The light burned out in my clock ....... and after a serious study of my Acura shop manual, I'm thinking I should just duct tape a cheap flash light to the rearview for clock illumination. A search of the forum's archives (arg: "dashboard") indicates many of you have removed your dashboards for a variety of reasons, but nobody detailed the process. Fore mentioned shop manual shows 2 external screws (easy), many pins (behind dash panel) and a few clips (also behind panel) holding the dash panel to the structural piece(s) behind it. What is the sequence to remove the dash panel? Looks like maybe the lower "cosmetic" plastic panel come out first, to gain access to the pins inside & behind the dash ......... but the manual doesn't go there. Any first hand feedback or reference to a source other than the Acura Shop Manual would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Rudy

PS My car does not have "Nav" ......... should make this a little easier.

 

I've been wondering the same thing - the light in my clock has been dead for a while. I'd like to replace it with a nice blue or red LED.

 

Same here! I heard it's a lot of work though.


Check this out!

http://www.acura-cl.com/forums/showt...threadid=95789

 

i want to replace all the lights behind my stereo and make a nice effect, i know some members have done this in red, if anyone has the post number please post it.

 

 

Okay. To save this valuable information for posterity, what follows is Jen's "Step-by-step Dash Removal for Dummies" ........ so listen up Dummy. Jens said:

"Ok here it goes, in order to remove this panel do this. Begin by removing the left side fuse panel cover. Inside there you will see a single screw that holds the knee bolster cover in place, remove the screw. Now place the steering column in the all the way up position. Grab a hold of the knee bolster panel and give it a tug towards the driver seat. It is held in with three push clips. After it comes loose disconnect the one electrical connector on the left side and place this panel aside. Now lower the steering
column as far as it will go. Push in the sides of the steering column covers a bit so that the snaps release, you are looking to remove the upper cover only. This upper cover is a bit tricky to get off and reinstall but it does come off, there are no screws, it is simply clipped in place. Now that this is done, reach in with your fingers from underneath on the left side of the intrument panel and gently push out the switches for cruise moonroof etc and disconect them. Next there are two screws that are above the gauges themselves, they attach the instrument panel to the hood over the panel itself. Remove these two screws. Next comes the fun part, the rest of that dash panel is strictly clipped into place. I start prying it out near the cruise moonroof switch areas. I only go a bit of the way out and then as this comes loose I work my way all the way around the whole panel. It is a bastard to get this panel loose but it will with some coaxing come out. After it is loose all the way around you now have to reach behind it (IT IS VERY TIGHT) and release all of the electrical plugs. After this chore is done the panel will with the steering column in it's lowest position slide towards the passenger side of the car and out. Now you can swap the bulbs curse a bit and then reassemble tha car in reverse order making sure all of your
electrical connections are sound. One thing of note here, the top of the dash panel near the two screws is also held in place with a small tang on the dash panel that slides into a corresponding slot in the dashboard itself. You will have to fiddle this a bit to get it to line back up. If you do not get it right, there will probably be a gap at the top of the dash panel where it meets the dash board hood itself. Hopefully this helps. Let me know how you
make it out. Jens"

And thank you very much Jens. This procedural description far exceeds the pathetic single page "once over" offered in the Acura Shop Manual.
tsg77