Dash Removal (just Enough), For display and bulb replacement access

[noz]

Hi all,

Another document in the 'How To...' series.

Thought this might help those looking to repair their Dot Matrix displays or just to replace those faulty bulbs in the displays or the warning lights.

The whole dash does not need to be removed from the car to do this. Just enough need be removed to gain sufficient access for maintenence.

Dot Matrix display repair 'How To...' on its way.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

noz

This post has been edited by noz on June 14, 2005 10:22 pm

[tonyd]

Addendum:- Even less work..

You do not need to remove the steering wheel.

Drop the lower cover of the column assembly, this will allow access to two nuts which secure the top column securing bracket, undoing these will allow the wheel to drop sufficiently to gain access to the two dash securing screws behind the wheel and allow sufficient room to extract the dash.

Comment: Both the dot matrix and clock are held in by screws on my P reg 2.1TD VSX and there is an additional plastic tray /stiffner which bridges the space between the clock and dot matrix, behind the warning light assembly, this is also held on with screws, some common to the displays. This stiffener has two dowels which locate into the fixed structure behind the wheel. In the photographs the provision for the referenced screws can be seen in the molding, at a guess this must be a newer XM than mine which has "benefited" from even more cost reduction.

tonyd

[biofos]

Hi Norrie,

Splendid document on access to the dot matrix and panel lights. However, I question if removal of the steering wheel is necessary?

I did mine in 1999. Vehicle then was a TCT VSX Auto 1996 Mk2, no aircon, no cruise.

I asked the local Citroen garage how to do it and followed their advice. Steering wheel stopped on.

The dot matrix displays were repaired by a firm in Stockton who wanted to see them attached to the vehicle before they would repair them, while I waited. So all the dash removal was done at home but left loosely in place while I drove to Stockton, some 30 miles away. In the event the matrix displays only required new bulbs.

On return all the panel light bulbs were replaced and the dash put back.

There were some quite inaccessible places but I managed the job without too much difficulty. I see you don't mention the screw behind the centre blanking panel of the twin air directors and the hidden spring clip on the far right of the dash - these are illustrated in Haynes and pointed out to me by the Cit garage.

Removal of the steering wheel seems like a hell of a lot of work when it can stay on.

Hope you don't mind me pointing this out.

John Foster.

[noz]

OK guys, thanks for the feedback. Looks like the steering wheel doesn't need to come off. Ho hum...you can't win 'em all.

I tried to access the displays about a year ago with my silver XM and gave in because I couldn't get the dash past the top column shroud. In addition I couldn't get access to the two screws behind the top shroud. When I went to do it recently I assumed I'd failed last time and took the step of removing the wheel. Looks like I should have persevered without taking it off. Now if I'd had the benefit of this forum at the time...........

Anyway, look on the bright side. If you need to dismantle the radio controls or the airbag then you have some pictures to show how.

If I understand correctly the screw behind the air vents only needs to come off when you're removing the instrument cluster but not for the displays or the warning light panel. The spring clip didn't give me any trouble so I didn't mention it.

Whilst the whole job appears involved, it was actually quite easy. Stopping every two minutes to take photographs and checking them on the PC before preceding is what took the time. Photos aside, I reckon I could have the display out of the car in 15 minutes or less (not including the cup of tea at the beginning whilst waiting On the airbag discharging). Like all jobs it takes a while the first time but after that the time is greatly reduced.

Look slike Citroen changed the design of the dash from screws to clips sometime in the cars history. Does that mean that the actual displays are not interchangeable? Did the change take place between S1 and S2? If so then they weren't interchangeable anyway.

Can we have a photograph of the style with the different mountings for comparison?

Cheers

noz

[Peter.N.]

You can get the dash past the top column shroud on a warm day but you need a fair ammount of force, also, I managed to get to the elusive screws just by lowering the steering wheel to its limit and using a good screwdriver at an angle.

Peter.N.

[noz]

Hi all,

Don't know if anyone else has downloaded this file but when I try I get nothing. Filesize is zero.

I'll try again here:

Cheers

noz

ps
can you reply to any of the other threads in this section if the files don't download properly? Thanks

This post has been edited by noz on June 22, 2005 09:32 pm

[biofos]

Hi Noz

Tried to download the pdf - nothing! I've had this problem before on other sites with pdf's but unfortunately I don't know the solution. I think it's something to do with pdf recognition.

John.

[noz]

Thanks John,

I give in. I've tried everything:
renaming the file
reloading the file
uploading from a different location
remaking the pdf from the original word document
replacing it with another file all together (this works!)


I'm at a complete loss. I thought it might be my firewall settings but I can't find anything wrong there either.

Just wonder how many other files in this section are in the same boat?

Cheer

noz

[sparkybright]

Hi Noz,

Firstly, the usual disclaimer about tinkering with your PC - back it up before you start tinkering! You know it makes sense. Without going into this too much, it could all be to do with Acrobat:

• Acrobat Bugs
  Something to do with the Acrobat reader. If you've got Acrobat Reader Version 6.0, which has loads of bugs, that might be it. One bug is an inability to recognise PDF's created with Photoshop. Versions 5.X or later 6.X or 7 releases are much better.
  Likely
  
  
• Browser/plugin/add-on problem
  Your browser hasn't been set (or it has been "unset" by some other bug) to recognise PDF files. If using Explorer 6 you could try going to "Tools" menu, selecting "Internet Options" and then clicking on the "Programs" tab. You'll see an button called "Manage Add-ons". You should then check the list for publisher "Adobe". If you have Adobe stuff there, see if that program(s) is(are) enabled (you can see the status on the list). If it's disabled, you can enable it again.
  The easiest browser to get plugins working with is Mozilla Firefox.
  Likely
  
  
• Something Else
  Could be any number of things, from local PC/software, to firewall configuration or 1001 other possibilities. Have you checked to see if the file is uploaded completely? You can get these kind symptoms where the FTP connection config is a bit iffy - trying the upload format setting as "binary" might be worth a go.
  Not quite as likely

Otherwise, if using Internet Explorer, right click on the link and do "file save target as" and save to your PC's drive. Then open with Acrobat in the usual way.

Phew. Even more confused now? I know I am! If you're still having problems you could start a new thread in the "anything goes" forum.

Ade

[noz]

Hi Ade,

Thanks for all that. I'll check it all out when I get home.

However, does this mean that everyone has downloaded my upload successfully apart from me who uploaded it?

If so, I think I'll crawl into a corner somewhere.

Cheers

noz

[sparkybright]

Hi Noz,

Well I managed to pull it down with no problem. I wouldn't feel bad about it.

There's just so much to go wrong with these things - hold on...., I'm starting to sound like we're talking about an XM here not a computer file!

Ho!

Ade

[Wendham]

Noz - download works fine for me but I don't use Acrobat. Try Foxit - it's tiny, dedicated and works every time. Available on Lifehackers website for free
Slainte!
Wendham

[faeonara]

same problem cannot get the file . god knows why when i was able to get the whole series 2 microfiche without a problem......

[noz]

faeonara,

I found the problem eventually. It was my Norton Internet Security Firewall which was causing the problem. Switch off temporarily to download file.

Cheers

noz

[faeonara]

noz
thanks for the info, i tried disabling norton and all the tricks i know.. but it has no problem coming here, the problem is it's a blank page, the window winder file was ace i could read that no prob..would there be a small chance you could e-mail me the word version? pretty please hehe