Door Panel Removal and Sound Deadening for Mazda6

[chuyler1]

This is primarily for newbies but some veterans may enjoy part 2 where I install sound deadening material inside the door. I didn't go all-out in the DIY fashion but I haven't installed my speakers yet...this was just a preliminary deadening and inspection install. I'm sure some of the steps apply to other cars so here you go! Oh, and these steps are for the rear door, with some addtional comments about front doors. I didn't have my camera out when I did the front doors.

Part 1: Door panel removal for basic speaker install

Tools required:
Wire cutters
Small flat blade screwdriver
Medium phillips screwdriver

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Step 1: Remove hinge panel

Use the flat blade screwdriver to pop the cap off the hidden phillips screw.

http://www.mazdas247.com/members/chuyler1/DoorRemoval/step01.jpg

Pull the hinge toward the front of the car and out.
Note, you will have to remove door lock wiring harness on front doors.

http://www.mazdas247.com/members/chuyler1/DoorRemoval/step02.jpg

Step 2: Remove the handle panel

Using the flat blade again, pop the handle cover off.
Note, driver's side door has a single screw under a rubber pad in the arm rest.
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Unscrew the two phillps screws that are now accessible.

http://www.mazdas247.com/members/chuyler1/DoorRemoval/step05.jpg

Note, front doors have one more screw hidden behind the door light on the bottom.

Step 3: Pop the door panel

They make a special tool for this but I've always used my fingers and a screwdriver to get started. Here is a quick way to start out on the Mazda6. Shove your flat blade in the location shown in the image and use it to pull the door panel toward you. One clip should pop and leave enough room to fit your fingers in. Wear gloves to avoid cutting yourself.

http://www.mazdas247.com/members/chuyler1/DoorRemoval/step06.jpg

Step 4: Disconnect wiring harness

The rear doors have a single wiring harness for the lock and window. Use your flat blade to push the clip in while you pull the harness out.
Note, front doors have additional harnesses.

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Here is a quick shot of behind the door panel.

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Step 5: Install your speaker

As you can see on the Mazdaspeed6, a 5.25" driver is stock with the Bose system. You can replace it with most 5.25" aftermarket drivers (remove blue screws), or you can install a typical 6x8/5x7" driver (remove red screws). A 6x9" driver will not fit.

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Step 6: Reinstall door panel

The steps are pretty much the reverse except you need to make sure all your clips are intact. Use your wire cutters to remove any clips that didn't come off the door and put them back on the door panel before replacing it. If you break some, check your local auto parts store for replacements. The panel will vibrate/rattle if you don't have all of them.

http://www.mazdas247.com/members/chuyler1/DoorRemoval/step23.jpg

Also, while you are looking at the back of the door panel, check out the plastic ring around the speaker grill opening. If this comes in contact with your new speakers it may damage them. Your best bet is to remove the ring with a utility knife and place a layer or two of closed-cell foam around your speaker before reinstalling the door panel. Don't worry about your warranty/lease...no dealer tech is going to pull the door panels off to see if you did this.

Part 2: Sound Deadening

Supplies:
1 roll of raammat (if applied sparingly) for all doors
2 yards of ensolite (ditto)

Additional Tools:
10mm deep socket wrench or regular socket with extension

Step 1: Remove Window

Find this access panel on the inner door skin and pop it off with your flat blade screw driver (boy that little guy comes in handy).

http://www.mazdas247.com/members/chuyler1/DoorRemoval/step10.jpg

If you followed my steps above, go back and re-attach the wiring harness for the door panel. Now lower the door until you see the bolt.

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Use the 10mm ratchet to loosen the bolt. Use your wire cutters or needle nose pliers to grab a hold of the bolt and pull it out without dropping it. (You are allowed to drop it this time, but this is just practice for when you reinstall it later...at which point dropping it will be a PITA! Note: The kid's game Operation comes to mind)

http://www.mazdas247.com/members/chuyler1/DoorRemoval/step12.jpg

Now you can push the window up with your hands and tape it into place.
Note, the front window has two bolts and can be removed completely with ease. Perhaps you should grab some window tint while you're at it.

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Step 2: Remove the door hinge assembly

Using your flat blade screwdriver, if it is small enough, pull the center clip out toward you and pull up on the knob. This will release the bottom of the hinge and it will fall out. Don't pull to hard...if you've got the clip pulled out properly it doesn't require much force. I repeate, pull the clip in the center OUT, don't push it IN.

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Disconnect the cables by just pulling them out toward you.

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Step 3: Remove the various bolts and stuff

Start with this do-dad. Remove the phillips screw, disconnect the harness, and push the box up a little to unclip the bottom. Remember that clip when you go to reinstall the panel later.

http://www.mazdas247.com/members/chuyler1/DoorRemoval/step14.jpg

This bolt has to come out too. It is connected to the window guide.

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Next, remove all the 10mm bolts around the perimeter of the panel. Don't touch the ones in the center except the one I pointed out above.

Finally, give the panel a pull and it should break loose. You'll have to move it up and down a little to get the window hardware out. And what a pretty sight it is!

http://www.mazdas247.com/members/chuyler1/DoorRemoval/step19.jpg

Note that I left the remaining wiring harness connected and just pushed the panel into the car to get it out of the way.

Step 4: Apply sound deadening

I added a layer of Raammat to the sections of large sheet metal. You don't have to go overboard, just enough to deaden the panel. Don't forget the bottom and inside edges but be sure not to block any holes that are used to re-attach the panel.

http://www.mazdas247.com/members/chuyler1/DoorRemoval/step20.jpg

On top of that, I added a layer of ensolite. Make sure the edges are secured well with spray glue. Again, a little goes a long way. Make sure to cover behind the speaker and get any large areas of sheet metal.

http://www.mazdas247.com/members/chuyler1/DoorRemoval/step21.jpg

Also add some deadener to the plastic panel (front and back) but again, stay away from the sides until you have it back in place. Wires like to vibrate so I make sure they are secure with small strips.

http://www.mazdas247.com/members/chuyler1/DoorRemoval/step22.jpg

And add some to the back of the door panel too! Around the speaker opening and across joining panels are most important. That's where rattles start.

http://www.mazdas247.com/members/chuyler1/MS6stereo/0616071654a.jpg

Well, I got you this far, I hope you can figure out how it all goes back together again. Time start-to-finish for one door is about 1.5 hours. If you are running speaker wire at the same time...expect 2-3 hours per door (god I hate those rubber boots and wiring plugs)

[shinjohn]

Nice job, Chris!
Makes me envious that your entire inner panel comes out like that in one piece. Nice writeup, and as usual, keep up the awesome work! Thanks for your contributions to the board!

[Mazda3SQ]

Chris,
I've got a Mazda3 which for all intensive purposes is identical to the 6 in terms of door panels. My question is why wouldn't you more or less wrap or cover the plastic door panel in it's entirety? Also was the single layer of raammat sufficient on both the outer door and inner panels?

[chuyler1]

The panel is very uneven and raammat is just added weight if it doesn't stick directly to the surface you are trying to deaden. So smaller pieces in key spots will keep weight down and provide maximum deadening per dollar and pound.

Believe it or not, Mazda did a good job with the 6 door assembly.

The panel has lots of padding to reduce noise and vibrations (the white stuff in the last photo, some was removed to apply deadener underneath).

There are no openings in the door skin to let air through, the only access hole is covered by a foam sticky sheet. On all doors I placed a large piece of raammat on both sides of this opening (far right on 2nd to last photo shows the foam w/o the raammat yet).

The plastic center panel has a rubbery gasket to seal it to the sheet metal and prevent vibrations.

There are small pieces of foam on wires and in corners to prevent rattles.

Really the only thing you MUST do is coat the outer door skin with raammat and ensolite since that is the only part of the door that resonates. The plastic is thick enough to hold its own with minimal deadener. After that, you'll just have to crank your music and seek out any additional rattles.

Is what I did sufficient? I really can't answer that. The doors close with a pronounced thud now. Road noise wasn't a problem to begin with and I couldn't tell you the before/after difference unless I had a db meter or something. The stock Bose system doesn't sound any different but the front speakers are high-passed and won't really benefit from the deadener.

Am I finished with deadening? Probably not. I will be adding several more layers to the door panel area near the speaker opening but I can't do that until I remove the grill and install a custom grill (stay tuned for that...I will have some time to work on this over the weekend). I used up about 2/3 of a single roll of raammat and I have another one too. Most of that will go onto the rear deck and trunk but some will end up in the doors too.