Has anyone ever removed the dash top from a 2005 or 2006 MINI? The older models used to be easy from what I can tell, only being held down by a few screws. There are a couple of guides on the net on now to remove that version, but nothing for the new design. The newer dash top is larger (goes all the way to the windscreen), apparently is secured by more screws, and now has the passenger airbag integrated...
Has anyone managed to remove it? Is the airbag actually integrated into the dash piece itself? I'd like to remove it eventually, but if that means fiddling with the airbag I'd prefer not to.
On a similar topic, does anyone have any photos of the passenger airbag after it's deployed? I'd like to know how exactly it tears the dash material open.

For the curious, I was considering a dash retrim, but it sounds too complex..

 

No one at all has any idea about this?

I guess I'll just play it safe and leave it alone. Don't want to mess with the airbag.

 

I started down this road and after much agrivation, I would recommend that you don't attempt to remove it. From what I can gather there may be a couple of fasteners concealed by the windshield (I'm not positive about that).

If someone else has successfully removed it, I'm all ears though.

 

Yeah, from what I've read about it on MINI2.com it sounded difficult. If there are fasteners actually hidden by the windshield that makes it almost impossible. Odd that they would make it so hard. Seems a little extreme just to fix some of the dash rattles earlier models had.

Anyway, thanks for the info!

 

The dealer had my 05 for 4 hours to remove, fix a rattle and reinstall the dash top. They said it was different than the earlier models and took a lot more time. Hope this helps.

 

For a re-trim unless you really need to don't I've had the dash apart, but I left the top in, pretty sure I could figure out how to get it off, but it wouldn't be fun. Not sure about the airbag, if you decide to do any work in that area be sure the batt is disconnected for at least 30min.

I'll see if I can my photos of partially sans dash.