Body/Trim: Can't remove Radio/Heater panel

[BestGear]

Guys

I cannot believe I am stuck with this - so any help is appreciated.

I need to repair the ICM and I can't get the dash out!

I have undone the two torx at the bottom (the correct two) and pulled out the base, but it wont drop down.

I have watched many youtube videos showing the technique and it looks like my dash wont come out far enough before trying to drop it down to get it out.

Even with brute force, it wont budge. I have tried levering it out all over the place but its in for good!

Anyone had a similar experience? I am just hoping no cables/fibers are trapped at the rear causing this issue.


David

[4x4]

A bit of brute force and ignorance should get it out. Pull outwards from the bottom an inch or so then pull downwards to remove it from the top lip

[S60D5-185]

Also make sure that the battery is disconnected FIRST otherwise you may well end up with an SRS fault being logged.

It's well documented on here and many have fallen foul of it.

[BestGear]

Thanks for the replies Guys!

Battery was disconnected... just to be sure... and good advice!

I cant seem to get the bottom out far enough - some videos show it way further out than mine will emerge - and I think that is the issue - but it feels like it is definitely crushing or hurting something behind to use brute force...

My fear is the cables/fibre!

I really need it out - and am looking to repair the ICM and do a write up of the common board level faults in the ICM once fixed.

David

[4x4]

It doesn't need to come out much before you pull the entire panel downwards. As for the battery I've never disconnected mine, just keep the key out of the ignition

[owenfackrell]

From memory with mine the cable to the back of the cigarette lighter was stopping it from coming forward or at least it was something like that. Worth a check anyway.

[4x4]

Nothing will break if you give it a good hard pull, there is lots of excess cable behind the radio so you won't pull any of the connections off

[BestGear]

Originally Posted by 4x4

Nothing will break if you give it a good hard pull, there is lots of excess cable behind the radio so you won't pull any of the connections off

I was worried that there may be cables trapped between the panel I an trying to remove and the dash structure... not having seen for myself the void(?) that exists behind.

I even cut away a bridge of plastic between the center console screws (has not affected look or structure) so that it have more downward room as pulling it out at the bottom to clear that lip is hard.

My suspicion is that it needs to come out more at the bottom before pulling down.


David

[4x4]

The unit need to come out about 1" (25cm) to allow the complete unit to drop down. (see the red arrows in the attached images.



This is what it looks like stripped down which you can only do by accessing the screws from behind.

[BestGear]

Originally Posted by 4x4

The unit need to come out about 1" (25cm) to allow the complete unit to drop down. (see the red arrows in the attached images.

These are excellent - thanks - I will study them as it should help me figure out where to pull/push!


David