dash removal

[ndice87]

my car had a short and fried a wire from the fuse block into the wiring harness. Now i have to remove the dash to trace how far it is messed up. I was just wondering who has had a dash out and how long is it going to take for the R&R. Be realistic, I'm guessing like 3 hours to remove and replace it.

[sam.1956]

I'd highly recommend one of the "swivel head" ratcheting box end 10mm wrenches for that task! The bolts just beneath the windshield, at the L & R corners of the dash, are much easier removed with that tool. Be aware of several screws up under the dash that connect it to internal braces. You'll prob. want to pull the steering wheel off and remove both front seats too. And don't forget to disconnect wires & the cables going to the heater/AC actuators, radio, instruments... 2 people make it a lot easier to wrangle the dash in & out of the car.

I'd allot longer than 3 hrs unless you've done the operation before. Plus you've gotta find & fix the damaged wires/connectors.

Hey! Don't forget to take some detailed photos!!

[ndice87]

Thanks man, ive pulled a mad amount of dashes before just not a festy. hopefully the wire isnt fried super long and it will be a quick fix. We will see, and im still shootin for three hours.

[sam.1956]

Good thing is the Festy dash doesn't weigh very much and I'd bet isn't anywhere near as complicated underneath as some you've had to deal with. Hmmm.... 3hrs is prob do-able then! Go for it!

[Smedley]

Sam, I don't recall you taking your dash out.

[SimonTuffGuy]

Get a wrench that ratchets... 10mm for the top 2 bolts in the dash. Ford (or Kia) installed the dash with the windshield out, so it was easy for them... It's nearly impossible without the right set of tools.

I've pulled a dash, and reinstalled one in less than 90 minutes... However, it was the 5th dash I've pulled from the Festiva... So, I'm getting better with time.

Why do you need to pull the dash to get to the wiring harness? Remove the 2 screws that are holding the fuse box in place and it will put out from the back of the dash (with enough twisting, pulling, etc)... You'll be able to drop the fuse box down into the footwell area and trace the wire from there.

If you don't have to pull the dash, I wouldn't. Putting it back in, hooking up the heater tubes and stuff, all a pain.

Good luck!

[festivaWES]

i can take out mine and reinstall it in 5 minutes!!

[freshtiva]

To remove the two bolts on top of the dash you are going to need some really short sockets if you intend to get a rachet on them. I used a cheap six point box end wrench and custom bent it in a vise. Ive also used a short socket with the vise grips clamped on them. Watch your windsheild. One of the toughest things I encountered was reconnecting the vent ducting after getting the dash back in.

[freshtiva]

i can take out mine and reinstall it in 5 minutes!!

It takes me five minutes to get the gauge cluster bezel off.

[cubstiva1]

i've done it a couple times and never pulled the seats out. they are not really in the way.

[sam.1956]

^^^ I'm a Fat Boy!!! Smedley -- I've pulled a couple of dashes out for V8Festiva. I'm his indentured servant with a wrench! HA!

[ndice87]

Get a wrench that ratchets... 10mm for the top 2 bolts in the dash. Ford (or Kia) installed the dash with the windshield out, so it was easy for them... It's nearly impossible without the right set of tools.

I've pulled a dash, and reinstalled one in less than 90 minutes... However, it was the 5th dash I've pulled from the Festiva... So, I'm getting better with time.

Why do you need to pull the dash to get to the wiring harness? Remove the 2 screws that are holding the fuse box in place and it will put out from the back of the dash (with enough twisting, pulling, etc)... You'll be able to drop the fuse box down into the footwell area and trace the wire from there.

If you don't have to pull the dash, I wouldn't. Putting it back in, hooking up the heater tubes and stuff, all a pain.

Good luck!

i already pulled the fuse box and it is fried for at least a foot back. im just tired of reaching my arm around up there and figured on pulling the dash

[SimonTuffGuy]

What wire did you fry... And how? If you know where that wire goes, you could just install a new wire and run it to wherever it goes... For example, if you fried the 12+V radio wire, splice a new wire at the fuse box, run it to the radio and cut out the old piece leaving it "in place", since there won't be any power to that old wire anyways.

As said above... Be careful of your windshield... I ended up cracking mine the first time I pulled my dash out. I'm a little more careful now.

[ejp2fast]

so beside the 2 top-of-the-dash 10mm bolts, what other bolts are hard to get to?