top of the door handle and peering underneath with a flashlight. After many attempts but no luck figuring out why it wouldn’t release, I finally gave that up and started taking off the entire door panel.

Before removing the door panel, I had to remove four screws: two big torx-head screws (T-30 I think) on the inside of the door handle angled downward; one small screw on the very bottom of the door handle; and another small screw on the top right edge of the door panel. (I’m sorry I didn’t take pic’s. I never think about doing that until it’s all over… )

Then it was the process of carefully prying out the bottom and sides of the door panel. Bottom and edges are held in place by the usual plastic tabs. Once those were free, I was able to bump / lift the door panel off the top-edge hangers. Then I carefully rested the entire door panel (really just on one corner) on the ground taking care not to put stress on the various electrical connections.

With the door panel off I could see why the molding on the top of the door handle wouldn’t come free: there is a metal plate mounted to the backside of the door panel held in place by two screws. Not sure the purpose of that piece of metal. I think some engineer with time on his / her hands over-engineered that part of the door assembly.

With the door panel off, I could now release the electrical connections to the window switch assembly and pull out the offending switch. Installing the new window switch assembly was a snap. I applied a little dielectric grease to the electrical blades prior to re-assembly to maintain good electrical conductivity over the years even if moisture finds it's way inside. Re-assembly of the door panel went smooth: place the top edge door panel hangers into the appropriate slots in the door, gently nudge down until the top edge of the door panel is back in place, then push in all the plastic tabs along sides & bottom edge.

The window and The Wife are both happy again.

Hopefully someone trying to replace one of the switches in the door handle will have an easier time after reading this. Cheers and happy motoring.