Instrument Panel Cover - Removal

REMOVAL

WARNING: To avoid serious or fatal injury on vehicles equipped with airbags, disable the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) before attempting any steering wheel, steering column, airbag, seat belt tensioner, impact sensor, or instrument panel component diagnosis or service. Disconnect and isolate the battery negative (ground) cable, then wait two minutes for the system capacitor to discharge before performing further diagnosis or service. This is the only sure way to disable the SRS. Failure to take the proper precautions could result in accidental airbag deployment.

WARNING: To avoid serious or fatal injury when removing a deployed airbag, rubber gloves, eye protection, and a long-sleeved shirt should be worn. There may be deposits on the airbag unit and other interior surfaces. In large doses, these deposits may cause irritation to the skin and eyes.

NOTE: The front seats should be at the full rearward position before disconnecting the battery.

1. Disconnect and isolate the battery negative cable. Wait two minutes for the system capacitor to discharge before further service.




2. Separate the door seal as necessary to access the side covers.
3. Using a trim stick C-4755 or equivalent, remove the driver side cover.





4. Remove the screws (2) and remove the passenger side closeout panel (1).





5. Remove the glove box assembly.Instrument Panel Glove Box - Removal





6. Disconnect the passenger airbag pigtail wire connector from the instrument panel wire harness connector for the airbag. This connector is secured to the passenger airbag mounting bracket. To disconnect the connector:
a. Slide the red Connector Position Assurance (CPA) lock on the top of the connector toward the side of the connector.
b. Depress the connector latch tab and pull the two halves of the connector straight away from each other.
7. Remove the two screws (1) that secure the airbag mounting bracket to the instrument panel structural support (2).





8. Remove the screws (3) and remove the drivers side closeout panel (2).





9. Using a trim stick C-4755 or equivalent, separate the upper clips and rotate the cover down and release the lower hinges at the bottom and remove the opening cover.






NOTE: Passenger side A-pillar trim (1) shown, driver side trim similar.

10. Using a small flat-bladed tool, carefully open the two fastener covers located in the A-pillar trim panel.
11. Remove the two bolts (2) that secure the A-pillar trim panel (1) to the A-pillar and remove the trim panels.





12. Remove the instrument cluster hood and cluster assembly (3).Instrument Cluster - Removal





13. Using a trim stick C-4755 or equivalent, remove the defroster grilles (2).
14. Remove the two fence line nuts (1).






NOTE: Passenger side speaker shown, driver side similar.

15. Remove the right and left instrument panel speakers. Speaker - Removal





16. Using a trim stick C-4755 or equivalent, remove the shifter bezel ring.





17. Using a trim stick C-4755 or equivalent, remove the shifter bezel.





18. Using trim stick C-4755 or equivalent, release the 12 retaining clips (2) and separate the center bezel.





19. Remove the radio from the instrument panel. Radio - Removal





20. Separate the door seal as necessary to access the side covers.
21. Using a trim stick C-4755 or equivalent, remove the passenger side cover.





22. Remove the two screws (2) and locate the four screws on the backside of the top cover (1) through the glove box door opening.






NOTE: Four of the top cover-to-instrument panel retaining screws (1) are located on the backside of the top cover and must be accessed through the glove box door opening (2).

23. Remove the four inner screws (1) located above the glove box and through the glove box opening (2).





24. Remove the six (2) screws and one bolt (1) at the radio opening in the instrument panel.





25. Using a 7 mm box end wrench (1), remove the hidden screw located at the right side of the cluster opening.





26. Remove the two top cover-to-instrument panel retaining screws located at the back of the instrument panel cluster opening.





27. Remove the instrument panel storage bin to gain access to an additional top cover retaining screw.





28. Remove the hidden top cover-to-instrument panel retaining screw (2) at the left side of the cluster opening

NOTE: The hidden screw is located on the backside of the top cover. It can be accessed through the end cap opening on the instrument panel.

29. Remove the two top cover retaining screws (1) on the left end of the instrument panel top cover
30. Place a fender cover (or equivalent) over the steering wheel to prevent damage during top cover removal and installation.
31. Partially lift the top cover from the instrument panel and disengage the radio speaker wire routing push pin retainers from the top cover.
32. Vehicles equipped with headlamp sensor, remove and disconnect the headlamp sensor located in the center of the top cover
33. Carefully remove the top cover from the vehicle.