VW MK2 DIY

Dash Removal

 

You'll need

10mm deep well socket

8mm socket

3" inch extension

socket wrench

flat screwdriver

#2 phillips screwdriver

#3 phillips screwdriver(if you have the one piece knee bar like i have. if you dont youll have to figure out what you need to remove it)

whatever tools you need to remove your radio

 

first thing you need to do is either remove or slide back the seats. if your pulling the dash to pull the heater box i would reccomend removing both from seats. also you may decide to remove the steering wheel. i didnt and it would have been easier if i did.

after that remove the shift knob by unscrewing it counter clockwise and then removing the shift boot by pulling up around the bottom of the boot. the plastic surround will come up with it. thats ok thats what your trying to remove. after the boots removed youll see a single lone screw towards the front of the opening. remove this and if you have diagnostic connections on the right side of the opening pop them off as well. i dont know how to pop them off since when i got my car they were just bare wires.

slide the console back until you can see behind it. if you have power windows youll have five(2 or 3 on 2 door cars) plugs at the top of the console. mark them so you can plug them back in correctly later. you dont want to go to roll down the drivers window and have the rear passenger go down instead like i did the first time. youll need the squeeze the locking tabs and pull the plugs off. mine have apparently been off and on so much the tabs were not holding anything but the plugs were very snug. after you pull those you will see another one on the back on the cig lighter and possibly one more connection below that. remove those but be careful not to break anything. the lower box was very difficult to get the plug out of the first time i removed the console. i ended up unscrewing it off of its bracket and pulling the console without it.

youll want to put the shifter in 2nd or 4th and push the console back as far as you can and try to carefully turn it towards the passenger side and pull it out.

 

next step is the remove the knee bar. if you dont have one feel lucky. the one piece one is heavy but i was able to remove and install it myself.

if you have the one piece one like i have you will either need someone to hold one end while you remove the bolts from the other or something to set one end on.

two #3 phillips screws on either side(green dots in the picture below) you may need to pull the door seal back to get to them. remove the two screws on one side and support the side on something while you remove the other. be careful when you remove the screws, it will drop if your not careful. once those four screws are out you can set it aside. i decided to set it on the roof.

 

CLUSTER REMOVAL STARTS HERE

remove your radio.

after that youll need to remove the dash switches and unplug them. mine kinda just popped right out but yours might not. i found if i was able to get to the back of the switches i could push them out from the rear.

after all the switches are out youll need to remove the 8 #2 phillips screws(blue  in picture). three(two on right one on left) are behind the heater controls. pull the levers straight out and the face plate should pop right off. remove the two plugs on the back of it. on mine the fan plug was difficult to remove. two above instrument cluster, one at top of radio opening, one behind headlight switch and one behind left lower switch blank. then remove the bezel.

if your not removin the dash skip this step... on each vent there is a screw above the outer two and two above the center one. remove those and carefully remove the vents.

now on to where i cussed the most... the cluster. remove the two #2 phillips screws (yellow in pic) and carefully pull the cluster forward. now reach under the dash and and remove the speedo cable. its in the center of the speedo and you will need to squeeze it and pull it off. now roll the cluster so you can get to the rear of it and remove the vacuum hose. it pulls right off but be careful not to break the plastic nipple its on. and then unplug the wire plug (or plugs). on mine there was one on the right side at the bottom of the cluster. carefully remove the cluster.

CLUSTER REMOVAL ENDS HERE. INSTALL IS REVERSE OF REMOVAL.

there are four 8mm screws(red dots) two under the dash on either side of the center vent and one on each end above where the kneebar screws were.

now under the hood youll need to remove the plastic rain tray cover and undo the two 10mm nuts (purple dots) one is behind the wiper motor and the other is towards the center from the heater intake. youll need to feel for them because you probably wont be able to see them.

you may need to have both doors open for the last step.

after that slowly pull the dash off of the firewall checking for any wires connected to the dash. speakers, behind cluster and behind glove box are all i can think of. i didnt have any connected wires but be careful. once the dash is out as far as it will go you may need to tilt the back of it up and slide it out towards the passenger door. place it to the side(i put mine on the roof with the knee bar) and do whatever you removed the dash for. install is the reverse of removal. you will need to make sure the passenger side vent pipe is in place and guide the ends into the vent holes. the speedo cable is easier to attach with the cluster mounted and just clips on. tug on it to make sure its installed properly.