I have twice removed front door panels on an R3. The first time, on a passenger door, when I pulled the panel and popped all the snap-in clips, I ended up with a single black clip falling onto the ground that looks like the inner fender retainers - a black body with a center section that pushes in. Typical of part BC1D-56-145. I replace this often on my inner fenders, and I think on the undertray.

I could not find where this might have gone on the front door panel. I must have spent 15 minutes looking everywhere it might have been placed. I finally concluded it must have been just floating around loose and not actually part of that system. I put everything back together after replacing the window motor gear and all was good. That was last summer.

Today, I went into an R3 driver door, did the same removal, and the same type of black clip fell to the ground! Looked around for 10 minutes and could not figure out where it might go. Put the door panel back together after replaces the motor gear in this door, and all seems good.

However, it seems clear this clip is used somewhere.

Can anyone help where this single clip might go on the panel/door and/or what it secures? Thanks.

See image.

 

I have taken the panels off my R3 and that clip is not used on the door. It is used in the wheel liners, under tray plastics and bumper shrouds. I suspect it fell into the door somehow.

 

I don't disagree, but it happened on two different RX-8 R3's on two different doors. And in both cases fell down onto the ground in front of me as I removed the door panel.