With HVAC Housing: Removal
To avoid personal injury or death, on vehicles equipped with air bags, disable the supplemental restraint system before attempting any steering wheel, steering column, airbag, occupant classification system, seat belt tensioner, impact sensor, or instrument panel component diagnosis or service. Disconnect and isolate the battery negative (ground) cable, then wait two minutes for the system capacitor to discharge before performing further diagnosis or service. This is the only sure way to disable the supplemental restraint system. Failure to take the proper precautions could result in accidental airbag deployment.
To avoid personal injury or death, never strike or drop the occupant restraint controller, as it can damage the impact sensor or affect its calibration. The occupant restraint controller contains the impact sensor, which enables the system to deploy the supplemental restraints. If an airbag control module is accidentally dropped during service, the module must be scrapped and replaced with a new unit. Failure to observe this warning could result in accidental, incomplete, or improper supplemental restraint deployment.
The Instrument Panel (I/P) can be removed with or without the Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) housing. The part being serviced will determine if the HVAC housing can stay in the vehicle. This procedure will cover the I/P removal WITH the HVAC housing. Refer to the removal WITHOUT HVAC HOUSING if necessary.
- Before proceeding with the following repair procedure, review all warnings and cautions.
- Drain the cooling system. Refer to STANDARD PROCEDURE .
- Working under the hood, disconnect the two heater core hoses from the dash.
- Remove the A/C expansion valve. Refer to VALVE, A/C EXPANSION, REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION or VALVE, A/C EXPANSION, REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION .
- Remove the steering column. Refer to COLUMN, REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION .
- Remove the floor console. Refer to CONSOLE, FLOOR, REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION .
- Remove the driver knee airbag. Refer to AIR BAG, KNEE BLOCKER, REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION .
- Remove the two bolts (1) and position the manual park release lever (2) aside.
- Release the clips at the front edge of the trim panel (2), then pull rearward and remove.
- Pull outward on the I/P trim panel (1) and remove. Remove the panels from both sides of the I/P.
- Disconnect the front wire harness connector (2) from the air bag module (1).
- Pull the passenger side floor carpet (1) back, then remove the nuts (2) and the ground wires. Unclip the wire harness from the body.
- Disconnect the HVAC drain hose (3).
- Remove all bolts (1) and the I/P support bracket (2). Remove both brackets.
- Remove the instrument panel bin. Refer to BIN, INSTRUMENT PANEL, REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION .
- Remove the push fasteners (1) then the floor duct extension (2).
- Under the left side of the I/P disconnect the wire harness connectors (1).NOTE:
This is shown in illustration with the I/P removed for better clarity.
- Under the right side of the I/P disconnect the wire harness connector (1). If equipped with rear entertainment, disconnect the USB cables in the location also.
- Remove the defroster grill. Refer to GRILLE, DEFROSTER, REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION .
- Remove both A-pillar trim panels. Refer to PANEL, A-PILLAR TRIM, REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION .
- Disconnect the wire harness connectors (2) at the A-pillar and remove the top I/P bolt (1), on both side of the vehicle.
- Remove the cowl cover panel. Refer to COVER, COWL PANEL, REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION .
- Remove the two bolts (1) under the cowl cover panel.
- Remove the bolt (2) and discard, this is used for factory installation purposes only. Do this on both sides of the I/P.
- Remove the bolts (1) on both sides of the I/P.
- With the help of an assistant slowly pull the I/P straight rearward and remove it from the vehicle.
