Rear Hatch inside door card removal

[kimcsaba]

Hi, hit and run driver smashed into the back of my car smashing the lights that are located on the rear hatch. Now, I know mark one galaxy had screws fitted to the inside door card and it could be easily removed but mk 2 is different. I need to get the panel off to gain access to the screwing screws to the lights. I thought the carpetted bit on the rear hatch door card was just clipped in but no, it appears to be riveted to the plastic surround. If I could get that out I could easily get access to the back of the lights and the securing nuts and bolts. The hatch door card is secured with clips. Now from previous main dealer experience, if you pull the panel away from the hatch, all the clips break and you can never get it back on right, especially under the rear glass as it is tinted and you cant see into the vehicle through the glass to ensure the securing clips fit in. Has anyone got any idea how to easily remove the panel or gain access. I thought I might try and drill through the carpetted bit and make a hole to access the nuts and bolts. I also thought about cutting the carpeted panel out and then making an inner frame and then glueing it back in place against the frame. Also in the smash, they smashed my rear bumper resulting in the securing clips breaking off. Does anyone know how to remove and replace the rear bumper.

[Mirez]

I've removed the tailgate panel lots of times and its always gone back in just fine with nothing broken! Tell your main dealer not to be so damn ham fisted

You shouldn't need to remove the panel though, again I've changed many of the reverse/fog light assemblies without removing the panel through the bulb access panels. Get yourself a mini UJ and socket set and it's fairly easy to do.