Rep Power: 0

I have a 08 EX coupe and the clothes hook on the passenger side won't stay up. How do you pull the panel with breaking it or deploying the curtain airbag?

 
Rep Power: 518

Plan on replacing it.

You aren't going to deploy the bag, but you should get a manual and read and follow the standard precautions for all airbag work on these cars.

First, price the pillar trim panel, see if you REALLY want to fix it. The only ones I have fixed were covered by warranty. Nobody here has wanted to **PAY** for one yet. And it's a huge PITA to replace it.
They seem to all do it eventually too.

IIRC, the hook and spring wasn't easily repairable. The spring carves its way through (a pin?) on the side of the hook. But it's been a long time since I have seen one, I could be mistaken.



Pick your car, select "pillar garnish" from the list.... Passengers side is #8.
www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/
Since there are colors to choose from, I would enter the VIN of the car and let the program decide which is right.


Guesses from fuzzy memory:
Start at the seat, take it out. Side bolster and maybe the center of the seatback too.
Remove the speaker shelf
remove the shelf extension.
pull the lower side trim panel first
seat belt anchor
then work on the upper trim.
Bunch of clips and screws.
There are 2 fasteners that must be replaced if you reuse this trim panel, #17 and 23. To get them to release from the body you have to hit directly on them with a mallet, on the panel itself.

When it comes time to reinstall with new pins, I can usually smack the panel with a fist and they grab.

I recommend a shop manual.

HTH