Replace Tweeter In Passenger Door ('04 Es330)

[glr]

Another newb here...looks like the part is readily available on Ebay and the like. I sure would appreciate anyone insight regarding how to do the replacement. Presumably I will need to remove the door panel but am unsure how to do that on the 330. Any help out there?

[gbhrps]

glr,

I'll take a stab at it. We no longer have my wife's old 2004 ES330, as she has acquired a 2011 ES350, but I have had the door panels off her old car at one time.

All cars are pretty much alike, with some differences ( I've been wrenching on cars for years and may have done several hundred door panel removals), so if I don't describe what you find, look carefully for something similar.

In behind the door handle, either the entire plastic plate or a small circle or square plastic plug, pries up to reveal a screw to remove (tape the blade of a screw driver to prevent scratching the panels). Then entire door handle surround may be removed, or may not. See if it can be slid off.

Then pry up the ends of the surround that the window switches are in, and pop it up. Pull the entire switch unit out and unplug each of the two or three wiring connectors, by pushing in on their connector buttons and prying the connectors loose.

In that opening where the switches were, should be another screw or bolt to remove. Maybe not. Search the outer area of the door panel down each side and along the bottom for any other screws to remove (there may not be any). Then in the pocket where you grab the door to close it, may be another plastic plug hiding a screw to remove. Or maybe, the bottom plate in that opening pries up to reveal the screw.

Try to pry out the lens of the courtesy light (carefully as I'm not certain) to see if there is a hidden screw underneath. There most likely isn't, but I've seen them in that location.

Then slide the flat bladed screw driver between the door panel and the steel door on the bottom, and slide it along the seam until you feel a fastener. Then pry the panel away from the door until the hidden plastic plug pops loose. You should now be able to fit your hand between the panel and the steel door at that area. Slide your hand along the entire bottom of the panel and up each side, prying and popping loose all of the hidden plugs. There should be about 10 all totalled.

When the entire panel is loose down both sides and along the bottom, simply slide the panel straight up until it frees itself from the top of the steel door. Reach in behind and unplug any wiring harness connectors to the door courtesy lights, the seat memory switches, and perhaps the tweeter as well. (it may be mounted in the door panel, or attached to the steel door (I can't recall). Pull the window switch harnesses out of the panel, and set the door panel aside.

Swap out the tweeter.

Upon reinstallation, be sure to hook up all of the wiring harnesses (don't worry about getting the correct placement of them, as each one is designed to only fit in its correct location). Pull the window switch harnesses back through the panel and out the switch opening, but don't connect the window switches yet.

Then place the door panel against the glass and push it down until properly seated. It may take two or three attempts to get it properly placed, but this is critical. Check the side of the panel to see if the hidden plugs will line up with their holes in the steel door.

Only then can you go around the door panel and pop the hidden plugs back into place with the palm of your hand. Then its a matter of replacing the screws and hide plates, connecting the window switches and pushing it back into the arm rest. Good Luck!