07 ion door switch issue

[constant saturn]

Hi,
Im normally posting about my 02 SL1 but this time is for my gf's 07 ion.
The dome lights keep going on and off and we cannot lock the doors or the alarm will sound. I have read a ton of posts about this and am almost completely sure it is the sunroof drain clog issue leaking onto the door switch and shorting it out.
The problem is HOW DO I GET THE SWITCHES OUT??? I can access the rear of the drivers side switch through the little drawer that is there but all I have managed to do is break the plastic retainer piece (so now the switch is loose) and I was able to disconnect the wiring from the switch.
I cannot figure out how to remove the actual switch and dont want to break anything else.

Also for the passenger side, I have no idea how to access the switch at all.


any help would be appreciated here. I have looked and looked but i cannot find detailed instructions on this.


Also, f I was able to disconnect the wiring for the driver side door switch and the lights remained on, does that mean that it is not that switch that has the issue? i.e. should disconnecting hte faulty switch make the dome lights go off?

thanks

[amok]

I am pretty sure that the side panel holding the switch just pops off by prying at the edge closest to the seats (away from windshield). The side close to the windshield has small hooks or hinges that can just be unhooked by opening the panel and pulling it backwards. Once you have it off the rest should be obvious and you should see the retaining ring that was broken or what is left of it. Hope this helps. Both sides are the same although at first look the panel doesnt look like a separate piece that comes off.

[2006 ion2]

you're supposed to reach up and squeeze the back of the switch right behind the panel. there are two wings that deform and you then can pull the switch through. I've had to do this, and it works well.

[constant saturn]

Thanks guys! I see what you mean about the wings now that I got one out. I just didnt want to wreck her interior and leave marks everywhere trying to get those panels off if they were aactually impossible to get off from the outside.
The issue has stopped for the time being. apparently just taking the driver side switch off and disconnecting it and messing around with it was enough to at least temporarily solve the issue. I'll clean the sunroof drains this weekend and hopefully this will just not be an issue again.