Hi Guys,

Washed my car today and while drying the brakes by moving forward and backward, I heard something rolling back and forth inside my dashboard! Obviously it must be a screw. What is the procedure to remove the dash top? I think if I can remove the whole dashboard top, I can locate the loose item and get it back in place.

Thanks!

 

I've got a similar situation. I took apart 1/2 my dash today to hardwire my navigation device. In the process I heard something fall into the main defrost vent. Turned out it was one of the plastic clips that covers the screws to the back of the center speedometer which I only realized when I dropped one of the screws in as well. This is the point at which I proceeded to put 2" wide painter's tape over the vent. Now I've proceeded to remove all the rest of the fasteners that hold the dash on. The left side of the dash is now loose, but the right side is still held quite firmly. I believe it may have to do with the passenger airbag. I shall likely just put all back together without being able to retrieve those items. Any suggestions within the next couple days would be helpful.


Thank you.

 

As far as the screw, just attach a magnet to a wire and go fishing. Regarding the clip, I think you may be SOL unless you remove the defrost vent and reach in, but that is still a tight fit.

I removed the trim below the steering wheel, the A-pillar trim, the rev counter and my water temp gauge, and some trim behind there. But I got stuck at the driver's side vent as the top screw is too close to the A-pillar for any tools I had on hand. So I stopped there and I just couldn't see anything with what I was able to open/remove using a flashlight, so I took it to the dealership.

Dealership said they removed stuff in my glovebox and the noise stopped. Boy did I feel like a moron.

Now I was SURE the noise was coming from the part of the dash behind the steering wheel. Sure enough, I started driving this morning and I heard whatever it is, still rolling around on the inside, coming from behind driver's side top dashboard. I removed everything from my glovebox (which wasn't much, two sunglasses, a 12V USB charger, tire pressure gauge, etc.) and I still heard the noise!

So I called the dealership back and they said to come in any time and show to the shop foreman. I will take it in when I can but today on the highway a rock hit my windshield and it was a small cut at first, but throughout the day it grew to about a foot long! So a new windshield is the first priority....

Safelite quoted me $400 and some change and my insurance doesn't cover glass so yikes.

 

MrElusive thanks for your update. On my end I researched what I could between my Bentley Manual, online forums and looking up what the replacement airbag unit looked like so that I could see how it might be mounted into place. I then proceeded with disconnecting the ground on the battery, removing the 2 screws I could access after removing the upper glove box and disconnected the electrical connector to the airbag. I was then able to finish removing the top dash panel. Even with the slight additional access this afforded me, I was unable to retrieve either item from the duct as there is such limited room in the duct and there is a small blower fan in the duct on either side. I decided to put it all back together and quit worrying about it. Good luck with yours yet should you continue to pursue a solution. Sorry to hear about your windshield.