Does anyone know how to remove the three dash trim pieces? (the ones that separate up
07-15-2003, 07:55 AM
#1
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Does anyone know how to remove the three dash trim pieces? (the ones that separate up
i need to replace the black one to silver. any help?
07-15-2003, 11:02 AM
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Tough call. The proper way, of course, is to remove the dash and unscrew it from the back. There are multi screws in there. A couple of brave souls (not me!) have pried the strips out using a flathead screwdriver and "worked" the strips off using leverage very carefully. According to them the screw heads are pulled right through the holes. Then you put your silver strips in with a bit of glue. Someone also posted that they began prying the strip up and it didn't budge...and they were afraid of damaging the dash itself. So good luck and be sure and post if you are successful! 
07-15-2003, 08:13 PM
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Has anyone here did this job, as I am as well interested in doing this project. What type of glue do you use? Also where do you start to you use the flathead screwdriver on the pieces themselves? Taking apart the entire dash is 10-12 hrs of labor and can introduce too many problems for just a silver strip. Thanks.
07-15-2003, 08:45 PM
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i think u have to remove both side air vent pieces in order to use the flathead screwdriver, but that just for the very left & right piece. not sure about the one on the right side of the steering wheel. maybe remove the center dash piece?
07-15-2003, 09:31 PM
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That sounds like a good idea for the right and left. Well I have the navigation so I dont know if that would complicate things. I know I have seen a few people who have done it. Hopefully someone can help us out here. Thanks.
Last edited by 03-C4S; 07-15-2003 at 09:38 PM.
07-16-2003, 04:16 AM
#6
Three Wheelin'
Dahs trim pieces re and re
I removed and replaced my dash trim pieces by myself without removing the dashborad from the car. I had to "undergo" the following tortures:
1- Passenger side trim has about eight or nine little, tiny screws (why so many? Who knows. Perhaps so it doesn't fly off as a deadly piece of plastic if the air bag blows and drags it out with it). This piece was by far the easiest. Remove the air bag (2 large, long screws accessible from under the dash once the "hush panel" is removed from underneath) and once it has been removed, you'll need an angled screwdriver (such as the Scewdriver, that is the brand name) and a small torx bit (I forget which size, T8 or T10) to get at all of the screws. They come out easily enough but make sure that the bit you use is magnetic otherwise they will fall in an abyss that is created by the aluminum dash support below. If they do fall in, they are extremely difficult to remove. Once that piece is out, simply replace it with your new one.
2- Middle (between the centre dash piece and the steering column). This one was hard to remove because it has three (I think) screws securing it and only one was accessible by my Scewdriver. The balance of the screws were removed by using a very fine bit on my Dremel tool (high speed drill-like tool that resembles a Dentist's drill) and drilled into the facing of the trim pieces to grind and drill away the plastic that ecompassed the screw. Once I removed enough plastic and heated the trim piece up (by the drilling alone), the trim piece was easily removed and replaced by the new one.
3- Left side (near ignition switch for left hand drive cars) wasn't too bad. I removed the side panel (the part that faces the door) and the headlight switch (once again, for left hand drive cars), the centre dash piece and anything else that would gain me access to the back of the trim piece and its screws. I remember that I could get at most except for one or two which lead me to repeat the painfull drilling and melting process.
A word of caution: If you try this at home kids, make sure that if you do use the Dremel approach, be very careful not to let any spinning parts of the Dremel's shaft touch any of your dashboard surfaces. If this happens, you will very easily melt or grind through the vinyl that covers and forms your dashboard. I don't have pictures of this procedure (perhaps I should start doing that when I perform these jobs) but I hope that the above explanation helps. Oh yeah, it is worth the trouble at the end of the day. It looks much better than the stock black or speckled crap.
1- Passenger side trim has about eight or nine little, tiny screws (why so many? Who knows. Perhaps so it doesn't fly off as a deadly piece of plastic if the air bag blows and drags it out with it). This piece was by far the easiest. Remove the air bag (2 large, long screws accessible from under the dash once the "hush panel" is removed from underneath) and once it has been removed, you'll need an angled screwdriver (such as the Scewdriver, that is the brand name) and a small torx bit (I forget which size, T8 or T10) to get at all of the screws. They come out easily enough but make sure that the bit you use is magnetic otherwise they will fall in an abyss that is created by the aluminum dash support below. If they do fall in, they are extremely difficult to remove. Once that piece is out, simply replace it with your new one.
2- Middle (between the centre dash piece and the steering column). This one was hard to remove because it has three (I think) screws securing it and only one was accessible by my Scewdriver. The balance of the screws were removed by using a very fine bit on my Dremel tool (high speed drill-like tool that resembles a Dentist's drill) and drilled into the facing of the trim pieces to grind and drill away the plastic that ecompassed the screw. Once I removed enough plastic and heated the trim piece up (by the drilling alone), the trim piece was easily removed and replaced by the new one.
3- Left side (near ignition switch for left hand drive cars) wasn't too bad. I removed the side panel (the part that faces the door) and the headlight switch (once again, for left hand drive cars), the centre dash piece and anything else that would gain me access to the back of the trim piece and its screws. I remember that I could get at most except for one or two which lead me to repeat the painfull drilling and melting process.
A word of caution: If you try this at home kids, make sure that if you do use the Dremel approach, be very careful not to let any spinning parts of the Dremel's shaft touch any of your dashboard surfaces. If this happens, you will very easily melt or grind through the vinyl that covers and forms your dashboard. I don't have pictures of this procedure (perhaps I should start doing that when I perform these jobs) but I hope that the above explanation helps. Oh yeah, it is worth the trouble at the end of the day. It looks much better than the stock black or speckled crap.
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07-16-2003, 06:15 AM
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Mine dash looks a little different in terms of the holes. Did they change this for 03 because from the ones I have it seems the smaller pieces have only one screw each and the long piece has two screws. Maybe I'm speaking of the wrong thing, actually good possibility that I'm wrong. But if anyone has any input, I appreciate it.
07-16-2003, 06:44 AM
#11
Three Wheelin'
You guys are too funny. I'll be in NYC in Septmeber (on business so I'm not sure when yet) and I'll be turning my trip into an extra long weekend (I'm originally from New York so I try to get back as often as possible).
07-16-2003, 08:29 AM
#12
Three Wheelin'
Hey Alon, how about Liverpool, UK?
Seriously though, what pieces are we talking about here? The only dash trim pieces I can think of are the side vents, center console heater surround and maybe the piece that goes under the airbag across the dash. What are these "separate up" peices. The otheres doesn't need the whole dash out. I must be missing something .......
Seriously though, what pieces are we talking about here? The only dash trim pieces I can think of are the side vents, center console heater surround and maybe the piece that goes under the airbag across the dash. What are these "separate up" peices. The otheres doesn't need the whole dash out. I must be missing something .......
