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Removing Door Panels

Messages
19
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0
State
DE
Country
United States
What I Drive
2017 Audi S3
#1
Anyone have any pics or suggestions on how to remove the rear door panels on 2017 S3 sedan? I saw a post for the fronts, but not the rears and want to make sure I get all the screws before trying to pull on the panel.

In case you are wondering why I am doing a custom trim upgrade and want to pull the aluminum pieces off.
 
Messages
211
Reactions
1
State
TX
Country
United States
What I Drive
2015 S3
#2
I found some photos on eBay that may help you locate the screws.




Also here are some video for the fronts.
[video=youtube;a9KD7wHpJrc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9KD7wHpJrc[/video]
 
OP
H
Messages
19
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0
State
DE
Country
United States
What I Drive
2017 Audi S3
Thread Starter #3
I found some photos on eBay that may help you locate the screws.




Also here are some video for the fronts.
[video=youtube;a9KD7wHpJrc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9KD7wHpJrc[/video]
Thanks man! Still a little hard to line it all up but will take pics out to the car with me and hopefully that will assist in tracking down the locations. Appreciate your help!!!
 
Messages
211
Reactions
1
State
TX
Country
United States
What I Drive
2015 S3
#4
Are you swapping out the speakers?
 
OP
H
Messages
19
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0
State
DE
Country
United States
What I Drive
2017 Audi S3
Thread Starter #5
OP
H
Messages
19
Reactions
0
State
DE
Country
United States
What I Drive
2017 Audi S3
Thread Starter #7
Looks like the trim on the door just pops out?
The dash yes, the doors no. There are definitely screws holding them on. I will mess with it this weekend and probably take a few pics and do a quick write up to assist anyone else with this as I cant find anything clear cut on the net or forums. I find little piece of info here and there but not an easy to follow all in one spot.
 
OP
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Messages
19
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0
State
DE
Country
United States
What I Drive
2017 Audi S3
Thread Starter #8
OK so going to answer my own questions. Here goes:

Get this trim kit:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HNMLQAG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Get this radio removal kit for the multiswitch unit in the dash:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002BETIG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You will need T25 for the 3 screws on the door
You will need T20 to remove the 2 screws on each piece of trim on all four doors.

For the dash insert the radio removal keys into the two slots on the multiswitch unit. Push until it clicks. Then pull both tools out evenly and the unit slides right out.


Here is a video as a reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=775wCQk0R08

Get a long thin screwdriver wrap in painters tape and stick behind all three dash pieces and they will pop off.

On to the doors which will take the most time.

Front and rear doors are the same so just follow this for all 4 doors:

Take the small trim tool and put it in the top corner of the plastic speaker cover and pop it off.


Remove the 3 T25 screws holding the door in place, two behind the speaker grill, one below the grab bar:


Take the bulkier trim removal tool and put it in the far outside corner of the door panel. Pry it lightly until you get fully behind the panel, then use a little muscle and get your fingers in there, you will hear a loud pop. Once you get that rivet out, slide the tool along the bottom of the door until you find the next one and do the same thing. Do this until you can get both hands behind the panel and then pull. When you get to the top you have to lift the door panel up (I rolled down the windows making this easier).


video reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMtiELkt_s0

HAVE ALL YOUR TOOLS CLOSE BY once you get the door panel off you will find that the wires to the speakers are short and the door cable for the handle is tight. I ended up disconnecting them but if you had a friend you wouldn't need to do this. Sorry for the crummy pic here as it was just me trying not to drop the damn door. There is a wire and blue clip that you can pop off to easily remove the door handle wire connection:


You can see the green speaker wire in the pic and you can remove that if needed if you dont have enough slack to get the two T20 screws holding the door trim on.

In the picture below I have boxed off the locations of the two screws. The arrow points to an open space that you can stick your screw driver in and push on the back of the trim to help pop it off the door panel. Makes it alot easier then trying to use the trim tools to pry the trim off the panel. From the back just sick a screwdriver in that hole, push and it will push the trim right off and it will fall into your hand... dont push too hard or it will fly off!



Hope this helps someone else out, was a bit of a pain tracking it all down... in hindsight I should of just went out to the car and did it, spent more time researching then it was worth as it wasnt too hard... though the radio remove keys are money for helping get the dash pieces off much much easier!

Will post pics of my new trim in a few weeks once I get it back from the fabricator!
 
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276
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10
State
AZ
Country
United States
#9
Great writeup.
 

Teirisius

New member
Messages
1
Reactions
0
City
Ellicott City
State
MD
Country
United States
What I Drive
2015 S3
#10
Thanks for the great write up. Did you have any trouble putting things back on (I have read a few stories about difficulty with the door handle cable)? Also - did you ever post your final build?
 
Messages
2
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City
National City
State
CA
Country
United States
What I Drive
2017 audi s3
#11
Anyone have any pics or suggestions on how to remove the rear door panels on 2017 S3 sedan? I saw a post for the fronts, but not the rears and want to make sure I get all the screws before trying to pull on the panel.

In case you are wondering why I am doing a custom trim upgrade and want to pull the aluminum pieces off.

there is a video that will kind of help you. i will be making a video on how to remove the panels on a 2017 audi s3. i am tinting one in 2 weeks and want to make a video for my channel.
but i came across this video. it will help you more or less
 
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2
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0
City
National City
State
CA
Country
United States
What I Drive
2017 audi s3
#12
it doesnt show any screws under the aluminum piece like the A3 models.
 

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