REAR SEAT PANEL INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

Tools Needed
bulletPhillips screwdriver
bulletT45 Torx bit
bulletThat's it!
 Installation is fairly simple, just follow the pics below and you should be done within an hour!  As a bonus, you can also remove the sound insulation pad under the rear seat while you have it out and lose 14 lbs of weight.

 

OK, let's get started!  The first thing you need to do is get the back seat cushions removed from the car.  Start with the bottom cushion, this is real easy to do. Push to the rear of the car while lifting up at the bottom of the seat where it meets the carpet. There are two retaining brackets that hold the seat to the floor on each side of the seat. Carefully remove the cushion from the car and set aside.  Next you will have to remove the two seat belt retractors using a T45 Torx bit attached to a socket drive.  These bolts also hold down brackets that hold down the top rear seat cushion.  You need to do one more thing before removing the remaining cushion.  The remaining seat belts go thru some plastic loops at the bottom of the seat cushion.  Push these thru the loops and you can now lift up the top seat cushion and remove from the car.

Now we are going to start with the panel removal.  Do one side at a time so you have a reference point. This installation does not require you to fully remove the panel so you don't have to worry about unfastening the seat belts that mount in these panels. Start by removing the long panel that runs from the door sill plate up to the roof weather stripping.  You can loosen the rear screw on the sill plate to make this easier, then undo the 2 long screws and 2 short screws that retain this part and set aside.

With the seat out of the car, you will see one visible Phillips screw towards the rear window that holds the top panel that goes around the quarter window glass.  Loosen this screw but do not remove.  The top panel will NOT be removed.

Locate the two Phillips screws that retain the lower panel and remove.  You can now slide out the panel enough to remove the upholstered part.  It just slides out.  Put in a safe place so you can return your car to stock if desired.

We are now read to install the custom panel.  Just slide it into place.  I suggest making up some simple cardboard shims and insert them in back of the panels for a nice flush fit.  Once the shims are in, slide the panel assembly back into the upper panel. Reattach the two retaining screws in the lower panel and tighten the one screw in the upper panel.  Reattach the part that goes from the door sill to the roof weatherstrip making sure that it slips into the two side panels. Tighten the door sill plate screw and one side is done.  Now repeat for the other side.

You can save 14lbs of weight if you want to accomplish another little project before putting the rear seat back in.  That black sound insulation that you see covering the rear seat area can be removed without any ill effects.  A lighter car is a faster car!  This stuff comes out real easy and no one will ever know that you took it out.  I didn't notice any sound difference in my car.

Once both panels are done, reinstall the rear seat top cushion by hanging it on the two hooks by the rear shelf.  Line up the lower brackets over the holes in the floorboards and attach the Torx bolts thru the seat belt retractors and seat brackets and tighten. Run the remaining seat belts thru the plastic loops at the bottom of the top seat cushion.  Almost done!  Slide the bottom rear seat cushion into place making sure that the brackets are caught on both sides.  Finished! All the pics below are the installation of the panels in my own GN.  Click on the pics to see full size and rest your mouse over the pic for a short description.
Stock back seat area, first step is to remove the lower part of the back seat. Lower seat removed. Look at the seat belt retractor and you will see a T45 Torx bolt holding it and the seat bracket to the floor board. Remove these from both sides of the seat. Closer view of seat belt retractor Be sure to pull the seat belts thru these loops before removing the top seat cushion
Seat belt retractor Rear seat cushion is removed from car by gently lifting up after the two seat belt retractor bolts are removed. Be careful when removing so you don't rip or scratch anything with the brackets that are attached to the bottom of the cushion View of the brackets that are part of the rear seat top cushion, these are held to the floorboards under the seat belt retractors Another view of the seat bracket, be careful when removing from back of car
Removing lower rear seat side panel, it doesn' have to come out of the car any further than this! Pull the upholstered panel out of the side panel Stock panel removed Slide the custom panel in place, I suggest making up some cardboard shims to ensure a flush fit
Sliding panel back into place Be sure the panel is seated all the way back in place and replace scres back of where lower panel inserts into top panel Finished!