Dashboard / Instrument Panel: Service and Repair

Note: Instrument panel removal steps are illustrated below. Part of the procedure for removing the instrument panel requires removing both passenger and driver's airbags (if equipped) and drilling out the steering column mounting bolts (shear-bolts) to lower the steering column. New steering column shear-bolts are required. Also, work carefully to avoid damaging the many molded-in pins and other retaining parts.

To Remove Instrument Panel

- Obtain theft protected radio code.

- Disconnect battery Ground (GND) strap.

- Remove radio.

- Remove driver's and passenger's side airbag units, if equipped. Air Bag

- Remove steering wheel.

- Remove center console and extension. Service and Repair

- Remove inner door sill trim.





- Remove lower "A-pillar" kick panel trim.








- Remove storage trays or knee bar.





- Remove Heater/AC control panel trim

- Remove Heater/AC control panel mounting screws

- Move Heater/AC controls out of the way.
Use care not to kink or bend cables.

- Drill out and remove the shear bolts that secure the steering column, then lower the steering column. See Steering and Suspension for more information about the steering column assembly.
New shear-bolts are required for reassembly.





- Disconnect the ground connections and harness connectors from behind the instrument panel.

- Disconnect the instrument panel wiring harness connectors from behind the fuse/relay panel.





- Remove the trim caps and screws on each end of the instrument panel.

- Remove the retainers from the air intake housing behind panel.

- Disconnect the brackets between the instrument panel and the floor tunnel, fold them out of the way.

- Remove the instrument panel.


Installation Notes:
- Installation is the reverse of removal.
- On cars with a cable-driven speedometer, the cable is only pushed into the back of the speedometer. For installation, temporarily disconnect the cable inside the fresh air plenum under the hood.
- While fitting the instrument panel, make sure that the retaining pins on the instrument panel engage in the mounting brackets at the base of the windshield.
- Check that the air ducting is properly seated on the heater housing.
- Install new steering column shear-bolts