Not sure how anyone manages to get a cork into the metal top hat, but I have used pieces of pipe insulation which is nice dense foam, and wedged as much as possible into the top hat and over the vent ducts. It seems to have stopped the creaking noise for now .......

OOoooo...pipe insulation eh?? When I get the time will have try that (got plenty of thick pipe insulation in garage from fitting heating system in house 18 months ago!)) I cured the instrument binnicle squeak with felt pads, but gave up on the mouse in the centre of the dash years ago... hasn't affected me at all...hvkjvo;einvaie'rufniejcnajo AAAGGGGGHHHH!!!!!!

I've just tried to fix mine using the guide.......will post some more info up later when I get time as did it using a bit of softwood (instead of cork) and some glue/sealant....hope it works as was a pig to get access to the bloody "top hat"...

I have a creak in my dash, it's driving me nuts. The guides pictures seem to be down, and after skim reading im not enlightened.

Is there a Bracket accessible behind the centre vents that you wedge with beer may style piece of cork?

I have a creak in my dash, it's driving me nuts. The guides pictures seem to be down, and after skim reading im not enlightened.

Is there a Bracket accessible behind the centre vents that you wedge with beer may style piece of cork?

There are two creaks...one is the hood over the main instrument binacle...the other is the centre part about 6" from the hazard switch......remove the centre vents then unplug the hazard switch....now using a torch look at the small gap between the two ducts....about 4" back there is a black plastic arm than comes down from the top of (underside) the dash this then locates into a metal cup "top hat".......basically there is a covered saddle bracket on the top on the main cross bar that the whole steering mech/dash bolts to and the open end is facing you, the bottom of the black plastic arm locates into this, but the tension is not great enough so a wedge has to placed between the cross bar (bottom of metal bracket) and the black plastic arm forcing the arm up into the top of the metal saddle bracket "top hat". I used a piece of softwood and coated it a thin coat of extreme glue to glue it in place as people have found out that the wedges "drop" out, and I used wood as it won't get softer etc...took a bit of time to get enough tension then gently made it thinner as you don't want to force it to much!....

Sounds like one of those jobs where it'll become more clear once I have it all out, thanks for the advice! I'll get cracking on it soon.

Sorry hang on, I've just got the centre dash vents out. Are we lookin directly between and behind the vent tunnels? Is there more removal involved as I haven't a hope in hell of getting behind there to see what I'm doing!!

Edit: this is what I'm seeing behind the vent tunnels. There is a strip of vertical plastic trim which gets in the way. But behind it all I can just about make out a metal bit which looks like it has a bolt missing?

Sorry hang on, I've just got the centre dash vents out. Are we lookin directly between and behind the vent tunnels? Is there more removal involved as I haven't a hope in hell of getting behind there to see what I'm doing!!

Edit: this is what I'm seeing behind the vent tunnels. There is a strip of vertical plastic trim which gets in the way. But behind it all I can just about make out a metal bit which looks like it has a bolt missing?

No you have removed all you need too....kneel down in the passenger side and look up into the space behind the vertical plastic bit that gets in the way...look back another 6".......it's there......

I've always found it a hell of a lot easier and 100% successful to remove the dash and insulate the bracket properly (I at work however do have to warranty my work for two years remember). But had so many dashes out over the years I can get one out and in in an hour.

I can get one out and in in an hour.

Show off...... :p

Fabdavrav thanks for your description.

After 5 reads or so whilst thinking 'this makes no sense!' I finally understood and have located the part needing to be wedged!

However, after successfully wedging it with a 7mm thick comprimise of plastic and an old coaster, I'm still getting a creak. It actually sounds like its located more to the passenger side, although I can't be certain. I'm gunna spend a day removing the Whole dash and investigating further I think.

Can anyone recommend any areas to keep in mind when I take this job on?

glovebox??????.....and taking the dash out....you're braver than I am!!!!!!!....good luck......instrument binical......

glovebox??????.....and taking the dash out....you're braver than I am!!!!!!!....good luck......instrument binical......

It's around the glovebox area yeh. I've developed a higher pitch one further on the passenger side now also. And after fitting my coilovers today both are twice as loud an annoying!

Sorry to resurrect such an old post but I just can't find the top hat piece. Is it the black plastic part pointed at by the arrow?