I have recently had to remove the rear interior deck to get the rear window tinted and noticed there is no writeup on how to do this. There was a recent post on the subject concerning window tinting but no instructions. There seems to be quite a few posts were people mention that removing the rear deck is easy but no explenation. I went it alone and figured it out. I got a private message asking how and I replied with a short write-up. I thought others might be interested so here it is (its just copied from my reply to the private message - sorry, no pics)
"My car is still at the tint shop (haven't gone to pick it up yet) so I can't go out and look at it right now. Mine never had the holes at the top. Are these clamps for the defrost connection? Anyway, my only problem was the hole cut out for the center brake light and thats what they are fixing. I don't wanna make you feel bad but I would definately get it re-tinted (either by the same guy or someone else). It can be done the right way. As far as taking the back deck out, I agree - I heard a lot of talk about how easy it is to get out but no explanation of how to do it. So I took my chances and figured it out on my own. Like most things automotive, once you know how to do it, it is easy, but you have to know how. First, open the trunk and disconnect the center brake light from underneath. Its a simple wire connection. The rest is done from the back seat. I would suggest folding both back seats down. If you have the teather straps on the deck then you will need to remove them first. The plastic cap snaps off. Its kinda hard to do but just pull out on one side of the clip and then up and off. It may help to get a screw driver on the side between the plastic and metal piece to pry it out and then take your other hand and pull it up and off. You'll see once you get in there. Once you get the covers off, just unbolt the brackets with a socket and socket wrench. Now get back into the back of the car (back seats still folded down) and sit ontop of the back seats with you legs sticking into the trunk. You'll be facing backwards (obviously). Now you can pop the front edge of the rear deck off but this is the part I couldn't figure out. You absolutely cannot tell how this thing is held on in front. In back there are some simple clips that slide into slots to hold the back that can be seen from underneath. The front, however, is a bitch. All that is holding it down are three pins that snap through holes in the metal frame of the rear deck but they are on there real good and inpossible to see. You'll be working pretty much by feel. Take your hand and start on one side. pull up on the fabric deck piece. You can tell where the pins are by where its hardest to pull up at. Find the right or left pin and put one hand under the deck on each side of the pin. Work your hands as close to the pin as possible while pulling up. THen just keep pulling up until it pops loose. Mine were in tight and I had to pull so hard I thought I was going to break something. Repeat for the two other pins. Then just pull the deck towards you and TADDA your done. You may find that instead of the pin coming out of the hole it separates from the board. Two of mine did this. Just pull the pin out of the hole after you get the deck out and then hammer them back into the deck board."
The "clamps at the top" that are refered to are for the rear sun shade. My car (2003 GLS) doesn't have these. I suggested that maybe the clamps/hooks could be removed and then reinstalled over the tint but i'm not sure how these are held on. Please post if anybody knows how their tint guy got around/under these to give a perfect full tint in the back. I'm sure some of you GLX people might want to know.
"My car is still at the tint shop (haven't gone to pick it up yet) so I can't go out and look at it right now. Mine never had the holes at the top. Are these clamps for the defrost connection? Anyway, my only problem was the hole cut out for the center brake light and thats what they are fixing. I don't wanna make you feel bad but I would definately get it re-tinted (either by the same guy or someone else). It can be done the right way. As far as taking the back deck out, I agree - I heard a lot of talk about how easy it is to get out but no explanation of how to do it. So I took my chances and figured it out on my own. Like most things automotive, once you know how to do it, it is easy, but you have to know how. First, open the trunk and disconnect the center brake light from underneath. Its a simple wire connection. The rest is done from the back seat. I would suggest folding both back seats down. If you have the teather straps on the deck then you will need to remove them first. The plastic cap snaps off. Its kinda hard to do but just pull out on one side of the clip and then up and off. It may help to get a screw driver on the side between the plastic and metal piece to pry it out and then take your other hand and pull it up and off. You'll see once you get in there. Once you get the covers off, just unbolt the brackets with a socket and socket wrench. Now get back into the back of the car (back seats still folded down) and sit ontop of the back seats with you legs sticking into the trunk. You'll be facing backwards (obviously). Now you can pop the front edge of the rear deck off but this is the part I couldn't figure out. You absolutely cannot tell how this thing is held on in front. In back there are some simple clips that slide into slots to hold the back that can be seen from underneath. The front, however, is a bitch. All that is holding it down are three pins that snap through holes in the metal frame of the rear deck but they are on there real good and inpossible to see. You'll be working pretty much by feel. Take your hand and start on one side. pull up on the fabric deck piece. You can tell where the pins are by where its hardest to pull up at. Find the right or left pin and put one hand under the deck on each side of the pin. Work your hands as close to the pin as possible while pulling up. THen just keep pulling up until it pops loose. Mine were in tight and I had to pull so hard I thought I was going to break something. Repeat for the two other pins. Then just pull the deck towards you and TADDA your done. You may find that instead of the pin coming out of the hole it separates from the board. Two of mine did this. Just pull the pin out of the hole after you get the deck out and then hammer them back into the deck board."
The "clamps at the top" that are refered to are for the rear sun shade. My car (2003 GLS) doesn't have these. I suggested that maybe the clamps/hooks could be removed and then reinstalled over the tint but i'm not sure how these are held on. Please post if anybody knows how their tint guy got around/under these to give a perfect full tint in the back. I'm sure some of you GLX people might want to know.
I'm sure this will help out a lot of people. :thumbup:
