Dashboard/Steering Hanger Beam Removal/Installation

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2013 Honda Fit, 2012 Honda Fit, 2011 Honda Fit, 2010 Honda Fit, and 2009 Honda Fit. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

SRS components are located in this area. Review the SRS COMPONENT LOCATION INDEX and PRECAUTIONS AND PROCEDURES before doing repairs or service.

NOTE:

Put on gloves to protect your hands.
Have an assistant help you when removing and installing the dashboard/steering hanger beam.
Take care not to scratch the dashboard, the body or other related parts.

Do the battery terminal disconnection procedure (see BATTERY TERMINAL DISCONNECTION AND RECONNECTION ), then wait at least 3 minutes before beginning work.
Remove these items:
- Front seats, both sides (see FRONT SEAT REMOVAL/INSTALLATION )
- Driver's dashboard undercover (see DRIVER'S DASHBOARD UNDERCOVER REMOVAL/INSTALLATION )
- Kick panels, both sides (see TRIM REMOVAL/INSTALLATION - DOOR AREAS )
- Center console (see CENTER CONSOLE REMOVAL/INSTALLATION )
- Glove box (see GLOVE BOX REMOVAL/INSTALLATION )
- Fuse access panel (see FUSE ACCESS PANEL REMOVAL/INSTALLATION )
- Passenger's dashboard undercover (see PASSENGER'S DASHBOARD UNDERCOVER REMOVAL/INSTALLATION )
- A-pillar trim, both sides (see TRIM REMOVAL/INSTALLATION - PILLAR AREAS )
- Steering column (see STEERING COLUMN REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION )
- Shift lever housing mounting bolt, M/T model (see SHIFT LEVER HOUSING REPLACEMENT )
- Shift lever bracket mounting bolt, A/T model (see ATF FILTER REPLACEMENT )
Disconnect the mode control cable (see MODE CONTROL CABLE REMOVAL/INSTALLATION ) and the recirculation control cable (see MODE CONTROL CABLE REMOVAL/INSTALLATION ).

Driver's side

From under the dash, disconnect the right engine compartment wire harness connector (A), the left engine compartment wire harness connectors (B), the floor wire harness connectors (C), the driver's door wire harness connectors (D), and the roof wire harness connectors (E) from the dashboard wire harness connectors or the driver's under-dash fuse/ relay box (F). Remove the terminal mounting bolt (G) with a TORX T30 bit.

Fig 1: Identifying Engine Compartment Wire Harness Connector, Floor Wire Harness Connectors, Driver's Door Wire Harness Connectors
Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.

Middle portion

Remove the heater joint duct (A).

Fig 2: Identifying Heater Joint Duct
Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
From under dash, disconnect SRS control unit connector A, and if equipped, the yaw rate-lateral acceleration sensor connector (B), and detach the harness clips (C). Remove the bolts (D). Remove the ground bolt (E) with a TORX T30 bit.

Fig 3: Identifying SRS Control Unit Connector, Yaw Rate-Lateral Acceleration Sensor Connector & Harness Clips
Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
Detach the harness clips (A), then disconnect the parking brake switch connector (B), the fuel pump connector (C), and the A/T position switch connector (D) (A/T model).

Fig 4: Identifying Harness Clips, Parking Brake Switch Connector, Fuel Pump Connector & A/T Position Switch Connector
Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.

Passenger's side

Disconnect the antenna lead connector (A).

Fig 5: Identifying Antenna Lead Connector
Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
Disconnect the blower resistor sub-harness connector (A).

Fig 6: Identifying Blower Resistor Sub-Harness Connector
Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
Release the harness clip (A), then disconnect the blower motor connector (B).

Fig 7: Identifying Harness Clip & Blower Motor Connector
Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
From under the dash, detach the harness clip (A), then disconnect and detach the right engine compartment wire harness connectors (B) and the passenger's door wire harness connector (C).

Fig 8: Identifying Harness Clip, Engine Compartment Wire Harness Connectors & Passenger's Door Wire Harness Connector
Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
If necessary, remove the dashboard side cover (A). The driver's side is shown; the passenger's side is similar.
1. Gently pull out along the rear edge to release the hooks (B).
2. Gently pull out on the side cover to release the hooks (C), then remove the side cover.
  
  Fig 9: Identifying Dashboard Side Cover
  Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
Remove the special bolts (A, B) from outside the passenger's door.
1. Remove the caps (C).
2. Loosen the special bolts until they disengage from the threads on the hanger beam side bracket (D), and engage the inside threads of the adjusting nuts (E). The thread lock on the special bolts makes the special bolts and the adjusting nuts turn together.
3. Continue to loosen the special bolts to turn the adjusting nuts into the sleeves (F) until the nuts bottom out. This creates a gap (G) between the adjusting nuts and the body.
4. Loosen the special bolts to disengage them from the adjusting nuts, then remove the bolts.
  
  Fig 10: Identifying Special Bolts & Outside Passenger's Door
  Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
If the adjusting nuts (A) were not fully bottomed in the sleeves in step 13, finish screwing the adjusting nuts into the sleeves with a 21 mm open-end wrench (B). In this case, replace the special bolts with new ones because the thread lock is worn out.

Fig 11: Tightening Adjusting Nuts Into Sleeves
Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
From outside the driver's door, remove the caps (A), then remove the bolts (B, C, D).

Fig 12: Driver's Door Caps & Bolts With Torque Specifications
Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
Lift up on the dashboard (A) to release it from the guide pins (B, C). Carefully remove the dashboard through the front door opening. Take care not to scratch the body with the adjusting nuts on the passenger's side.
NOTE: Do not rest the dashboard on its lower center cover opening, or it may be damaged. Lay it on its front or back.

Fig 13: Releasing Dashboard From Guide Pins
Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
Install the dashboard in the reverse order of removal, and note these items:
- Make sure the dashboard fits onto the guide pins correctly.
- Before tightening the bolts, make sure the wire harnesses are not pinched.
- Make sure the connectors are plugged in properly.
- Before reinstalling the dashboard, be sure the adjusting nuts (A) on the passenger's side can be screwed/unscrewed lightly by hand, and then screw them into the sleeves (B) fully by hand. Do not tighten them fully with any tools.
- Before reinstalling the dashboard, screw the special bolts (C) into the adjusting nuts, and check that they turn together. If they do not turn together, replace the special bolts.
- After setting the dashboard in the body, reinstall all of the mounting bolts but do not tighten them. First tighten the driver's side bracket bolts to the specified torque. Next, tighten the special bolts. As you tighten the bolts, the adjusting nuts screw out of the sleeves until they contact the body. Continue tightening the special bolts to the specified torque.
- Tighten all remaining mounting bolts to the specified torque.
- Do the battery terminal reconnection procedure (see BATTERY TERMINAL DISCONNECTION AND RECONNECTION ).
- Check for any DTCs that may have been set during repairs, and clear them.
  Special bolt tightening on passenger's side
  
  Fig 14: Tightening Special Bolt On Passenger's Side Dashboard
  Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.