Prado 120 Dashboard Removal

[Willem Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Willem]

I have a 2005 120 Series and need to remove the dashboard, but do not know how. The previous owner installed a Park Distance Control unit and not I need to remove it from the front of the dashboard, but I have no idea how to do it. I have removed the bolts in the front so far, but I want to know how to remove it once the bolts are out.
I do not want to rip it out without at least knowing what will break :P

Update: Aha it was the bolt holding the passenger airbag in place. It was behind the CD shuttle, so had to remove that. All loose now, just some wiring still to loosen.

[Beach Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beach]

Post pics so others can follow.

[Willem Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Willem]

Prodecure 1/11

Post pics so others can follow.

Good idea Beach.

Ok so here are my steps taken to remove the dash. Note that I missed some of the pics and I have tried to put it back together in a sensible way. Also note that I took the photos as I re-assembled the dash so it may be nonsensical in some parts. And this is the first time I have done this so I may have done a lot of things that may not be necessary. So just use your wisdom when considering my path of action.

First I remove the aircon ducts on both sides of the radio. This is done by prying it gently from the top with a soft plastic wedge and pulling it away from the centre console.


Now I remove the ashtray section by pulling it away from the centre console. Remember to remove the plugs once this comes out.


I loosened the 4 holding bolts of the radio.



Now to remove the plugs at the back. I marked the plugs, but they are sized specifically to avoid wrong connection.


Then I removed the antenna cables. Note that these are attached to the dash directly and need to be removed at a later stage.

[Willem Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Willem]

Procedure 2/11


Now loosen the bolt holding the cable plug for the radio. Once this is removed you must pull it out and then catch the radio.


Now I remove the trim from the centre console. This can be done without tools by pressing the rear end upwards from the side and then lefting it from the rear.


Same for the other side.


Now I remove the console cover. This also just clicks out if lifted from the rear with the storage compartment/handrest lid open. Remember to remove the connection to the gear shift indicators on the inside.
Also remove the gearshift knobs by screwing them off by hand.
And unzip the handbrake cover before removal.


Now loosen the bolts shown. I wanted to remove the side panels of the console rather than try to bend them out of the way of the dash, so that is why I remove this section.

[Willem Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Willem]

Procedure 3/11


I found that I had to loosen the handrest/storage compartment in order to move the overlapping parts of the console and the compartment out of each others' way. This was done simply by loosening these two screws.


Note this little nub that I was afraid to break off, that is why I loosened the console rather.


Note the slot on the side of the hole. This is important to remember when re-installing the console.


Remove these bolts.


Remove the centre button console by lifting if from the edge.

[Willem Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Willem]

Procedure 4/11


Now I start with the passenger aircon vent. Remove the bolt at the bottom and then pull it out gently.


Remove the defogging vent by prying it with a soft plastic wedge from the side.


Now remove the grip-handle from the A-pillar. Pry off the covers with a small screwdriver and then remove the 2 bolts.


Pull the pillar off to the inside minding the fixation pins at the bottom.


Remove the fake-wood trim by prying off with soft plastic wedge.

[Willem Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Willem]

Procedure 5/11


Now I remove the cubby hold from the dash. The locating points can be loosened by squeezing the sides slightly, but this is fairly simply, so not shown here.
However the automatic lifter needs to be removed by slacking the tension on the rope and then sliding the hood downwards off the cubby compartment.


Now I removed the bottom section at the passenger foot well.


I loosened the 4WD control box from the bottom section as it was dangling in my way. Note the 2 screws holding it.


I removed the hand screw (because you can loosen it by hand) from the side panel and removed it as well.


I then loosened the frame of the cubby hole by prying it loose and removing the screws (not shown)

[Willem Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Willem]

Procedure 6/11


Now I remove the bolts holding the dash in position.


Just note this little bugger as well. Remove it.


Now I moved to the driver side and removed the fake wood trim from next to the ignition by gently prying with soft plasic wedge.


I remove the ignition cover. This is important otherwise it pops off and hits you in the face when you remove the panel below.


Now remove the bolt shown.

[Willem Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Willem]

Procedure 7/11


Now I remove the instrument panel border. Loosen the 2 top screws gently, they tend to fall out so be careful. Then pull the cover from the bottom.


Then I loosened the side panel of the foot well again with a hand-screw. Note that you need to lift the panel adjoining it as well in order to hook it out from underneath the panel.


Now I loosened these screws to remove the bottom panel again. I think this was not needed now that I think about it, but I cannot remember.


Now remove the driver handlebars.


And remove the cover again same as the other side.

[Willem Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Willem]

Procedure 8/11


Remove the bolt below the aircon duct and pull out the duct gently.


Remove the defogging duct by prying from the side with soft plastic wedge again.


Ooo a hole.


Clip off the bottom knee panel on the driver side.


Passenger side bolts are shown here as they were re-installed after I remove the radio, so that I could remember where they go and keep the dash in position as I removed the other bolts. So I removed them again here. If you have them out then do not remove then as they are gone already...

[Willem Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Willem]

Procedure 9/11


Again these bolts should have been removed with the radio. Remove them if they are there.


Now I removed my instrument panel. Don't know if it was needed, but I removed it by loosening these 4 screws.


This little bugger was a pain since I had to remove it with a spanner since I did not have a flexible neck socket.


It is out at last.


I removed these 2 bolts from the CD Shuttle.

[Willem Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Willem]

Procedure 10/11


Then I removed the other 2 bolts from the CD shuttle. This is needed because there is bolt holding the airbag in place against the frame that keeps the dash in place. Sneaky...


This holds the airbag in place as well as the dash. REMOVE this with care. It is a larger bolt M12 and I had to use a 1/2" drive socket to get it out. My 1/4" was too weak.


It is out!


Remove the rubber seals from around the dash edges.


I twisted the instrument panel to get it though the opening in order to remove the dash.

[Willem Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Willem]

Procedure 11/11


Those little clips hold the antenna wires and are a pain to remove. Pry them open with a screwdriver and remove all of them.


The last clip. Remember where it is since this will define where the antenna cables go back into the radio.


Just another pic showing the clips on the cable.


Dash removed. Yay.


What a beaut!

Note that I missed 1 bolt and 1 screw which I have in my toolbox now, so the procedure is not complete, but it is what I have.

I re-installed it as per the reverse of this procedure and everything is working fine... it seems.

[Dakbow Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Dakbow]

Wow when I looked at image52 my heart skipped a beat nooooo he has gone to far��
Great job I would not of attemed it the other night in put in a new double din and that was enough for me��

[fido666 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close fido666]

Good job Willem! Hope you got the park unit out with all of that?

Images in post #7 aren't working for me.