Climate Control panel removal

Veedub68

Member
I wonder if anyone can offer a little clarification? I am trying to remove the C/C panel, after having removed the stereo, cubby & ashtray. I have read that the unit can simply be pushed from behind. However this doesn't seem to work. I've also managed to dislocate the two metal clips on top of the unit, allowing it to tip forward slightly, but not come out. Has anyone got any advice on the best way to get to the clips on the bottom of the unit, as I'm a bit stuck now and don't want to force it. Thanks.
 
Evening,

I don't think there is any removal trick, just more force. Consider using any kind of suitable sized L shape to act as a tool to hook behind the rear then you can pull with both hands from the front, but watch you don't damage the rear. Anything will do, thinking of something like a sash/6" G clamp, or just thought a standard 9" rachet might be ideal.

Andy
 
I wonder if anyone can offer a little clarification? I am trying to remove the C/C panel, after having removed the stereo, cubby & ashtray. I have read that the unit can simply be pushed from behind. However this doesn't seem to work. I've also managed to dislocate the two metal clips on top of the unit, allowing it to tip forward slightly, but not come out. Has anyone got any advice on the best way to get to the clips on the bottom of the unit, as I'm a bit stuck now and don't want to force it. Thanks.

You've seen how the top clips are basically springy pop-outs that locate behind the dash. Memory fails me as to whether you can get a screwdriver underneath to ease the bottom ones past the dash. But if not then pulling the climate out with your hands behind it once you've unplugged all the connectors is the way to go. At the worst you'll bend the bottom clips the wrong way on the way out - they can be bent back the right way afterwards.
 
Reviving another old thread... so I’m trying to do this just now as I’ve a much smarter (double din) climate control panel from @Darpod14 to fit. And I seem to be completely stuck. I’ve tried using a bit of brute force getting my hands behind the unit and pulling as hard as I can but I think I’m more likely to break the dash than get the unit out. Here’s a photo...
D3FBC4E9-AF60-4D4C-ABD3-026AE2D2F4F5.jpeg

It looks as if it’s being held in not only by the red circled tab against which the sprung metal catch on the unit is held, but the yellow circled tab too, and no amount of force will get past them. I managed to bend the unit down a tiny bit but that doesn’t seem to help. I tried loosening the green circled screw too, in case this would loosen the frame holding the head unit on which the tabs seem to be, but it didn’t seem to make any difference.

Has anyone any other suggestions? Or is there anybody near my neck of the woods (Surrey) that reckons they would be able to do this for me?

in the meantime I’m going back to struggle with it again but not holding out much hope...
 
Still no joy. Tried wedging a screwdriver between the top of the unit and the frame on the dash. Though the frame does flex upwards a little it’s not enough to lift over the tabs and I’m afraid that if I use any more force I’ll snap the plastic.
 
 
Double-DIN climates can be a bit of a pig to get out. Screwdriver against the red circled tab from behind (both sides) should do it. There's another pair underneath which you'll never get to, but with the top ones out of the running it should be OK to pull the unit out with fingers behind it (remove all the connectors first).
 

thanks... I didn’t find this thread when I searched before and feeling more discouraged having seen @Birchall saying how hard the double din ones are to get out. I’ve got my fingers to the back of the unit and pulled/pushed as hard as I can. I’m not inclined to remove the plugs from the back of the unit as they’re very hard to get to and so I’m afraid I might never get them back on again.
 
Are you doing it just for the buttons? If so you don’t need to remove it at all, just remove the buttons (you’ll knacker the old ones but does that matter) and take the front off the ‘new one’ and pop out from the back.
 
Double-DIN climates can be a bit of a pig to get out. Screwdriver against the red circled tab from behind (both sides) should do it. There's another pair underneath which you'll never get to, but with the top ones out of the running it should be OK to pull the unit out with fingers behind it (remove all the connectors first).

is it really essential to remove the connectors first? Since I’ve never disconnected one of these before I’m a bit worried about doing it by Braille especially since I expect I might have to reconnect them by Braille too.
 
Are you doing it just for the buttons? If so you don’t need to remove it at all, just remove the buttons (you’ll knacker the old ones but does that matter) and take the front off the ‘new one’ and pop out from the back.

No, the surrounds to the buttons on my current unit are a bit chewed up from someone having had a go at replacing them before. So i thought replacing the whole unit would be a good idea... not so sure now!
 
It is really firmly held in place, I just pulled and pulled until mine came out last time! Took me a while though! It will come out, and it does feel like you will break the dash! Which you are highly unlikely too by the way! It’s the clips which hold it in place which need to be forced so it will come out.
 
It is really firmly held in place, I just pulled and pulled until mine came out last time! Took me a while though! It will come out, and it does feel like you will break the dash! Which you are highly unlikely too by the way! It’s the clips which hold it in place which need to be forced so it will come out.

I thought I’d found an ingenious way to stop the clips holding it, using some stereo removal keys wedged from behind pushing the tongue of the clip down, see photo (did the same on both sides). However even with these in place and levering it felt as if something else was stopping it coming out. Very disheartening. Is there anything under the unit holding it in place necessitating removal of the ashtray?
9ECA912D-9688-4CE0-8A96-3EFAE339CFD8.jpeg
 
You could try looping some string between the outer edges and the dash. Slide the string in wards to hold against the rear of the panel, then wearing gloves to protect your hands pull evenly to release the climate from the dash.
 
Damn, I realise why my “ingenious“ method didn’t work, there are also metal clips on the underside of the unit and I think those are what’s stopping it coming out now. No idea how I’m going to get past them. I’ve tried brute force and it’s just not working, maybe I’m just not strong enough!
 
I thought I couldn’t get mine out when I did mine last time, your right there are clips at the top and bottom, it will come out but needs quite a bit of force. I just unclipped mine and pulled and pulled (took ages!) but it came out eventually!
 
I thought I couldn’t get mine out when I did mine last time, your right there are clips at the top and bottom, it will come out but needs quite a bit of force. I just unclipped mine and pulled and pulled (took ages!) but it came out eventually!

Shouldn’t there be enough slack in the cables to remove it with the connectors in place? I really don’t fancy disconnecting them as they‘re so hidden away and sure I won’t be able to reconnect them so when I give up on this I’ll be left without a working climate control...
 
I just unclipped my last one and went for it!!!
It was coming out no matter what!
I nearly gave up with it, but then pulled the seats right back and got my hands right behind, not where the flimsy plastic is, but where the main body of the unit and pulled for dear life. Suddenly it just popped and out it came. Hard hard work though!
 
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