Items you will need:

1) 10mm shallow socket
2) socket wrench
3) vise grips or other clamping device
4) phillips head screwdriver
5) flat head screwdriver

First thing, roll your window down about 3/4's of the way like shown here in this picture:


Next you are going to have to remove the stock door panel. The panel is held on by about 6 screws total, and a few plastic clips. Most of the screws are located underneath tiny plastic caps that are camouflaged with the door panel itself. To take these caps off, just get a very thin tipped flat-head screwdriver and then pry them off.



(Pry all of these caps off)

Remove all of the screws underneath and then proceed on to the inner door handle, removing both the screw behind the handle itself, and the one below the cap in the cupped portion of the door.



(Pry the cap off, and remove the screw in the cup portion of the door)

Once those are removed, slide the plastic piece behind the door handle toward the front of the car, and then remove it.



(Remove the screw behind the handle, and then slide the plastic trim piece towards the front of the car and remove it)

Now you can remove the actual door panel itself. Just pull it with your hand, starting in one of the top corners of it, and slowly working your way around the door, until it pops right off. Now disconnect the wiring harness that connects to the door switches, by pressing in on the tab and pulling outwards.
Careful as this harness for some reason sometimes is a pain to get out, and also the dsm switch panel is very delicate and you can easily break the plastic where the screws connect to the door panel itself, causing your switches to actually fall out of the door panel, which isn't a good thing if you've experienced it. So be gentle, but remove the harness. Once you have done this then set the door panel aside where it won't get damaged and your done.
























All credit for this writeup goes to: 420ars