Guide to Removing Dash

cus

... Vag only!
Feb 8, 2004
1,713
0
Middlesbrough
www.nemm.co.uk
Please note that i'm not responsible for anything that might break whilst doing this.
This is a rough guide to the steps that I took... if there is anything missing please add it to the bottom! thankyou.

disconnect battery first!!!!

tools used...

7mm socket
8mm socket
10mm socket
24mm socket
torq screwdriver (sorry, i cant remember what size)
screw drivers, both types


LOWER DASH / GEARSTICK REMOVAL

1. gearstick
pull out the clips on the side of the leather for the gearstick. there are 2 on each side. trick is to pull 2 out from the same side and then the whole thing will lift up at an angle.
now mines a modified gearstick, so comes off very simply, i cant remember what it takes to get the standard cupra gearstick off, but you do need to take the full thing off.

2. removing the plastic from around the gearstick
basically this is a tugging game.. the whole plastic from around the gearstick/ashtray pulls up. once this is done, disconnect the cigarette lighter. unscrew the 2 x 10mm plastic bolts holding it in place behind the gearstick.

3. plastic at the back of the handbrake
lift the plastic flap up at the back of the handbrake and unscrew the two screws.
you should now be able to pull this bit of plastic up and over the handbrake. once this is off, pull the other bit of plastic up from around the gearstick.

4. final bit of metal holding upper dash in place
unscrew the 1 x screw and 1 x 10mm plastic bolt. then disconnect the cigarette lighter cable from the plastic clip and remove the metal.


UPPER DASH REMOVAL


1. wheel removal
in the two holes on the back of the steering wheel are two clips holding it in. now that is the hardest bit i found.. get a long thing screw driver and wiggle it about in both holes until the clips come off. yes, it sounds stupid, and could take a long time to do! but its what you have to do!
once off, mark where the steering wheel is on the stalk (some tipex so that it goes back on straight) and then unscrew the 24mm bolt from the middle. wheel off!
be careful not to damage the airbag ribbon

helpful tip. taking the steering wheel off was a right pain, took well over an hour and broke a screwdriver, that was untill i worked out how the clips actually come off. push them towards the middle of the steering wheel, 2 second job then, rather than an hour, i also found if u lift the back part up u can see inside the wheel and see what your doing with the screwdriver.


2. indicator stalk (left stalk)
take the indicator stalk off by the 3 long screws holding it in.

3. centre console
take the centre unit out. 2 screws at the bottom, and then pull off and remove the ribbon cable. take the metal aircon/headunit out and undo the connections on the back.
the heater control at the bottom needs to come off with a torx screwdriver as well

4. glovebox
glove box out by the four screws. 3 on the top. 1 at the back/bottom.

5. plastic covers in footwells
in the passenger and drive footwells are some plastic covers under the dash, they can be undone using a screwdriver.

6. dial removal
then take the dials out and disconnect the 3 connectors from it. awkward at first, but comes out with a little play

7. side dash bolts
open both front doors and you'll see a plastic round cover on the side of the dash, take this off and theres a 8mm bold under there. unscrew both of these, one on each side.

8. bottom dash bolts
underneath the dash, near the doors there are some small bolts to undo, one on each side. i didn't see these, and just pulled the dash off anyway, so mine is snapped, but its not a big problem at all, as the dash is still held in fine. these are quite hard to see, but using a 10mm socket, should come out easy enough.

9. wiring harness
the wire harness is connected to the driver side of the dash using some elasticated straps. just pull these of.

10. passenger side top dash bolts
2 x 10mm bolts hold the passenger side of the dash on, just behind the airbag. these bolts are right next to each other. may need a torch to see them

11. driver side top dash bolts
2 x 10mm bolts holding the driver side on behind where the dials were. undo these.

12. unit behind the dials connected to the dash
there is also a unit with 2 connectors behind where the dials were, attached just above them. unscrew this with a screwdriver and pull it out. a cable form this leads to to centre of the dash, just pull this off.


once this is done. ease the dash off, around the existing stalk.
sounds like a lot of steps, but its actually really easy!!
the dash went on without any issues :) and i did this fine by myself.


hope this helps
 
Last edited:
Jan 8, 2007
2,958
1
Wiltshire
Excellent guide Cus fair play, no doubt that will come in handy for many people on here. Even tempting me to get my dash out now to get it lined in alcantara.... :)
 

cus

... Vag only!
Feb 8, 2004
1,713
0
Middlesbrough
www.nemm.co.uk
Excellent guide Cus fair play, no doubt that will come in handy for many people on here. Even tempting me to get my dash out now to get it lined in alcantara.... :)

that would look amazing! :D definately consider that! everyone who said there dash rattles more after they have taken it out haven't spent enough time making sure things are back properly.
honestly took me 40 minutes yesterday to get my dash out!!

to get it back in properly i reckon an hour and a half. thats with double checking things :)
 

dima_dj

Guest
hi, i just got my mk3 ibiza and already seeting out to custom colour the interior, this dash guide.. is this to take the whole dash off? if so is there a shorter guide to taking just the piece where the steering wheel is? i.e where the plastic is black gloss? any info would be most appreciated!!

Cheers!
 

dima_dj

Guest
right gotcha!! no probs il follow this walk thru and let u know how it goes!!
 

MrWill

Active Member
Aug 10, 2009
115
0
Bristol, UK
I'm a bit confused....which steps do I need to follow to take the dials out and get to the bulbs behind the dash? Do I need to follow all of the steps on the upper dash removal or do I need remove the lower dash as well?

Will.
 

ashgtiturbo

Active Member
Jun 23, 2009
169
0
that would look amazing! :D definately consider that! everyone who said there dash rattles more after they have taken it out haven't spent enough time making sure things are back properly.
honestly took me 40 minutes yesterday to get my dash out!!

to get it back in properly i reckon an hour and a half. thats with double checking things :)

fancy fitting my new dash for me?...i can lend a hand..and include money/beer tokens!!!
 

cus

... Vag only!
Feb 8, 2004
1,713
0
Middlesbrough
www.nemm.co.uk
I'm a bit confused....which steps do I need to follow to take the dials out and get to the bulbs behind the dash? Do I need to follow all of the steps on the upper dash removal or do I need remove the lower dash as well?

Will.


hey, there are two screws above the dials that need to come out, and 2 below. once these are out, the dials can come out.

bit of a fiddle, but for more info search on here for dial removal :)
 

si p

Active Member
Jun 2, 2008
68
0
Horsham
very helpfull guide, dont think i could of done it without this, thought i might just add another helpful tip. taking the steering wheel off was a right pain, took well over an hour and broke a screwdriver, that was untill i worked out how the clips actually come off. push them towards the middle of the steering wheel, 2 second job then, rather than an hour, i also found if u lift the back part up u can see inside the wheel and see what your doing with the screwdriver.
 

T1200Y

Guest
Just pre-read it
Looks like a good step-step
going to try it all tomorro after work :)
 
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