Dashboard (safety pad) removal

[swaq]

Edit: I have got over this hurdle now, but found one last group of wires. See post #10.
Edit 2: I figured out the last group of wires (see post #17). No more issues that I can see right now, though I'll probably run into something again after I get a bit further.
Edit 3: Another question in post #18.
Edit 4: Support bar is out. I may have more questions later, we'll see.
Edit 5: Tackling the white boxes now, see post #27.
Edit 6: Box with the heater core is out, additional inquiries in post #30.



I've been following the TSRM for removing the safety pad. However I've come to the step that says:
"Disconnect the driver side wire harness connectors"
"Disconnect the passenger side wire harness connectors"
"Disconnect the console box side wire harness from the body"

The pictures aren't very specific or helpful here, so I'm not exactly sure what I should be disconnecting. Also, the connections are very tight, is there a trick to getting them apart?

I'm attaching a picture from behind the glove box with the connections I see circled. I took a picture under the driver's side too but it didn't turn out very well.

 

[ForcedTorque]

There is a big plug on the driver's side, and what you circled at 5-6. For the driver side, wait until you are actually pulling the dash out, it is much easier them. You can probably do that for both sides. I can't remember if you actually have to take anything loose on the passenger side.

It is sometimes hard to get the dash to break loose even after you have all of the bolts out. Once you get the cluster, black console, and glove box out of the way, there are only 8 bolts left to get it out. Don't go crazy pulling bolts.

 

[Island_Yota]

On the passenger side I disconnected all of the ones around the ECU area, the small connector is the climate control sensor wire. I dont remember disconnecting anything down near the floor. On the drivers side, I cant remember but im pretty sure you need to disconnect the big green one, a blue one and a white one, they are very hard to seperate, If I was to do it again id remove my seats so it was easier to get at them, I was sitting upside down in my seat working under the dash.. pain in the ass. Dont forget the wires around the center console/shifter, theres a hidden ground wire thats underneath the carpet by the shifter aswell as all the connectors going to the TEMS, Seat and mirror controls.

I found the dash pad was a major bitch to get out, and even worse to get back in. I figured out that the dash vent gets stuck on the heater box.

 

[supradragontoy]

I thought it was a piece of cake. Just look carefully for the nuts closest the firewall and you'll get it out. There's one or two on the driver's side towards the back and another on the passenger side that you'll see tied into the glove box brace. Right about where the ECU was mounted. I can take pics of the MKIII with no dash in if that'll help you.

 

[ForcedTorque]

I need to pull my parts car dash for Suprahero soon. I'll take pictures as I go. It is a piece of cake if you have done it a time or two. My first time, I demolished an entire dash under there. Good thing I wasn't putting that car back together.

 

[Moy]

I need to pull my parts car dash for Suprahero soon. I'll take pictures as I go. It is a piece of cake if you have done it a time or two. My first time, I demolished an entire dash under there. Good thing I wasn't putting that car back together.

Well that doesn't make me feel too good about my chances... :cry:

 

[ValgeKotkas]

It's easy...if the previous owner hasn't hacked the wires

 

[Island_Yota]

I thought it was a piece of cake. Just look carefully for the nuts closest the firewall and you'll get it out. There's one or two on the driver's side towards the back and another on the passenger side that you'll see tied into the glove box brace. Right about where the ECU was mounted. I can take pics of the MKIII with no dash in if that'll help you.

I had everything unbolted on mine and I could move it around quite a bit but it wasn't coming out of the car without breaking something. So I found some info on here which helped alot, I pulled the dash pad away from the windshield about 1-2" so the clips popped out, then tilted it upwards over the steering wheel, it was interesting.. but it came out. I forgot about the climate control sensor hose, its a small rubber tube that goes from the heater box to the passenger side of the dash which was one thing it was getting caught on, the other thing was the top of the heater box where it vents into the dash ducting. Id suggest loosening the ebrake handle, removing the shifter and unbolting the steering column. I did get it out without doing that, but it was necessary for putting it back in.

 

[supradragontoy]

I had everything unbolted on mine and I could move it around quite a bit but it wasn't coming out of the car without breaking something. So I found some info on here which helped alot, I pulled the dash pad away from the windshield about 1-2" so the clips popped out, then tilted it upwards over the steering wheel, it was interesting.. but it came out. I forgot about the climate control sensor hose, its a small rubber tube that goes from the heater box to the passenger side of the dash which was one thing it was getting caught on, the other thing was the top of the heater box where it vents into the dash ducting. Id suggest loosening the ebrake handle, removing the shifter and unbolting the steering column. I did get it out without doing that, but it was necessary for putting it back in.

Yeah, I unbolted the steering column too. Chock the tires, throw the shifter back and release the e-brake. You can just man handle the dash when it feels loose. Popping the plugs outta the windshield trim requires a little...oomph.

 

[swaq]

Thanks for the help guys. I've managed to get almost all the electrical connections undone. The ones on the driver's side were a pain. Also, some of the electricals have been messed with and I had to snip a few wires...

However, just when I thought the dash was out I found one last group of wires near the e-brake that I can't find a disconnect for. This wasn't mentioned in the TSRM, as far as I could see.

See attached picture.

 

[mirage83]

Could be the bundle for the drivers seat motors. The disconnect for those is under the seat itself, or at least mine were.

Oh, your choice of course, but I found that pulling the drivers seat out made working on the under-dash harness much easier.

 

[ForcedTorque]

That Harness appears to be coming up out of the floor! That is not stock whatever it is. Follow that harness to either end, and disconnect the easiest end. Does your car have a wideband in it. It looks like that is why that would be there.

I pulled my dash last night in 20 minutes, and took pictures along the way. My cluster/console/glove box were all already out of the way. I plan to post a tech tip thread on it. I searched for one that I remember helping me, but found very little on it. I'm coming with pictures to help the masses.

 

[swaq]

That Harness appears to be coming up out of the floor! That is not stock whatever it is. Follow that harness to either end, and disconnect the easiest end. Does your car have a wideband in it. It looks like that is why that would be there.

I pulled my dash last night in 20 minutes, and took pictures along the way. My cluster/console/glove box were all already out of the way. I plan to post a tech tip thread on it. I searched for one that I remember helping me, but found very little on it. I'm coming with pictures to help the masses.

I don't have a wideband installed. I wonder if it goes to my aftermarket alarm system... I have to get to work right now, but I'll look at it again when I get home.

If/when you post a tech tip thread could you link to it here? Thanks so much for your help.

I haven't been working on this for very long at one time because it's 90-100 degrees in my garage... Hopefully this weekend I'll be able to work on it more in the mornings.

 

[ForcedTorque]

I'll try to get it started today, if work isn't too busy. I'll link it here, and then add to it as soon as I can. My home computer has been having problems, so it may not get updated until Monday unless we get our internet figured out at home.

 

[Satan]

I would suggest you also do a Google/Yahoo search, instead of just here on the forums. It's been years, but I had found step-by-step instructions from a Supra owner and used that for my 1st time.

I believe it was from someone's personal site. Good luck!

 

[ValgeKotkas]

One on Supracentrals site I believe was goood.

 

[swaq]

I'll try to get it started today, if work isn't too busy. I'll link it here, and then add to it as soon as I can. My home computer has been having problems, so it may not get updated until Monday unless we get our internet figured out at home.

Cool. Good luck with the computer problems.

One on Supracentrals site I believe was goood.

I was looking for that when I started because I remember about it, but couldn't find it...


I found out what that group of wires was. It was the connections for the power mirrors and stuff in the center console. And there was the ground connection there too which was a pain because it was under the little strip of carpet there. Island_Yota even mentioned this in his post above but it still wasn't obvious to me the first time I looked at it.

I got it unhooked and the dash it out now. Having the targa top off helped a bit in getting it out of the car. That and my wife. Now I just need to get to the heater core...

 

[swaq]

I guess I do have another question. I assume I have to take out the support bar thing that goes all the way across the car in order to get to the heater core. Is there any trick to it? Some of the bolts look hard to reach.

 

[Satan]

Gotta use wrenches/ratcheting wrenches for the 12 or 14mm bolts holding it on.

 

[swaq]

Gotta use wrenches/ratcheting wrenches for the 12 or 14mm bolts holding it on.

I've been using my breaker bar to loosen a bunch of the 12mm ones. It looks like there's a couple bigger ones around the steering column though that might be hard to reach. Also, the far one on the bottom on the driver's side wall looks like it might be tricky.

I dunno. I'm done for today so I thought I'd see if anyone knew of any problems I might run into with it.