Silver Trim Removal

[Guest chapi]

Can anyone advise on how to remove the silver trim panel around the radio and facia buttons?

 

Thanks,

 

Chapi

[Gadgetoid]

Had to replace mine as it was cracked by the previous owner getting a hands free kit fitted - chap who fitted did the screws up so tight it cracked the entire facia and the underlying dash :angry:

 

Anyway bought a new silver facia from Frauds (about 50 quid IIRC)

 

Procedure goes something like:

 

1. Remove climate control bezel

2. Unscrew 4 mounting screws for climate control panel and remove panel - note order of the electrical connectors

3. Extract and disconnect radio (make sure you have the code first otherwise you will need Frauds to tell you from the radio serial number - and pay their fee). If its the original fit radio the code will be written on a label in the hand grip on the tailgate :D

4. Push out all switch blanks and switches, note which connector with which switch

5. Remove spring loaded cup holders (bit tricky to do, there was a special knack but cannot remember what it was at the moment, something like getting a screwdriver blade above the top lip of the cup holder before it was fully extended, took me about half an hour of fiddling to get them out without breaking <_< )

6. Should no longer have anything mounted in the silver facia

7. Unscrew mounting screws - one each above the cup holder recesses (so you can't leave them in) and IIRC one at the back of the radio recess

 

Straightforward apart from the cup holders :D .

Refitting is the reversal of removal (as they say in Haynes manuals) - cup holders slot in without problems. Doesn't appear that you can swap them for anything useful instead.