2000 Boxster - gauge cluster removal - please help

[ben2000]

Porsche-eH - thanks for taking the time to add that info. Yeah it helps some. "Some" being the operative word. The pictures are really clear and probably help a lot of people here at some pt.

In your 2nd picture, the dusty looking thing at the bottom is basically the bottom part of the dash, but the top side of it I guess.

In your 1st picture, it looks like you have (white wires) an inch or 2 of slack in that......which I don't recall was there for me. I had a really hard time getting the ignition lock cylinder back into my car (because there was no slack in that wiring - i posted separately about that here). Did you have the lock cylinder removed before you actually removed the pistol lock device? Or was the lock cylinder in place when you finally removed the pistol lock device?
Thanks

[Porsche-Eh]

Answers in-line in red below.

Originally Posted by ben2000

Porsche-eH - thanks for taking the time to add that info. Yeah it helps some. "Some" being the operative word. The pictures are really clear and probably help a lot of people here at some pt.

In your 2nd picture, the dusty looking thing at the bottom is basically the bottom part of the dash, but the top side of it I guess. Correct. I took this picture via the drivers vent you need to remove. I never tried but now I think about it you may be able to get your arm through the hole created by removing it.
My iphone certainly fit as you can see.

In your 1st picture, it looks like you have (white wires) an inch or 2 of slack in that......which I don't recall was there for me. I had a really hard time getting the ignition lock cylinder back into my car (because there was no slack in that wiring - i posted separately about that here). Did you have the lock cylinder removed before you actually removed the pistol lock device? Or was the lock cylinder in place when you finally removed the pistol lock device?I removed the whole pistol before I did anything, including removing the ignition switch on the rear.
Thanks

As for why your cluster won't come up it is curious. If you use a pry,
like a screwdriver or something less damaging, to pop up each clip, do you see it is actually un-clipped all the way around and you simply can't move it around after that OR, you can't even get it un-clipped? The three connectors on the back are in different locations so even if one was tight (say the one closest to the passenger), you should still be able to tilt up the left hand-side of the cluster. It's not like it comes way out after you get it undone, you really only get enough room to undue each connector. Can you post a picture of where you are at now?

[ben2000]

Porsche-Eh --- thanks for the info.

Here's the only picture I had of the issue (at this pt things are buttoned up)


As far as the clips..........I only saw 1 on the driver's side of the dash piece..........and, as I recall there were 3 or 4 on the passenger side. All the clips I managed to get off/free. It was just I couldn't lift things out/up like in that woman's video/etc. What's shown in the picture was about as far as I could lift it out. What you can't see in the photo (looking from position of sitting in the driver's seat --- you could see it lifted off on the passenger side an inch or 2 up.......but on the driver's side it wasn't able to come up but about 1/2" above the spot where the clip was disengaged). So, as far as any clips I saw, I definitely got them all unclipped. Just couldn't get it to lift out like was needed.

[Porsche-Eh]

Hmmmm..... I would be inclined to undue the 2 wire harnesses closest to the passenger and see if that helps you lift up the cluster enough to get the one by the driver's side off.

That said, if you look at the following picture

https://cdn4.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Boxster_Tech/86-ELEC-Ignition_Switch/images_small/Pic3.jpg

You'll notice in "B" and "D" that you not only need to take out the cluster but also the steering wheel and housing to just get at the pin and bolt easily. This is simply too much work for something I can reach from underneath with a little blind feeling around and a little bent screwdriver or small Allen key. The bolt has a nut on the bottom which is easy to reach and take off from underneath. It's really only the pin that will give you grief.

As such, my advice is to attempt to reach it from underneath and not bother with your cluster.

Good luck my friend.