Hi All,
I have the black leather interior. There is a smaller panel on the door panel that supports the door opener handle. It is oval shaped and extends the length of the door. The leather has separated from this panel and is falling off from back to front. Is this repairable merely by tucking the perimeter back into the surrounding crack or do I have to remove the door panel and the smaller panel to reupholster it?
Thanks for your thoughts!
Will

 

My '02 has the cloth interior - and the same issue.

I have tried using a spray adhesive to re-stick the cloth and it held... until the foam backing deteriorated more. Now it's back.

I think the best answer is replacing the door panels unless you scrape the "dead" foam backing off the panel and replace it. I was hoping someone would have designed and made plastic rings to press into the perimeter crack and hold it that way, but nothing so far. THAT would be the easiest answer but I doubt a niche item like that would result in much profit so it's not likely to be produced.

I have looked into colored hot-glue (crafting type stuff) and wondered about simply making a bead around the perimeter but I haven't pulled the door panels to try it. You would have to be really good at laying a caulk type bead.... I'm not.

 

You might replace the dried-out foam (and possibly also that cloth) with upholstering batting from a sewing supply or craft/hobby store. Removing the door panels will make it the easiest to do.

 

Thanks for the hits guys! Just wanted to see what others were doing in this case. I thought about that spray adhesive but the heads up about the deteriorating foam backing helps.

 

Ive tried 3m and some other spray adhesive and neither worked. When I got the seat in my truck redone I talked to the guy about it. He uses some adhesive and a vacuum to make them stay. Was only $50 per door.

 

Looks like some mixed experiences on this. I think I'll remove my door panel and see what I'm up against.
Thanks.

 

I had my panel off and it's just a foam backed upholstery piece glued to plastic. Unfortunately the foam they used is prone to deterioration and that's where everything falls apart. The fabric to foam glue is good, the foam to panel glue is good.
I think the real trick is going to be cleaning off the dead foam backing or finding some sort of medium that will stabilize it enough to re-glue the fabric.
I wondered about a liberal dose of rubber cement to the panel side to see if the cement would be absorbed by what foam was left but I haven't tried that yet.

 

Stabilizing the backing was a thought I had also. I thought to resurface the deteriorating foam with something like a fiberglass resin for a more permanent gluing surface. We'll see what happens.
Thanks for your thoughts peeps.

 

I was just reading a DIY article on reapplying the latex backing on non-slip mats for home use and now I wonder if that would be a better medium to use to stabilize the foam backing for the panel. It looks like Walmart sells a container big enough to do all 4 doors for about $15.
I just might give that a shot since I hate having straight pins holding the fabric up and I would think the latex would be more easily absorbed by what foam is left.

 

Good idea. Thanks for the option and let us know how that works out.

 

I repaired this myself using 3M General Purpose 45 spray adhesive. Yes, the foam backing does deteriorate but I rubbed it down with a cloth and cleared it of foam and dust residue. I did the same to the back of the leather covering. This particular spray adhesive is very tacky. In fact, I didn't have it lined up properly on the first try and almost couldn't pull it back off to reset it. So far, it has maintained its stick and is showing no signs of separating after almost 3 months. I don't think I could remove it if I wanted to at this point. Looks like the way to go.
Under 5 bucks beats the 180.00 the upholstery shop wanted and that's with the panel already removed.

 

That's a good idea. My wife called me out to the Mariner last night because the upholstery had just come loose on the rear passenger door. As a temporary measure, I used some clear packing tape to keep it from falling down.

 

[QUOTE=projectSHO89;16713967]That's a good idea. My wife called me out to the Mariner last night because the upholstery had just come loose on the rear passenger door. As a temporary measure, I used some clear packing tape to keep it from falling down.[/QUOTE

From door, brush off foam. Use Velcro backing in case you find something you like to change it out with later on with. Or just adhesive it for long lasting put on. Otherwise it will come off sooner than you expect. I've tried tacky, hot glue, wood glue & it'll keep coming off.

 

Three years on, the Mariner has become my daily driver as she's moved into our '15 Explorer that we got 2 years ago.

I upgraded to duct tape which is working just fine. Now with 200K miles and advancing wheel well cancer, the Mariner is nearing its end of useful life and the cosmetic stuff doesn't bother me a bit.

 

Got 230,000 out of the '05 Escape. The panel repair lasted a couple years before it started to lift again.
All of the glues mentioned work well and is not the problem. The foam backing is the culprit and once it starts deteriorating, it won't stop.
For longer repair results, I suggest either fabricating a different backing or covering the foam backing with a more permanent solution like a fiberglass resin.
All in how much one wants to put into this 'cause once this deteriorating starts, the vehicle is no doubt approaching its end mileage.