Mystery plastic box behind door panels?

jiantan1

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I was installing Noico and noticed this plastic box in the door panel. It seems to have no function. First cynical thought was that it was a resonance box purposely installed to increase door/wind noise to make the civic worse than say, the accord. The hopeful thought was that it somehow tunes the speaker to the left of it in the picture. I'm doubtful since it's plastic. I have half a mind to rip it off but am wary that it serves some odd purpose. No wires go in or out of it. There is nothing inside. Any ideas?
Honda Civic 10th gen Mystery plastic box behind door panels? 6ncsCqE


Honda Civic 10th gen Mystery plastic box behind door panels? mHwgmTW
 
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Drake

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Maybe just an additional buffer to keep the two panels from caving into each other? Is there one inside all the doors?
 
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jiantan1

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Maybe just an additional buffer to keep the two panels from caving into each other? Is there one inside all the doors?
The picture is representative of the front two doors. I forgot to really notice the rear doors though. That's possible though it's in the structurally stiffest part of the panel, the corner between two walls.
 


Homer2556

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I'm thinking @Drake has the right idea. That's usually where people push on the door with their foot to open it. Would minimize cracking of the panel.
 

Axatax

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I'm thinking @Drake has the right idea. That's usually where people push on the door with their foot to open it. Would minimize cracking of the panel.
If someone tried to open my door like that, I'd break their legs.
 

crxFITcivicBOY

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Don’t rip it off. I don’t work for Honda, but I do work for another OEM. I don’t know what that part does, but the trim on the door is actually part of the crash safety system in a car. It could be a small spacer to provide energy absorption in the event of a crash. You’d be surprised how small things can have a benefit in the event of an impact. If you don’t need it off, leave it alone lol.
 

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jiantan1

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Don’t rip it off. I don’t work for Honda, but I do work for another OEM. I don’t know what that part does, but the trim on the door is actually part of the crash safety system in a car. It could be a small spacer to provide energy absorption in the event of a crash. You’d be surprised how small things can have a benefit in the event of an impact. If you don’t need it off, leave it alone lol.
Reading that makes me glad I didn't pull it off.
 

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I have an 03 Civic and it has the same thing in the doors.
 

PEPSIFLAME

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Reading that makes me glad I didn't pull it off.
Why would you have pulled it off anyway? With things like that, if they put it there, it's for a reason.
 
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jiantan1

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Why would you have pulled it off anyway? With things like that, if they put it there, it's for a reason.
Only if people here reinforced the idea that it's to increase road noise. I find its design a little suspicious. It's attached to the panel with 3 plastic welds. But oddly, there is this spot lifted from the panel which would cause vibrations. Honda knew this and inserted a block of foam to dampen it (you can barely make out the foam in the photo) but I suspect it will still resonate a little. Id be curious to see what an accord panel looks like.
 

civicls

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Engineers aren't that bored to place plastic boxes in door panels, each of these parts have a function, and that little box certainly does too.

I hope you were joking about the resonance thing :hmm::rofl:
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