Technical GUIDE: heater panel removal and replacement.

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Technical GUIDE: heater panel removal and replacement.

WesCott

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May 19, 2010
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Hi guys,

First a warning. This is possibly the most fiddly and frustrating job you can do. There's bugger all access and you spend most of the job upside down in both footwells. It took me and my wife 6 hours to complete.

Tools:
spanner size 10 if I remember correct.
Torx head screwdriver (I used a torx bit on a small rachet)
Torch
Flat head screwdriver (to pry things with)



My new part had to be sourced through the dealer. It cost me £150, but no scrappies had the car in. My part came with two thick wires on the back, one red, one black (almost like guides wires)

First job is to remove trim in the passenger footwell. The first section (bottom of the centre console) pulls off by hand, this will reveal a bolt that holds the gearstick/centre section in place. Remove this bolt. On the other side remove the corresponding piece, including the footrest. If you're able to remove the gearstick/handbrake trim do it, it will help with what's to come...

Remove the radio. Mine needed the radio keys and a knife to encourage it to move. It doesn't need to be disconnected entirely (the wires in the back if mine wouldn't move), just move out the way. This will reveal four torx screws. These will need removing. I had to slightly bend some of the radio cage to get access to two of them, but it bends back easily enough.

On the bottom side there are four torx screws, two of which are hidden behind a false panel. This pulls off by hand when you find the edge. The two on the right are annoying, but come out fairly unremarkably. The two on the left are the devils own children. They're positioned right above the lip of the cup holder, and as such are almost impossible to get a bit on. I used a small rachet with a torx head in the holder which just allowed me the room to work it free. Remember the bolt on the left hand side, near where you're working at the moment? We released this so you can push the trim away to the left which gives you more of an advantage.

Once they're out, (easier said than done), the part still won't come loose. That's because the red and black wires I spoke about earlier are attached to the car. When you turn the dials for position and temperature, the wires lengthen and shorten to make the changed to the settings, but turning some white plastic cogs. Once the trim is off on both sides and youre upside down you should be able to see both of them. The black connects not far away from the lower right hand corner of the glove box, the red connects not far away from the clutch. You should be able to see both and follow them to their joins.

At this point take VERY good care to note how the wires liaise with their connections, the red in particular. The black simply loops over a raised head, the red must be fed through a series of holes. Before you remove them, be 100% sure you know how they're going back on, and set your new part to the same setting as the one youre taking off.

When youre totally sure of how the wires connect, remove them. The panel can now be forced out. It will have two wire clusters attached to the back, these come out with very little fuss. Also remove the bulb wires (now would be a really good time to swap the bulbs, you won't want to do this again). Discard the old part.

Put all the wires into the right place on the new part and return it to the slot. Some tape on the edges might be good here as all the forcing can cause scratches. It's a bugger to get back into position (mine didn't seem to fit in the hole it had come out of) , I did so by almost posting it like you would a letter then turning it. It takes patience and a lot of swearing. Before you lock it into position reattach those wires to the correct points, should be OK if you've made a good note of how they fit on in the first place (very fiddly).

Torx screw it back into place and return the all the bolts/trim and you should be good to go.
 
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