Taking stuff off, ..for cleaning Options

[Hym3n]

I'm just trying the basics of taking parts off and I'm trying to figure some things out. Most importantly to me, how do you take off the tailights? I know there are screws in the trunk, but mine are covered by a plastic.. thing. I tried pulling at it a little bit, but I was afraid I'd break it. Do those just snap off? Should I break them off (lol)?

Also, I read a how-to on painting your dash inserts as a cheap way to make it look like a new interior trim kit. How do you just take the parts illustrated (check the how-to out) off of the dash, I mean, they isn't like a snap or anything..

Thanks,
-Brian

[Akimbo]

Argh...man...my friend just took off my tails and I forgot to see how he did it very well. I know that after you take the plastic off there's a metal strip behind it that needs to come off..I think.. Sorry I should have taken notes.

But he and I will be painting my interior peices and I will bring my digicam and write up a how-to. This is a great way to spice up your interior, it looks awesome. He has it on his 5th gen. I don't know, might be a week.

[aaronc222]

There are a few large 'screws' holding the trunk piece in. They are basically big plastic buttons. Once you remove those, it takes a little force to remove the plastic piece. Just be carefull not to break the piece around the latch(did this one myself).

Once you have that piece off, remove the 3 nuts from the bolts on the back of the light. Here you just have to be carefull not to drop the light on the bumper as you take it off.

As for the dash pieces. To remove the trim around the shifter(manual), I use a small flathead screwdriver and pry up. from there, remove the 2 screws under the cig lighter/pocket and the rest of that piece will pull right off. The window control trim will come off with a small flathead at the bottom of the piece(again prying). The drivers vent should just pull out(set the vent all the way up or down and just pull). The defroster vents(driver/passenger/windshield) all just pull out. The passenger vent is a pain, I can't really explain it, but it has a snap that makes it near impossible.

[Hym3n]

Aight, cool man. Thanks for letting me know. I took off the back cover in my hatch, saw the wires and all, started working on those screws. I couldn't find the toolkit in my house though, so I used a simple wrench.. no luck though, one of the bolts is on there really tight, and when you turn it, it turns the whole screw... I'll just have to use the right tool.

I'll try taking out the inserts tomorrow, thank you for the help.

-Brian

[Guest_Matthew_*]

no no no

ok i found out how to get the passenger side vent off

its fuggin easy

first pry off the bottom

and then there are two metal snaps or w/e that hold on the top...you have to look and bend it some and then you will see them

the left one put a flathead screwdriver on it and push down and back and pull...that side will come off then do the right side the same way