Re-fitting the f**king dash - ISSUES!

[FAST_aD13]

After reading the fubar guide on how to remove your dash, i thought i'd have a crack at removing it to re-jiggle the wiring behind my headunit and get it fitted in properly.

After only managing to half remove it (endlessly pulling on the windscreen vents "firmly" didn't seam to work despite removing all 13 torx bolts) i gave in and ended up with this:

x1 half removed dash

After jiggling the HeadUnit wiring around i got it all into position then slotted the HU back into place.... job done (or so i thought).....

Now i can't get the dash to go back on as it appears that one of the triangular peices of plastic attached to the underside of the dash is now fouling the airbag and preventing me from re-seating it

You can see it just sat ontop of the metallic box (the airbag)

Can anyone help me with this? I've been pissing around trying to re-fit it for the last 2 hours with no luck.... Does the triangular lug thing need to go infront of the airbag??... Also any ideas why i couldn't get the whole thing off properly in the first place?

 

[FAST_aD13]

...Can anyone suggest why i havent been able to remove the dash fully? (I've probably got a better chance getting it back on if i can get it off in the first)

 

[richy22]

Did you take the side pillars off? as im sure thats what stops it from coming off.

Edit oh and to get it back on you kind of have to pull it forwards over the airbag. Its hard to explain but I manage to egt my dash out without taking th whole dash off easily.

 

[FAST_aD13]

Yeah I thought it mite need to go infront of that lug on the airbag - I tried "encouraging it" to do so for 20mins but that didn't work

I took the A-pillars off when i first removed the screws that hold it all in place.... When im trying to remove it it feels like its still clipped in - infront of the windscreen vents somewhere (where it narrows down to the screen)??.. I don't want to pull it too hard incase i rip the dash :S

 

[Hutchie]

it will come of your just not yanking enough

 

[FAST_aD13]

you sure? It feels like its coming up until the windscreen vents then doesnt seam to move from there back to the windscreen.. (as theres only a thin bit joining the two segments am worried that i'll snap it :S).... There definately aren't any clips holding it on back there??

 

[dajones]

theres 3 torx in the vents youve removed them yea? just give it a tug towards you and upwards abit

 

[FAST_aD13]

yup i've taken those out... they must've used some superstrong french glue the day they made my car! I'll give it another shot tomoro - surely it can't be this hard!

 

[Luke.]

i did this once and it involved me taking the air bag out! then i just cut the metal bits off the airbag unit and dash removal was never a problem again

 

[FAST_aD13]

haha nice solution! - if i fail again tomoro it'll be out with the dremmel!

 

[richy22]

you sure? It feels like its coming up until the windscreen vents then doesnt seam to move from there back to the windscreen.. (as theres only a thin bit joining the two segments am worried that i'll snap it :S).... There definately aren't any clips holding it on back there??

Same as mine with the vent thing at the front even though all the torx screws are out.

 

[Jaffa182]

It will be stuck on the airbag, i had the same problem! There is 3 plastic clips that lock on to the airbag and its those that stop it coming off. All i did was wiggle it loads backwards and forwards and pulled really hard then it came away. After you do get the dash off i recommend cutting the clips off the airbag as its a lot easier to get the dash back on.

Jaff

 

[FAST_aD13]

good to hear someone else whos chopped the lugs off - I'll get it done tomorrow

 

[bullitinhead]

I know this isnt going to help but when I had to jiggle the wiring behind the HU ( Why is it so tight for space??) I removed the glove box and it gave plenty of hand room to wiggle about in.


bullit

 

[Darmon]

rather than continually yank at it, hold it in the middle and give it a firm sharp pull up and towards you, i had a similair problem, but found that to work

 

[fUbAr]

it needs to be pulled towards you (towards the back of the car) while its still flat in its original position. What you've done is effectively bent the dash to unclip the edge nearest to you, so I doubt you'll be able to slide the rest off now.

Ive removed around 12 dash tops and have never experienced a problem like this.

 

[Has]

^^

It needs to be fully taken off then re sat in place or nothing lines up correctly.

If you dont do that properly you end up with things catching or not sitting straight.
As fubar has also done ive done a good few of these and never had a problem. Altho having someone at the other side to help lower it down is a must

 

[matt|H]

Mine ended up like this the 2nd time I done it.. was getting stuck on the back of the airbag.

 

[fUbAr]

The dash slides off... thats what it does.

It's tricky, but you need to slide it towards you and lift upwards at the same time. If you get impatient and just start tugging at the thing, it will end up like this.

 

[H182]

this happened with mine as my dad lifted it up instead of sliding it out. Spent about 20min's messing around. We managed by pushing down hard on the dash where the clips are on the airbag and pulling at the same time. I've removed the dash since and pulling it straight there is no problem.

 

[FAST_aD13]

so to summise im either a) knackered - or - b) need to give it a firm pull up from the middle of the dash (one hand under the windscreen vent and one from the front) inorder to release the rest of the clips then re-seat it?

 

[H182]

Don't pull it up, the dash needs to be as flat as possible. Put one hand over where the clips are on the airbag and push down hard, whilst pulling the dash towards you with the other. Ignore the other side of the dash for now there's not really much for that to get stuck on.

 

[bmh.01]

You are pulling it towards you aren't you? Not up? Use the dial cover to pull the drivers side then the vents and the ridge on the side of the dash by the a pillar to pull the passenger side free, then roberts your fathers brother.

I fail to see how people struggle with taking them off tbh.

 

[FAST_aD13]

Put one hand over where the clips are on the airbag and push down hard, whilst pulling the dash towards you with the other. .

^tonights task i think!

And yes... i have been pulling it towards me (not up) - i've removed several dashes from fords and alsorts in the past and never really had this much trouble when doing so :S

 

[fUbAr]

You're going to find it very hard to remove now you've done the above. The dash needs to be flat in its original position to slide off.

 

[Gaz_]

Roffle!!!! Did this twice with my Cup. It will wriggle free, but f**k me good luck!!!

 

[FAST_aD13]

DONE! :lolup:

I decided to use alittle more force this time to get it over the airbag, (previously i'd been trying to ease it over)... a few hard downward cracks with my fist whilst pulling it forward from the middle and it clipped back down over the airbag :approve:

Thanks for all the help guys! - If anyones planning on doing this i'd seriously recommend taking the glove box out instead; saves the hassle and theres tonnes of space under that side of the dash aswell

 

[bmh.01]

Glovebox is riveted in and not easy to remove though?

 

[Has]

Glovebox is riveted in and not easy to remove though?

Correcto!

Not worth doing that way as when you go to put it back the wires NEVER stay in place or you end up squashing them.

Removing dash top and working top down is the best approach to sort the wiring. Can neatly place/run it.

 

[FAST_aD13]

:s oh well!..