Alero Dash Removal Help

We've got the same problem that I've seen many others have here, the upholstery on the dash is "unsticking" and looks awful. It's coming off the dashpad and the passenger airbag as well as some of the door panels.

I can get the door panels off to work on them myself, the dash is another issue.

I've found a doner car that I can get the dash from but I have to remove it myself. I found how to remove the passenger air bag, so I can handle that.

Can anyone post some tips on how to remove the dash, pictures are great too. I've looked and searched around here but could not locate anything specific.

Any help is really appreciated.

Welcome to AF.

You mean removing the entire dash ?

Not an easy or fun job at all! :grinno:
Thier are about 15 bolts & nuts holding it on, a couple are covered by a round cap on the top of the dash. Plus thier are several electrical connectors, this is a very lenthy job, even for the experianced mechanics like myself.

The other fastners are on the top & bottom and ends of the dash pad.
I'll see if I can get some pics to help!

Welcome to AF.

You mean removing the entire dash ?

Not an easy or fun job at all! :grinno:
Thier are about 15 bolts & nuts holding it on, a couple are covered by a round cap on the top of the dash. Plus thier are several electrical connectors, this is a very lenthy job, even for the experianced mechanics like myself.

The other fastners are on the top & bottom and ends of the dash pad.
I'll see if I can get some pics to help!

Everything above the speedo and glovebox. I can't say I've ever even noticed any round caps on the top of the dash.

Pictures would be appreciated. Thanks for the help.

Ok I dont know your skill level, but I will warn you again, this is no easy task!!

I will also say I have not ever removed these N body dashes, but here is a bunch of pics (about 20) that will show you what all needs removed... and Good Luck !

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/xeroinfinity/N%20Body%20Dash%20Removal/radio_hvac_bezl.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/xeroinfinity/N%20Body%20Dash%20Removal/tilt_lever.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/xeroinfinity/N%20Body%20Dash%20Removal/passend.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/xeroinfinity/N%20Body%20Dash%20Removal/driverend.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/xeroinfinity/N%20Body%20Dash%20Removal/pillar_trim.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/xeroinfinity/N%20Body%20Dash%20Removal/steering_cover.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/xeroinfinity/N%20Body%20Dash%20Removal/passend2.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/xeroinfinity/N%20Body%20Dash%20Removal/topdash.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/xeroinfinity/N%20Body%20Dash%20Removal/dash_large.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/xeroinfinity/N%20Body%20Dash%20Removal/driverkickpanl.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/xeroinfinity/N%20Body%20Dash%20Removal/ign_cover.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/xeroinfinity/N%20Body%20Dash%20Removal/lighter.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/xeroinfinity/N%20Body%20Dash%20Removal/glovebox.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/xeroinfinity/N%20Body%20Dash%20Removal/passkickpanl.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/xeroinfinity/N%20Body%20Dash%20Removal/ga-uprdash.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/xeroinfinity/N%20Body%20Dash%20Removal/ga-fogs.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/xeroinfinity/N%20Body%20Dash%20Removal/dash-cluster.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/xeroinfinity/N%20Body%20Dash%20Removal/dash_trim.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/xeroinfinity/N%20Body%20Dash%20Removal/cluster_removl.jpg

PS- this covers most N bodies.

Great! I think I can handle this now. A lot of times, it's worse looking at it or thinking about it than it really is. I may try this Friday night.

Thanks for the pictures!

I sit at the computer tonight, a very proud person.

Last night I dismantled our Alero in about 4 hours. The pictures that xeroinfinity supplied were very helpful. While they do not match up exactly with the Alero, they really gave me some good insight.

This afternoon I was able to dismantle the donor cars dash in under 2 hours off memory. The dash removal includes removing the steering wheel (in my opinion the most difficult thing), both airbags, gear shift, climate control and stereo, glovebox, pillar covers insturment cluster and a ton of little screws.
I also ended up gettin g the a-pillar covers as mine broke the clips during removal. Additionally I got the drivers side front wheel well liner, ours was demolished after a tire blew out.

I picked up the dash, steering column cover, all the vents, hazard button (hoping that it would be better than the one I hadn't replaced yet), passenger airbag, a-pillars, wheel well liner, all the screws and a couple of trim pieces all for $90. I had to pull all of this out myself.

I installed everything in about 4 hours and it looks 110% better. I can tell that there may eventually be some upholstery problems with the passenger airbag and just above the glove box, but hopefully I can get it sold before then.

I'd never undertaken any auto project that was quite this involved (well, I guess I have put a suspension and body lift on my truck) without someone standing over my shoulder. It's very rewarding to know I saved literally HUNDREDS, probably well over a thousand dollars, doing this job myself.

Again, thanks to xeroinfinity for the help...hat's off to you.

A note to anyone else looking, like I did, but couldn't find, to remove the airbag from the steering wheel, you will need a torx T-30 bit and insert it into the 2 holes in the back side of the steering wheel (one at the 3 o'clock position, the other at the 9 o'clock position). It's very hard to see in there without a mirror. When removing the airbag, I recommend 1) unhook the battery, 2) remove the air bag fuse from the fuse box, 3) unplug the yellow wiring harness just above the fuse box (for the driver's side) there is a separate yellow harness for the passenger's side above the fuse box on the passenger's side. To completely remove the airbag, you'll also need to unplug the yellow plug from the back of the airbag once it's loose from the wheel. To remove the steering wheel, you'll also need a steering wheel puller that has the hooks on the end, not the threaded type.