I just picked up my 09 Panel last week. I would like to remove the safety cage from the rear hatch glass. Has anyone removed the interior trim panels from the hatch? Just wondering how much time is involved, any surprises along the way, etc.

I also want to disable the backup alarm, it's pretty loud and draws a lot of attention!

Thanks

 

The rear hatch panel is fastened with plastic fasteners. Pop the hand hold cup from the bottom of the hatch then there are two push buttons at the bottom. Push the center of the push button in and it will click then you can pull the fastener out. The rest is just pull trim from the hatch and the plastic clips will release.

 

Here is a diagram

 

A little BEWARE.
The snap in clips can be pretty snug and hard to get to release. Don't grab the trim panel in just one place and start pulling. You don't want to damage the panel and the plastic nubs the clips mount to.
Try to get 2 seperated hand holds and pull with a little rocking motion.

 

If your are disabling a back up alarm and not used to the HUGE blind spots you may want to consider ALWAYS backing into a spot so you can "just " drive out.

 

the back up alarm should be wired to the back up lights access panels are in the back on the L/R side kidney bean shaped.

 

It sounds like a job best done in warmer weather, I don't want to risk breaking anything with the plastics being brittle and cold. Thanks for the info and diagram! I may leave that backup alarm after all, I've already found backing up into traffic to be a bit tricky. We have angled parking on the main street where I live, and reverse lights on or not, people just don't slow down to let you out most of the time. I've seen a few rear enders over the years.

 

I (heard?) a New York back up alarm last summer....

Put the car in reverse and a recording on a loudspeaker says "Hey! I'm backin up over here!"

 

In the south "Hey Ya'll get your a$$es oughtadaway"

 

Nahhhhh, down here, the speaker would say " 'mon back"