HOW TO: Remove central dash panel.

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Jul 2, 2012, 12:44 AM

LeXcite

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HOW TO: Remove central dash panel.

DIY “HOW TO remove dash panel”

This is first part of - DIY “HOW TO install full A/C climate control”.

P.S. Since I’ve done all this work alone I didn’t do any pics. Below are instructions for the Dash removal from the lancer. It’s exactly the same. I did with this exactly manual. All the same.!!! All pictures below are taken from great forum - http://www.forum.lancer-club.ru/inde...pic=103650&hl=

PART I.

Removing dash panel.

Attention!!!! Before any work on this project, disconnect the negaitve post from the battery!!!

To Remove dash, we will need ratchet for 10mm and Philips screwdriver. It's desirable to have flex body and hands, to climb everywhere. This what we have before the work :

Pic.1

Starting with take over combination meter, it holds by two self tapping screw (Pic.2). Unscrew it and remove the cover plate, after remove buttons for ACD and mirror control.

Pic.2

Next step is to remove heater control. Remove the fan control, air and the temp knobs, you need to pull this to remove. We see two self tapping screw under knobs, remove it…

Pic.3

To remove heater control cover, we need to pull this from inside. insert your fingers to air dam and temp. holes, and pull it toward to you. There is 4 clips that holds this cover …

Pic.4

On the Pic.4 you see four self-tapping screw marked by red circle. Lower two is seen if you will see them from below. Remove these 4 screws. By removing two upper screw, gently pull cover with clock and hazard light button, pull cover very gently. Start with left side, close to combination meter, slowly moving to right side. To ease you may use flat screwdriver covered by soft material, to not damage the cover. Just insert it between dash and cover and gently pull. Cover is hold by the same clips, that hold radio/heater cover. Next you will need to unscrew bottom two screws, and remove cover by pulling it toward to you, there another two clips holding it.
After this, you’ll need to remove heater control panel. We need to remove control cables by drowning small plastic tentacles (as seen at Pic.5) and pull the cable upward to remove from plastic stud. To remove cables from the panel, you need to insert flat screwdriver (Pic.7) to this hole (Pic.6), and turn it to compress metal clips that holds cable. After just pull cable upward. The same operation for the second cable.

Pic.5

Pic.6

Pic.7

After cable removal, you need to compress clamp No.1 and No.2 (Pic.8), to remove panel from the dash. Disconnect the Fan Controller plug No.3 (Pic.8)

Pic.8

Next unplug the lower control plug.

Pic.9

Now we should unscrew four bolts with ratchet for 10mm.

Pic.10

Remove Instrument cluster, hold by 3 self-tapping screws.

Pic.11

That is what you should see with instrument cluster removed(Pic.12), there is hole, previously it was a 10mm bolt, you need unscrew it ...

Pic.12

Attention!!! Next step it to remove lower dash cover, near leg, and ONLY after this, you should remove steering column cover.
Unscrew self tapping screw No.1 and No.3 (Pic.13, screw No.3 is out of view) and bolt No.2 Next unscrew 10mm bolt (Pic.14) you should see it by look at the steering column from below - right side

Pic.13

Pic.14

You should unplug the harness (Pic.15), else you can’t remove the lower cover.

Pic.15

After unplugging the harness, pull the cover toward to u, upside is held by the same clips, that we saw at the radio/heater cover. After removing, cover should hold by the hood cable. Which is retained with two self-tapping screws, you should unscrew it and remove the cover completely. Next the lower part of the steering column cover is hold by 3 self-tapping screws. Unscrew it, and lay down to the lowest position the steering wheels and remove the covers. There is two way to go from right here. I choose No.1

1. Unscrew the steering column, lay down steering wheel on the floor and have a ton of free space.
2. Unplug 2 steering column switches (light switch bar, and windscreen wiper bar). Squeeze two clips and remove the switches. Have a little to no free space.

By the left and right side you should see small covers (Pic.17), you could unplug these bu pulling it from inside the dash, or just by pull off by flat screw driver. There 2 10mm blots behind that covers, unscrew it …

Pic.17

Remove glove box, and see two 10mm bolts, unscrew it.

Pic.18

Now disconnect the passenger SRS plug and unscrew the 10mm bolt.

Pic.19

Next unscrew 3 10mm bolts, that holds ECU, and lay it down to the floor. See from below in to the glove box/dash hole, you should see 2 10mm bolts for passenger airbag (Pic.21) it’s really deep in dash. Unscrew it.

Pic.21

It’s seems that all bolts are unscrewed, so we starting to pull the dash toward to you. There is plastic holders / metal guides that is located at windshield (Pic.22). Pull the dash, until it get free from the guides. Now you have to remove the dash out of the car.

Pic.22