well i recently got ahold of 2 hatchbacks, yes 2 hatchbacks, lol. Anyways here we go. Long story short I removed the passenger side door panel and to my dismay the trim that runs along the very top of the panel that basically almost touches the glass has completely come off and i see where it hooks to the door panel it is cracking and breaking by me literally just handling the panel with my hands...

Is this a "known" problem with 96 00 civics?

i had a 96 coupe awhile back and i do not recall this being a problem...

the car i am talking about is the 96 silver dx hatch with crank windows. The 97 hatch may have the same problem but now i am scared to even touch ANY of the door panels now.

 

Almost 20 year old car, stuff happens.

 

That was probably the side the faced the sun all the time

 

car is originally from jekyll island...who knows.

all i know is that used old POS panels are over 300 a pair on ebay

 

Mine is like that right now. Embarrassing.

 

yeah the plastic is pretty flimsy. i've put in so many dents and caused many imperfections to the door panel from how difficult it is to put it back on.. damn cheap honda interiors.

 

Screw getting that stuff of ebay. It's too big and you'll wind up paying too much for shipping. Go to your local junkyard and pull one. Probably 20-30 bucks...

 

^^yup. Junkyard on this one

 

this.

 

My 98 was the same way, nothing to do with age, lots of older honda stuff is in much better shape, they went cheap basically

 

yeah i mean i have had tons of hondas from 91-06 and the only hondas i have ever had issues with door panels are the 96 00

 

^ 96 00 civic only i mean

 

I've never had the problem. /garage car lol

 

My driver side is like that.

The clips holding it on are small and flimsy.. You should be able to replace just that part though.

 

well, see the blue 97 dx hatch back needs both window regulators and now im afraid to remove its door panels in fear the damn things are gonna break on it too....

And before anyone says anything, i have removed honda door panels ALOT in my day and have no issues or problems in doing so. I am not doing this dumb style and just ripping them off..i am very careful and cautious when doing interior stuff.

 

Yeah it doesn't take a rocket scientist to take off some door panels...

 

it does however seem like rocket science to remove 96 00 civic panels without the backing cracking and falling apart...

I think the silver one spent some time in the sun.