Instrument Panel Assembly

INSTRUMENT PANEL SYSTEM

WARNING: ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AIR-BAGS, DISABLE THE AIRBAG SYSTEM BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANY STEERING WHEEL, STEERING COLUMN, SEAT BELT TENSIONER, OR INSTRUMENT PANEL COMPONENT DIAGNOSIS OR SERVICE. DISCONNECT AND ISOLATE THE BATTERY NEGATIVE (GROUND) CABLE, THEN WAIT TWO MINUTES FOR THE AIRBAG SYSTEM CAPACITOR TO DISCHARGE BEFORE PERFORMING FURTHER DIAGNOSIS OR SERVICE. THIS IS THE ONLY SURE WAY TO DISABLE THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. FAILURE TO TAKE THE PROPER PRECAUTIONS COULD RESULT IN ACCIDENTAL AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AND POSSIBLE PERSONAL INJURY.

REMOVAL

1. Place the front wheels in the straight-ahead position.
2. Disconnect and isolate the battery negative cable.
3. Remove the driver side front seat riser.
4. Remove the engine cover from the passenger compartment.
5. Remove the driver side step sill trim from the driver side step well. Refer to Trim Panel.
6. Remove the driver side wheelhouse trim from the driver side front wheelhouse. Refer to Trim Panel.
7. Remove the end caps from the instrument panel.
8. Remove the top cover from the instrument panel.
9. Remove the knee blocker from the instrument panel. Refer to Knee Diverter.
10. Roll down the glove box from the instrument panel.
11. Remove the steering column from the vehicle.
12. From under the driver side of the instrument panel:
a. Disconnect the instrument panel wire harness connectors secured to the outboard side of the bulkhead wire harness connector.
b. Remove the screw in the center of the instrument panel to bulkhead wire harness connector and disconnect the connector.
c. Disconnect the instrument panel wire harness connector from the Airbag Control Module (ACM) connector receptacle on the front floor panel under the driver side front seat.
d. Lift the covering (carpet or mat) on the driver side front floor far enough to access and disengage the instrument panel wire harness to the ACM from the trough on the floor panel.

13. From under the center of the instrument panel above the dash panel engine housing extension, disconnect the heater and air conditioner vacuum harness connector.
14. Reach through and above the outboard side of the instrument panel glove box opening to disconnect the instrument panel-to-door and instrument panel-to-body wire harness connectors.
15. Disconnect the radio antenna coaxial cable connector on the passenger side end bracket of the instrument panel.

Fig. 1:

16. Remove the four screws that secure the upper right and left instrument panel end brackets to the A-pillars (Fig. 1).
17. Remove the two screws that secure the lower right and left instrument panel end brackets to the cowl side inner panels.
18. Loosen the two nuts that secure the instrument panel right and left center support brackets to the studs on the dash panel engine housing extension.
19. Remove the five screws that secure the top of the instrument panel to the top of the dash panel, removing the center screw last.
20. With the aid of an assistant, lift the instrument panel assembly off of the studs on the dash panel engine cover extension and remove it from the vehicle.

INSTALLATION

1. With the aid of an assistant, load the instrument panel assembly into the vehicle and position it onto the studs on the dash panel engine cover extension (Fig. 1).
2. Install and tighten the five screws that secure the top of the instrument panel to the top of the dash panel. Tighten the screws to 11 N.m (95 in. lbs.).
3. Tighten the two nuts that secure the instrument panel right and left center support brackets to the studs on the dash panel engine housing extension. Tighten the nuts to 28 N.m (250 in. lbs.).
4. Install and tighten the two screws that secure the lower right and left instrument panel end brackets to the cowl side inner panels. Tighten the screws to 11 N.m (95 in. lbs.).
5. Install and tighten the four screws that secure the upper right and left instrument panel end brackets to the A-pillars. Tighten the screws to 11 N.m (95 in. lbs.).
6. Reconnect the radio antenna coaxial cable connector on the passenger side end bracket of the instrument panel.
7. Reach through and above the outboard side of the instrument panel glove box opening to reconnect the instrument panel-to-door and instrument panel-to-body wire harness connectors.
8. From under the center of the instrument panel above the dash panel engine housing extension, reconnect the heater and air conditioner vacuum harness connector.
9. From under the driver side of the instrument panel:
a. Reconnect the wire harness connectors secured to the outboard side of the bulkhead wire harness connector.
b. Reconnect the instrument panel-to-bulkhead wire harness connector and tighten the screw in the center of the connector. Tighten the screw to 4 N.m (31 in. lbs.).
c. Lift the covering (carpet or mat) on the driver side front floor far enough to access and route the instrument panel wire harness through the trough on the floor panel to the Airbag Control Module (ACM).
d. Reconnect the instrument panel wire harness connector to the ACM connector receptacle on the front floor panel under the driver side front seat.

10. Reinstall the steering column into the vehicle.
11. Roll up the glove box into the instrument panel.
12. Reinstall the knee blocker onto the instrument panel.
13. Reinstall the top cover onto the instrument panel.
14. Reinstall the end caps onto the instrument panel.
15. Reinstall the driver side wheelhouse trim onto the driver side front wheelhouse.
16. Reinstall the driver side step sill trim into the driver side step well.
17. Reinstall the engine cover into the passenger compartment.
18. Reinstall the driver side front seat riser.
19. Reconnect the battery negative cable.