If your car got broken into and the trim piece got jack up here's how to remove it without having to completely remove the dash!

For starters, you have to be committed to take off the whole bezel (the thing that frames the heater control, cd player, and steering wheel.


Here's how:

1.Start by doing the easiest thing. Remove the cd player and the upper center console (the piece that has the coin tray and cig tray/lighter on it).


2.Remove the kick panel (the thing your knee hits when you are sitting) 3 screws


3.Remove the metal reinforcement that is behind the kick panel. 2 - 10mm bolts

4. Remove the Gauge bezel (to do this pop out hazard button [it pops out], remove all screws. The bezel frame should come out. It's attached by clips and the screws you removed) Then unscrew the guage bezel and remve it.


5. Now for the second hardest part. Remove the heater control unit. (It's easy if you do it a lot, which I do, but whatever) You basically have to do yoga to get to the screws that hold the unit in. There are three screws. Two are near the front underneath. The other is near the back middle underneath. Once unscrewed, remove the metal wire (that controls the temp setting). Please don't bend it too much. Now you can pull out the unit.


Recap:
You removed the cd player, the heater control unit above that, the coin tray/cig tray/lighter piece below those, hazard switch, and guage bezel.

Now that your dash it completely in pieces you can get to the damn screws that hold the main bezel to the dash.

6. There are 9 screws that hold the bezel on. I suggest to use a small mirror to find them before you go nuts. You had to remove all of those parts to get a screwdriver at the proper angle to remove them. Get a collection of phillips screwdrivers handy. Get a short one, long one, angled one, and kinds you can the get the right angle. Once you get all the screws you're done.
If my memory serves me right, the dots are the locations of the screws.


Please allow 2-3 hours to get this done if you have never removed these things. It will take a long time. But after the first time it will only take an hour next time.

Feel free to ask any questions whenever. I would suggest for you to get a Chilton's manual or a cheap haynes manual to fit some pics of the insides.

Then your car will be in one piece again...


GOOD LUCK!

Disclaimer:
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i hate having stuff stolen. =[
then to have them break the trim as well. double =[.
damn theives.
nice write up.

 

o yea, what center console and cup holder deal is that?

 

H.O.P. Audio Console (LHD) and a Cup/Coin Tray from a early 90's Ford Taurus or Mercury Sable.

 

Glad I found this. I need to change mine out and change the climate control

 

great write up

 

Wow...all this to change my climate control bulb? Ookay.

Good write up! Guess I'll be fumbling in the dark for my heater buttons.

 

No you don't have to take the bezel off to get the climate control unit out to change the bulbs, you just have to remove the lower console (the one with the pocket and ashtray and the stereo.

Also, while I appreciate that someone took the time to do this write-up it only takes about 20 minutes to just pull the whole dash to change the bezel the easy way.

 

Nice write up tho!

I hope these pics help too.

 

I honestly regret removing or doing anything to my plastic interior pieces... it's not worth it when you crack something or a metal clip falls down in your dash somewhere

 

True,
In my case someone stole my radio and broke the dash around it.

 

did you say 2-3 hours? i can swap a dash out in about an hour. I've even done it in the dark. 2-3 hours for someone who has never done it before maybe.. good write up though, very detailed

 

anyone know anything about fiberglassing the trim?