Dash — removal and installation
1. Disconnect the battery and wait about 10 minutes for any residual power to be depleted in the airbag system before disconnecting any electrical components.
Tip: FOR COMPLETE DASH ASSEMBLY REMOVAL — A good reference tip to keep in mind when removing the entire dash as an assembly are the type of screws used. From the factory all the screws necessary to remove the entire dash assembly as one piece are brass colored. All the screws for the various subassemblies that make up the completed dash assembly such as the dash carriage, outlet vents, and crash support bar will have black screws attaching them. Black screws are also used for components as well as such components as the instrument cluster and radio. This color difference does not include the large bolts at the ends of the support bracket (bar) or for the bottom center section bolts. Those are regular bolts and will need to be unbolted to remove the dash assembly. The dash assembly was made to be installed at the factory as one complete unit and you can remove it the same way.
Dash overlay removal
Note: The steps below are to remove the individual components that make up the dash assembly. They do not need to be separated if you are trying to get to the heater core or evaporator core. Remove the dash as an assembly rather than by sections. Just follow the tool tip above and only remove the brass screws and the main bolts for the crash support bar.
2. Disconnect the cable from the negative terminal of the battery (see Engine electrical systems). Remove the center console (see Dash trim panels and interior trim — removal and installation).
3. Remove the center storage compartment (see Dash trim panels and interior trim — removal and installation).
4. Remove the instrument panel lower center trim panels (see Dash trim panels and interior trim — removal and installation).
5. Remove the defrost trim panel (see Dash trim panels and interior trim — removal and installation).
Note: If equipped with dash speakers or the navigation system, disconnect the dash speakers and the navigation signal splitter.
6. Remove the instrument cluster (see Chassis electrical system).
7. Remove the driver’s side trim/vent panel (see Dash trim panels and interior trim — removal and installation).
8. Remove the steering column (see Suspension and steering).
9. Remove the radio assembly and/or the audio disc player, whichever your vehicle is equipped with (see Chassis electrical system).
10. Remove the center air vents (three screws hold each of them in place). After removing the screws, pull the vents free from the radio area of the dash.
11. If applicable, remove the stability control switch (below the center vents and radio area).
12. Remove the upper storage compartment and the glove box (see Dash trim panels and interior trim — removal and installation).
13. Remove the passenger’s side end trim panel (see Dash trim panels and interior trim — removal and installation).
14. Remove the side window defrost ducts from inside the end trim area (one per each side) (see illustration).
29.14 Passenger’s side vent screws, dash end screws and defrost duct vent
15. Remove the A pillars trim (Dash trim panels and interior trim — removal and installation ).
16. From inside the glove box area remove the seven screws securing the dash overlay assembly to the support bracket (see illustration).
29.16 Keep track of the screws and the various bolts for reinstalling
17. From inside the glove box area remove the two bolts securing the passenger’s side airbag to the support bracket.
18. From inside the radio area, remove the four screws that are located where the radio would be (see illustration).
29.18 Center section screw locations
19. There are also two screws located in the center storage compartment area that need to be removed.
20. From inside the instrument cluster area remove the four screws securing the dash overlay to the support bracket.
21. In the driver’s side vent area there are two screws that need to be removed as well as two screws on each end of the dash. Remove these from the driver’s and passenger’s sides (see illustration).
29.21 Driver’s side dash end screws and knee bolster screw locations
22. From the knee bolster area remove the four bolts securing the dash to the support brackets.
23. While in that area, disconnect the diagnostic connector from the retainer mounted on the edge of the lower portion of the dash.
24. Remove the four screws across the top edge in the defrost trim panel area.
25. At this point a helper will beneficial.
26. Grasp the dash and carefully jiggle it loose by about an inch or two.
27. Now look underneath for the electrical connectors that are coming out with it. One connector on the passenger’s side, and one
main connector on the driver’s side. There may be some wire retainers attached in the middle section that will need to be removed as well. Disconnect the connectors.
28. Pull the dash out a bit farther and check for any other connectors you may have missed.
29. Now the complete dash overlay can be removed from the vehicle.
Dash carriage removal and installation
30. Remove the dash overlay (see previous section).
31. Remove the three main carrier bolts: one on either end and one in the middle of the carriage.
32. Remove the four bolts that secure the carriage to the support bracket. You’ll have to reach over the carriage to get to them.
33. Locate the remaining screw in the center of the carriage that secures the carriage to the support bar. Brace the carriage and then remove the remaining screw.
34. Installation is reverse of removal.
Support bar removal and installation
35. There are two bolts on each end and one bolt on either side of the center section (passenger’s and driver’s sides) near the bottom edges, and two bolts on the top edge about where the instrument cluster would be (see illustrations).
29.35a Driver’s side fasteners. Dash overlay has been removed for clarity
29.35b Passenger’s side fasteners. Dash overlay has been removed for clarity
36. Remove the bolts and carefully guide the support bracket out of the car.
Caution: Be careful removing and installing the support bracket. The edges can be extremely sharp.
37. Installation is the reverse of removal. Tighten support bracket bolts to 16 ft. lbs. when reinstalling.
Mechanic’s shortcut
Note: If you are trying to get to the heater core or evaporator core you will need to remove the dash assembly. A mechanic’s shortcut is to only remove what is needed and not take the entire assembly out of the car. The following steps are a shortcut to getting to the HVAC unit.
38. Remove the A pillar trim from the driver’s and passenger’s sides (see Dash trim panels and interior trim — removal and installation).
39. Remove the defrost trim and remove the screws across the top edge of the dash (Dash trim panels and interior trim — removal and installation).
40. Remove the instrument cluster, then reach in and remove the two upper bolts that secure the dash assembly to the support bracket and the frame (see Chassis electrical system).
41. Remove the center console (if it is the full-size console). Then remove the lower center trim panels (see Center console and overhead console — removal and installation).
42. Remove the four bolts securing the dash support bar to the lower center section brackets.
43. Remove both the driver’s and passenger’s sides fuse box lids.
44. On the passenger’s side remove the two bolts securing the support bar to the A pillar area (see Dash trim panels and interior trim — removal and installation).
45. On the driver’s side unscrew (but do not remove) the two bolts until just a thread or two are still holding.
46. Lock the steering wheel in place so it does not move. Mark the position of the steering column shaft to the upper intermediate shaft, then remove the bolt securing the intermediate shaft. Slide the shaft up and off of the steering column shaft (see Suspension and steering).
47. Disconnect the electrical connections on the driver’s side and passenger’s side, and the radio antenna lead coupler on the passenger’s side.
48. From the passenger’s side grasp the dash assembly and lift up slightly. You may have to jiggle it a bit, but if it doesn’t budge you’ve probably missed a bolt or a screw. Go back and recheck for any screw you might have missed.
49. Once the dash assembly is lifted off of the passenger’s side bracket, the driver’s side bolts that you loosened previously will act like a hinge, allowing the dash to swing out and toward the passenger seat. Move it out far enough so you can squeeze between the dash assembly and the windshield to get to the HVAC unit.
50. Installation is the reverse of removal.