Hopefully somebody can help me out. Somehow my 03 MCS speedometer got dust inside on the back of the plastic(I think it snuck in through the odometer reset button). Is there any way to remove the plastic so that I can clean it out and hopefully apply some plastic wax so it wont happen again?

 

might want to check in the Interiors forum...someone might have changed
the speedo' backplate and might know how to open it.

 

I have dog hair stuck on the back of mine, but then I have dog hair all over the inside of the car

Mark

 

Yes you can but I don't know if I have the pics to jog my memory to show/tell you

 

Well...assuming you are talking about the speedometer that is above the steering wheel in a NAV equipped MINI then...It's easy to remove the plastic. Otherwise, disregard this...

1. Lower your steering wheel to the lowest position possible.
2. Look behind your speedometer, and locate the two torx screws (T25 if I remember correctly). Remove both.
3. Pull the speedo out the mounting bracket, and disconnect it from the wiring harness via the green clip.
4. Take the whole speedo unit out of the car, and find the 4 torx screws on the back. Remove all 4.

5. You will now have to begin prying the whole unit in half. You also have to remove the sticket that is on the bottom. There really is not any trick to this...just play around with it until you can get the two halves to seperate.

6. One you have it seperated, remove the trim ring by unclipping it.

7. Then unclip the screen and remove the plastic covering.

 

I posted the same question yesterday in "Mini Talk", but no answers. I've searched the fourms, to no avail. I think he, like I, is talking about the traditional center console speedometer (big one). Also, the auto climate control window/faceplate has accumulated dust behind it.

 

yeah zeusboy is right. I have the frisbee like speedometer in the middle of the dash. I know there has to be an easy way to remove it because different moldings are available, but I dont want to just try yanking on it.

 

(Sigh).. I had dust in there within the first 1000 miles.

You have to pull the top of the dash off, sorry - the speedo lens is glued to the plastic dash peice in the center of the car. If you want to try it, it's not too hard. The below is from the "blue LED gauge light replacement" document I found on here:

* Open the driver-side door. Pry off the cover in the door jamb

* With a #20 torx, remove the two screws that secure the dashboard cover . Repeat on the passenger side

*Remove the dashboard cover by lifting the front first, then the back and up and off. The tach gets in the way, but some people report that you can lower the steering wheel all the way and wiggle it past it.

* Pop the black bezels off of the hazard and gauge backlight dimmer buttons. They come off easily with just your fingers. Set them aside.

* Open up the glovebox. Look down under the dashboard, right under the seam between the speedometer gauge cover and the airbag cover. You should see a silver and a black screw nearby each other. Remove them with a #20 torx bit.


* Grasp the lower edge of the plastic dash peice that the speedo sits in and pull from the leftm, then the right bottom edges. It doesn't want to come easily, so you'll have to give it a good yank. It shouldn't break unless you really wail on it.

* With a #20 torx bit and a long adapter, remove the screws right above the dimmer button and hazard button (the ones that you popped the black bezels off of earlier). Now you can remove the speedo cover (the ring is glued on here - the clear lens is still on the speedo).

* Next, remove the four #20 torx screws holding the speedometer in place, remove and look for clips holding the unit together. Open them GENTLY with a flat screwdriver and you should be able to access the inside of the lens.

OR...

ALTERNATE CLEANING METHOD:

If under warranty:

1. Take car into dealer.
2. Complain about dust.
3. Pick up in a few hours after THEY do all the work.