Neto Posted July 25 Report Share Posted July 25 Anyone have this happen? Up until two years ago, when the Journey was replaced as the family car, it was always stored in the garage. After that, sitting out in the sun, the upholstered section of the door panel (AKA door card) of the right side door began to come away from its backing. If I had known what would eventually happen, I would have used a hypodermic needle to inject adhesive through the vinyl, to keep it in place. Later the left side got baggy as well, then recently it came out at the top, and laid over the window and door lock controls. I pulled to door panel off today, thinking that I could relatively easily remove the insert panel to which the upholstery was glued, and re-do it. Not so easy. There is insulation material heat-welded to the inside of the panel - pulled that loose, figuring to use a hot glue gut. Easy enough. But this inside panel (the white part) is welded down with multiple protrusions of the main panel, pushed down under melting heat to hold the smaller panel in place. Any suggestions on how to refasten it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5rebel9 Posted July 25 Report Share Posted July 25 Most cost effective and less time consuming would be to go to a you pull it salvage yard and get complete panels and just swap them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neto Posted July 25 Author Report Share Posted July 25 43 minutes ago, 5rebel9 said: Most cost effective and less time consuming would be to go to a you pull it salvage yard and get complete panels and just swap them out. Thanks for the input. I was sort of assuming that what happened to mine might be somewhat common, especially for a 2009 model - 15 years old. It is the thin layer of foam on the back of the upholstery that deteriorated - basically it's like dust in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2late4u Posted July 25 Report Share Posted July 25 2014 here parked outside in Al sun from day1.so far mine is staying here great condition I have always kept leather conditioner on the seats and door panels as well, only problem I have had was with the padded arm rest in the center it cracked right about where I always kept my elbow I ended up ordering a vinyl cover off amazon and didn't really think it would look to good but it had great reviews and I swear it almost looks like OEM cover and it just stretches over it as well for the install took less than 5 minutes for the install Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5rebel9 Posted July 25 Report Share Posted July 25 Other than material/pattern looks, I'm pretty sure the door panels all mount the same. Consider "upgrading" to a matched pair up front or find a pair that look close to what you have. Journeys are getting older now and should be a good number in salvage yards now. All 3 of our Journeys are parked outside at all times, and don't have any interior problems in the Western NY area. On really hot days {80*+} I crack a rear door window just enough to let the even hotter air inside the car escape. BUT I live out in the country and don't frequently go into urban areas where one would want to be all "closed up" for security reasons. 2late4u 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2late4u Posted July 25 Report Share Posted July 25 yes I do crack both sides windows a bit with rain guards on each side and I try to use a reflective sun shield in the windshield,,, as my 2001 dodge truck top dash the plastic started cracking into pieces real bad, a common trait for them, I bought one of the dash coverall from the internet and it fit just perfect, cost was around $200 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2late4u Posted July 25 Report Share Posted July 25 I would just have replaced the vinyl/leather with a short length of carpet or headliner in the insert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neto Posted July 25 Author Report Share Posted July 25 (edited) 1 hour ago, 2late4u said: 2014 here parked outside in Al sun from day1.so far mine is staying here great condition I have always kept leather conditioner on the seats and door panels as well, .... Mine is the base model, so this upholstery isn't real leather. I have tried to think of some chemical I might have left in the car, but I cannot recall that I have ever had anything like that in this car at all. I am self employed, and the place I rent as a shop is just a quarter mile from our house. There isn't room on our drive at the house for another vehicle, so after this Journey became my work vehicle, I have left it up there at my shop, and just walk back & forth, year around. So yeah, the windows are all the way up pretty much all of the time. (I wouldn't park it here anyway, as I try to avoid all short trips like that. No use starting the car for just a quarter mile, and I need the daily exercise anyway - walk home for lunch as well, so I get in at least a mile every day. Not a lot, I know, but better than just sitting all of the time, as I generally do in my work.) I didn't work today, because I had some sort of "episode" yesterday, and still don't feel right. So this late afternoon I used a large drill bit to get those melted down plastic "rivets" down far enough that I could get that panel off from behind. (I think they are long enough that I can drill them for small screws.) If I hadn't tried to pull the upholstery completely out after it fell down over the door controls, I could have just cleaned it up a bit behind there, and glued it back up into place. I think I could push the top edge back up into the crack, but the bottom is a lot tighter, and the material goes around some of the rivet studs. I was, however, considering replacing the vinyl with real leather. I have some scraps from a rocking chair company where I do IT work, but I don't have any black pieces, at least not large enough for this area. The seats are all fabric - base model, as I said, so it might look a bit funny to have leather on the door panels. Did the tricked out models have leather door panel inserts? I had a 93 Chrysler T&C that had leather all around, seats and door panels. Thanks to everyone who has answered, by the way. Edited July 25 by Neto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean H Posted July 25 Report Share Posted July 25 (edited) 1 hour ago, 2late4u said: 2014 here parked outside in Al sun from day1.so far mine is staying here great condition I have always kept leather conditioner on the seats and door panels as well, only problem I have had was with the padded arm rest in the center it cracked right about where I always kept my elbow I ended up ordering a vinyl cover off amazon and didn't really think it would look to good but it had great reviews and I swear it almost looks like OEM cover and it just stretches over it as well for the install took less than 5 minutes for the install The armrest cover is this one from Amazon. I got one too and is a perfect fit. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B55TBPXZ/ref=cm_sw_r_apanp_mntVNjmFn6NPg Edited July 25 by Dean H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2late4u Posted July 26 Report Share Posted July 26 3 hours ago, Dean H said: The armrest cover is this one from Amazon. I got one too and is a perfect fit. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B55TBPXZ/ref=cm_sw_r_apanp_mntVNjmFn6NPg yes I got the one without the red stripes, (all black) read the reviews and when you try to attach it you do have to get in the back seat to make it a lot easier and with some tugs and pulls it fits real tight and the only place you can tell its not OEM is right where the handle is to release the arm rest but it looks good I have had it on since last June and it still looks great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neto Posted July 26 Author Report Share Posted July 26 This is rather like admitting defeat. I got some adhesive and glued the vinyl back on. But I didn't replace the thin foam, which had totally turned into dust. Turns out that is crucial, because the way it's all made, it needs that foam to close the gap. I didn't go to a salvage because there aren't any anywhere near our little town. This is cultural center of the largest Amish community in the world, and maybe that's why there are no salvages close by. (A number of "used buggy lots", but no salvages. The ones that used to be the closest ones have all closed.) But it looks like I'll either have to "accept the sting of defeat" and go to a salvage, or just use it as it is. The other reason I went the repair route is because I have a background in auto restoration, and so I tend to think along those lines. But these modern plastic cars are another matter entirely. I mean, there can be plastic parts, but the way this panel is fastened in there, it is obvious that this vehicle was manufactured as a "discardable". Sorry to say that, because I'm a MoPar guy through and through. It's just not the same anymore. I had only noticed the 2 front doors until now, but examining the rear doors this morning, I see that they are doing the same thing. Can I assume that ALL Journeys used the same shape and size door panels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5rebel9 Posted July 26 Report Share Posted July 26 I hear you loud and clear about rather self repair original parts, BUT I had heard of many complaints of the early Avenger/Sebring/200 door panels not holding up well with time.I would liken the early DJ's to be the same on that account{I've seen a few 09-10's}. The door panels should all be alike for mounting and switch locations----break down and find good used later year and do all of them. I personally think later years used better materials, and yes year to year panel designs may have changed, but not affecting mounting. Consider it an UPGRADING MOD. 😁 Neto 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neto Posted July 27 Author Report Share Posted July 27 Alright, I confess. I did it anyway. Decided to try to get it back together. Spending money that turns out to be a waste rubs me real wrong (the spray adhesive I bought). So I whittled on the pegs and the stop flanges that gave the foam space (kept the panel from coming down tight), and used a bunch of small short screws to fasten it down. (Drilling small holes in the center of each peg - well not all of them, but enough to keep it all in place. Used high heat hot glue to secure the insulation / sound deadening material back in place.) Next time I get out to my favorite salvage yard, I'll still check for a Journey with door panels. See what he wants for them, then decide. It's an old car now, by today's standards. (My first car was this old when I first got it. But that was a different time, cars were easier to maintain back then. It was a 62 Chrysler Newport.) 5rebel9 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5rebel9 Posted July 27 Report Share Posted July 27 Like you stated earlier, Salvage yards have closed up around me also. My 'saving grace" is my friend who has a repair shop with a "mini" collection of parts cars, mostly Journeys and Vans. Neto 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neto Posted September 25 Author Report Share Posted September 25 Now last week or so the right side did the same thing. I think I mentioned previously that the rear door upholstery panels are 'baggy' too. I need to figure out how I can spray the two sides (door panel & the back of the upholstery) without getting glue every where. I saw a deal on YouTube recently where a guy used the nozzle off of a WD-40 spray bottle to be able to more accurately direct the stuff into hard to get to places. (He was using it to paint, not shoot adhesive. This was the type that has the swing-up straw.) I should do it before Winter sets in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatguy01 Posted September 25 Report Share Posted September 25 My 2010 is the same way. All 4 doors are doing this. Following. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neto Posted September 27 Author Report Share Posted September 27 (edited) I started on the passenger door today. Used a wire brush (hand brush) to get the "decomposed" foam backing off of the vinyl upholstery and the plastic door panel. That's the reason the upholstery comes down - the foam has deteriorated, and turned into sort of sticky dust. I used a piece of stiff cardboard under it, to provide a firm flat surface. I do not want to pull the upholstery out at the bottom - that's what made it necessary to dismantle the door to fix it. I will mask around that area on the door, then cover all of the door, to avoid getting adhesive spray anywhere else. Also will attach cardboard under the loose upholstery, because both sides need to be sprayed. I thought about gluing some thin foam into the door panel first, then spray it as well, before working the upholstery back into place, but I don't think I'll do that. There will be a small gap between the upholstery and the edge of the upper part of the door panel (or 'door card, as it is called on old vehicles), but it won't show much, and leaving that gap will make it easier to work the upholstery back up behind the plastic panel at the top & sides. I will start at the bottom (above the arm rest) and press it into place, working up from there, evenly all across the bottom, as I go up.then I'll use some sort of flat blunt tool to push the top edge of the upholstery up under the top lip. I'll try to get some photos when I do this, in case this explanation is not clear. I should really go ahead & do the back doors right away as well, but I don't know if I'll get to it before it turns cold here. Edited September 27 by Neto 2late4u 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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