As can be seen from above, this can be a time consuming process and meticulous job. You may want to get a helper, especially for removing the old dashboard and fitting the new one in place. This can take the best part of a day.
Estimated time: Up to a full day Difficulty: Medium/Hard
Step 1
Begin by disconnecting the
battery. This must be done by disconnecting the negative connection first, then the positive. It must be done in this order to avoid any sparks which potentially cause damage to other vehicle parts.
Step 2
There is a lot of parts that need to be disconnected and there will be many screws, so you may want to get small bags to place each in, writing on the bags which part they belong to.
Step 3
Begin by removing the
steering wheel. Remove the central piece to unveil the nut. Use a socket set to remove this nut and the steering wheel should pull right off. You may have an airbag wgich means you will need to read '<a href="https://www.breakeryard.com/blog/diy-how-to-change-an-airbag/">how to remove an airbag&;' first.
Step 4
The instrument cluster should have two small screws which you will unscrew. Pry the cluster from the dash and disconnect any connections from the back of the unit. There will be many loose connections at the end so you may want to label the different connectors.
Step 5
There are many other parts that need removed such as different panels, vents and the glove box. These will all need to be unscrewed and removed from the main
dashboard. The glove box has different clips and screws, just remember not to lose any screws!
Step 6
There are several different screws and clips which hold the dashboard in place. These need to be undone which frees the dashboard from the vehicle. There are two main bolts on either side of the centre console which need removed. The dashboard is ready to be removed now. This process would be much easier if the windscreen was out, but as its most likely that you will do it with the windscreen in, be careful not to damage anything when removing this part.
Step 7
If you are having difficulty removing the dash, then check where the problem is and you may need to pry something free. Be careful not to break anything though. Once you get the dash free, you are ready to fit the new one.
Step 8
At this point you may need to take some parts from the old dashboard and fit them to the new one. Check which parts are not on the new one that were on the old one. Fit the insulation onto the inside of the new dashboard if it’s not already there. You will need to glue it in place. This is also an opportunity to clean any usually inaccessible areas.
Fitting a new dashboard
Getting the dashboard in place and making sure it fits correctly can be a bit of a meticulous job. Help here is essential. Once you have it in place you just need to reverse the above processes by screwing, bolting and clipping everything in place. You may have to play around a little to fit everything into place, but if you have kept everything then it will fit back in without to many problems.
And Finally...
Once you have all the screws and bolts fitted correctly and everything is clipped back in, you can re-fit the glove box, instrument cluster and steering wheel as well as any other parts you previously removed. Check that all connections have been fitted properly and all parts are working as they should.
Voila! Your new dashboard is now in place.
