How to: 99+ Dash Removal

[ga5speed02]

This is my first 'how to' so please be kind to me hahaha :mike:

Tools required.
1/4 inch drive 7mm socket/and or nut driver
1/4 inch drive 10mm socket/and or nut driver
3/8in drive 21mm socket
6in 3/8in drive extension
11in 1/4in drive extension
1/4in ratchet
3/8in ratchet
Philips head screw driver
Flat head screw driver
T15 torx screw driver/or socket
T30 torx screw driver/or socket
T20 torx screw driver/or socket
Panel remover
Allen wrench/keys
2in 2 post jaw type wheel puller

[ga5speed02]

FIRST DISCONNECT YOUR BATTERY!!!!!!!!
-2nd. Remove the cover to the driver side and passenger side fuse box. At the top you will see a yellow harness with an orange pin in it. Slide the pin out and disconnect the harness. That's disconnects your air bags so they will NOT deploy. Also remove the grond for the bag.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/ga5speed02/My%20Grand%20Am/Guttin/WhatNot050.jpg
-3rd. To make it easy remove your steering column cover and take out the gauge bezel and cluster using the 7mm socket/nut driver. Use the Philips head to remove the 2 screws under the 'humps' and the 7mm for the remaining 4 screws. I used the 11in extension to reach the pesky screws at the bottom of the bezel.
-4th. You will need to get a Allen wrench or socket. Behind the steering wheel there are a few openings. Look for the two 'square' ones. Take out the 2 screws.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/ga5speed02/My%20Grand%20Am/Guttin/WhatNot059.jpg (the ones pictured in my hand in the thread) slide the bag forward.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/ga5speed02/My%20Grand%20Am/Guttin/WhatNot057.jpg
There is a harness in the back of the bag. Remove that. Then take a T20 torx and unscrew the ground to the horn.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/ga5speed02/My%20Grand%20Am/Guttin/WhatNot060.jpg
Then twist the positive of the horn counter clockwise to remove that.
-5th. Once the bag is out, you need to remove the nut holding the wheel on. It is a 21mm. Take the nut off, then you can remove the steering wheel with a 2 post small wheel puller.
-6th. With a flat head or your fingers remove the 3 harness that are plugged into the turn signal and wiper switch. Then take the T20 tox remove the 2 screws that hold in the switches. They come out as one assembly
-7th. Once the wheel is out of the way everything else should be basic. With the panel removing tool (got mine for $5.00 at the local mom&pop auto parts store) or the flat head, go and remove all the dash trim piece's. IE.. radio bezel, defroster covers, the 2 round plugs by the window, and the black plastic under the dash. Use the 7mm socket/nut driver to remove the 3 screws on the driver side (under dash) and the 5 screws in the glove box. Disconnect the plug for the glove box light and pull it out. Remove the 3, 7mm screws holding the radio in and unplug the harness and antenna. Remove the 2 screws holding the HVAC controls in. Unplug the harnesses for that as well. Look up under the dash on the passenger side (in the opening where the clove box was) and remove the screws that hold in the air bag. Pull the air bag out and disconnect the yellow harness. While in there, look down, and you can slide the BCM off of its try and let it hang. Take out the 2 7mm screws for the ignition switch. Remove the Auto light sensor located toward the driver side of the defroster vent in the center of the dash.
*NOTE* once the dash trim peices are out, there will be some bolts under them. Like the bolts under the 2 round things by the window.

[ga5speed02]

-8th. Get the 7mm socket/nut driver and unscrew the bolt on the driver and passenger side fuse box. The bolt does NOT come out. You will feel it get loose. Then with a flat head, carefully pry the harness out. (Under the clear plastic piece, there is a black harness. Use caution when pulling this out). Don't worry about the bolt. It stays in the clear plastic housing.
-9th. Take the 10mm socket and remove the bolts on the top of the dash on the driver and passenger sides. Then the bolts holding the sides of the dash to the car in the fuse box area.
-10th. The celebrate
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/ga5speed02/My%20Grand%20Am/Guttin/WhatNot064.jpg

[ga5speed02]

Air bag installation.

Use the T30 to screw in the 2 screws that held in the air bag in. Don't out the bag in the the wheel yet. Screw them in first. The re-wire the horn and ground. Then push the bag in. The two screws will 'pop' back into place.