This tutorial is for information purposes only. Perform maintenance at your own risk!!!!
I had reason to change the c3's dash board. There was a magnet base for a mobile phone stuck to it (ugly), the airbag was scratched up and I had to investigate why the air distribution wasn't working properly. I had another dash in the wrecker C3 that I own and that looked pretty good.
On with the show..
First remove the storage compartment by the drivers knee.
There is an anchor shaped retainer in the center of the molding. You will need to squeeze the lugs together to get the molding out.
Next remove the steering wheel and com2000. HERE is a link to an existing post.
Remove the instrument cluster. Pull the bezel straight outwards. Undo the 3 torques screws retaining the instrument cluster and disconnect the connector on the back of the cluster.
Undo the nut on the steering retaining pin from the bottom of the steering column universal joint. There is a safety retaining tab holding the pin in place. Bend it up enough to remove the pin. Push the steering shaft up to clear the the steering rack post.
Disconnect and remove the headlight leveling control and wing mirror switch.
Release the loom going to the COM2000 from the plastic retainer on the end of the steering column. Disconnect and remove the green and blue/black connectors from the steering column.
Pull all the wiring behind the dash board and just let it dangle free.
Remove the 4 bolts retaining the steering column to the dash suport frame. Slide the steering column assembly toward the back of the car a few millimeters and the column will release from the retaining lugs. Be careful,it's heavy and awkward! Remove the steering column.
Remove the center console. Link HERE
Go over to the passenger side and remove the glove box. LINK to post.
When the 3 connectors under the glove box are exposed (1 black,1 white and 1 blue) disconnect (split) them.
If your car is from 2005 and on, you may not need to perform the next step. If there are a lot of wires in that black connector, skip removing the connector from the BSI. If there are only 4 wires in the black connector, you will need to remove the connector from the BSI.
Swing the bsi down and remove the black connector shown in the picture.
On the passenger side of the air distribution box, above the heater matrix feeder pipes, is a connector.
Disconnect (split) the two halves and remove the connector from the upper air duct connection. This loom is the dash loom and will stay with the dash when it's removed. It connects the dash wiring to the air distribution box wiring.
Remove the radio and anything else in the double DIN space.
Unclip the cable restraint for the cloth covered loom attached to the distribution box. Undo the retaining screw attaching the bracket to the air box.
Unclip and disconnect the radio antenna power lead.
Free the cloth covered loom from the restraint clips molded into the distribution box. At this point all the cloth covered wiring is part of the dash loom and will come out with the dash when it's removed. So make sure this loom is free and not caught on anything. Undo the retaining screw attaching the bracket to the air box.
End of part 1.
