Dash Disassembly

[jsmithsole]

Here are step-by-step instructions to taking apart your dash to either get to the stereo, or the LED screen. I take no responsibility for these instructions or any damage this may cause to your vehicle. Follow at your own risk! Enjoy!

Step 1: Remove shifter knob - Shifter knob is made of two parts, the leather handle, and the lower aluminum-looking cone-shaped piece. Grasp the cone-shaped lower piece, rotate counter-clockwise and pull down at the same time to release from shifter handle. Once this is done, there is a small gold clip holding the handle in place, remove this and handle will slide off, remove this as cone-shaped piece.



WARNING:
If you twist the shift knob thing as instructed you will end up breaking it. You just need to pull down on that plastic piece. There is a TSB addressing this issue.

Step 2: Remove wood-colored faceplate and shifter piece - Open cupholder door. Using your fingers, press along edge of wood piece where cupholder door goes and pull up. Gentle but heavy force may be needed to pull up plate. Make sure you are slightly pushing the side of the plate inwards while you do this. Once you get the end of it released, you'll need to put the key in the ignition, turn it till the air comes on, put foot on the brake and move shifter knob into the neutral position. Lift up the whole plate to completely release. Underneath there are two connectors, one brown and one white, that you will need to disconnect before removing plate. Set aside.

[jsmithsole]

Step 3: remove two lower screws that hold the dash kit in place, place them in a safe place. Use fingers on inside of lower storage area (below cassette opening) to pull out the dash kit and release from its clips. Remove lower half first, then pull out upper half. there is another connector on the back of that piece that needs to be unplugged. Set dash kit aside.





Step 4: Remove 2 screws holding in climate/audio control panel and LED screen. Holding this panel from underneath the radio controls, Pull piece outwards. The two middle air vents are also attached, and will come out as well. Lift out lower end first, then tilt upwards to release clips holding in the top edge. One connector on the back needs to be removed.

[jsmithsole]

Step 5: Remove LED screen: remove 4 small gold screws on both sides of LED screen housing to separate screen from the rest of the panel.

Now you have successfully removed the LED screen. Pretty easy! To put back in, screw 4 gold screws back in, put whole panel piece back in first by inserting clips on top edge back through their holes, then slowly lower front edge down while making sure top edge stays flush with rest of dash. Carefully reconnect the plug, then lower all the way back flush. Screw back in the 2 screws. take Dash kit, reconnect wires, pop in the top part first back into slots, then lower part, then screw in 2 screws at bottom. Put the car back in neutral, plug in 2 connectors to shifter panel (brown and white), then slip shifter tube through the hole on the shifter panel, and carefully fit the panel back into place, starting with the edge closest to the dash and ending with the edge closest to the armrest/cupholder. Place cone part of shifter back over steel tube, place shifter knob on and carefully slide the gold clip back through the white part of the shifter knob, it should line up with the 2 grooves on either side of the knob and the 2 grooves on steel tube. Slide cone-shaped part back up and carefully rotate over gold clip until its tight. It may take a couple tries to get this last part right.

-TEK-NIQ (6thgenmaxima.org)

Here is the step-by-step to get access to your gauges (fuel, tachometer, speedometer, etc) in order to swap for the reverse-glow gauges, clean out inside of plastic, etc...

First, this is fairly easy once you figure it out the first time. Here are my step-by-step tips to get access to the gauges.

****IMPORTANT NOTE BEFORE YOU BEGIN****

If you plan to remove the needles, you'll need to remember how to put them back on so they are accurate. This may require you to drive down the freeway or a straight stretch of road at a certain speed, noting speed and RPMs at that speed (ie if your RPMs are 3,000 at 80mph, get your friend to set their cruise control to 80, pace them and set your own cruise control and push needles back on at 3000 and 80mph respectively). Also note fuel level and normal car operating temp. After removing needles, it may be easiest to put speedometer and tachometer needles back on while driving. Get a friend to set their cruise control at your specified speed, so you can be pacing them and place the needles back in the right position.

________________**continue**___________________


1. Need the following tools: Phillips screwdriver, flat-head screwdriver (or preferably something thin and plastic), and socket wrench only if you need to disconnect battery to work on electrical system.

2. Underneath the steering wheel there are 3 screw holes... Remove these screws with phillips screwdriver.



3. Adjust the steering wheel all the way out and down. Inserting flat-head screwdriver in between two plastic pieces on the right side of the steering wheel where the windshield wiper knob is. Carefully pop apart plastic housing surrounding steering wheel and set aside.





4. Remove plastic covering over gauges. Using flat-head screwdriver or thin plastic, slide under top middle plastic piece and slowly lift up to pop out. Then slide under each piece on left and right, pop out front part first, then lift and pull towards you.

[jsmithsole]

Take off all three plastic pieces starting with the middle first. you'll then see a screw



6. Under guage cluster are two hidden screws, unscrew both but don't remove, it's easier to pull out gauge cluster and screws will come out with it, then you can take them out.



Then just unplug it and your set.... you've taken the gauge cluster off your car. very easy to do just might be a problem for the bottom two screws... Good luck to all i hope this helped.

-TEK-NIQ (6thgenmaxima)

[jsmithsole]

Link for this in the "how to" section. Enjoy!