Dashboard removal

[Dan Welburn]

Done a search but it returned no results, Has anyone removed the dash from the mk2 octavia? just looking for hints and tips before i go gung ho and end up breaking something. Looking over the replacement i have there doesn't appear to many screws/bolts holding it in place. 

 

Main thing i'm wondering is if the centre console needs removing? are can it all be done with it in situ?

 

Cheers 

 

Dan

[blackspaven]

Was wondering this myself the other day as my MkII golf was simple to take apart. Over to the boffins....

[nickguzzi]

Not done a whole Octavia dash.  I did have to remove the gauges etc. in my old one. 

Easy enough, but it needed some long torx drivers and some of the screws were very tight, so be careful - rounding them off could be frustrating.

As some screws were so tight, I put a drop of loctite on them as I didn't want it squeaking later.  Self tappers don't grip so well second time around.

AFAIR, all the electrical stuff I had to deal with was on keyed connect blocks, so other than being tight, was easy to do.

 

As Mike mentions, there is a lot more work removing and replacing a whole dash.

Good Luck.

[Dan Welburn]

Very straightforward, was easier than my old b6 audi a4. glovebox is out in 6 screws lower dash under steering wheel is out in another 5 or 6, take ashtray out of centre, couple of screws there that hold the side panels in place. Only 2 screws i had a little struggle finding but once i took 5 mins to look at the replacement i found them. They were facing upwards in the sides of the dash. That guide makes it out to be more complicated then it is, as no need to remove steering wheel, only a pillar trims and then manoevre it out the passenger side.

 

Dont really have a pic of dash before removal but as you can imagine it was full of screw holes from the police equipment. 

 

Dash removed:

 

New Dash in along with new top vents new radio and surround:

 

Only thing that i found a little tricky was relocating the heater control pin that controls direction of blowers but a little fiddling and i got there

 

all done in about an hour

 

Dan

[Dan Welburn]

Ill spend a little time later and do a step by step guide,

 

As for extra wiring there are a few power cables ran from fuse box one is blanked near to instrument panel, one behind radio (Guessing for the screens) there was a mic ran up to the headlining, a antenna wire ran down the side of car towards boot, and also a bury radio system control box behind heater panel, all carefully removed and placed in my bin. 

 

Dan

[maverick54]

Well done mate looks a big job. Looks bloody scary as well in that photo before you got it all back together.

[blackspaven]

Don't need to do mine, but remember the old golf was about 4/5 screws either side on the under trays which drop off, few more to undo the centre console which slid backwards, 3 more to remove the steering wheel covers, then four big nuts in the engine bay and out she slid! Even without a Haynes, it was very easy if you gave it a tug and looked logically where the resistance was from, so it'd be good if VAG kept that simplicity.

 

It doesn't need to be complicated to remain solid.

[Dafid]

My local garage Clarion cars said it would take anything up to 5 to 10 hours for them to refit a new dashboard and at 60 pounds an hour enough said I did it myself and it took me 2 hours to remove and replace another so anybody with a little brains can do it good luck jus follow the others who have done it

[blackspaven]

Blindingly obvious then that they've never done it and are going by some book which tells them a guide time. P1sses me off when garages say that but when you tell them it's easier than they're making it they get @rsey and call you a know it all simply cos they're not willing to learn! Not a garage that will keep MY business!

 

..and conversely I've been to a few where I've shown them how to do the odd thing, and they've not acted like d1cks so there's been a mutual respect which gets my trade back again.

[ReggaeShark]

Did anybody ever do a guide for removal? Got mine to remove this weekend to hopefully find a rattle! 55plate vrs. Thanks