A vehicle door with a load spreader between an intrusion beam and occupant padding

An energy absorbing vehicle door comprising an outer panel 120, an inner panel 122 joined to the outer panel 120 and defining a space 136 therebetween, a guard beam 130 mounted longitudinally in the space, a trim panel 134 mounted on an occupant compartment side of the inner panel 122 and having a plurality of energy absorbing bolsters (46-50 Fig. 8) attached thereto generally laterally adjacent the guard beam, and load distribution means in the form of a plate 152 on the beam mounted in the space 136 laterally between the guard beam 130 and the energy absorbing bolster 146 for distributing a load imparted to the guard beam 30 evenly across the energy absorbing bolsters so as to preserve bolsters in a substantially undeformed state prior to occupant contact with the door during a side impact type collision. The load distribution means may also take the form of a plate mounted directly onto the beam side of the bolster (Fig. 2) or a foam load distributor block moulded around the beam (Fig. 4).