How do you remove the plastic dashboard?

[Gar]

The hard plastic plate between the windscreen and the padded dash area rattles in my car. It only happend on a roadsurface with large chips.

The dealer removed it looked, put it back and said that they couldn't see anything.

Sticking paper in the joint between the two helps but I would like to remove the hardplastic plate to see whats going on for myself.

Does anybody know how to do this without dismantling all of the dashboard?

[here2help]

That is the dashboard itself...it isnt to hard to remove the dash but why dont you ask the dealer to do it because if you damage anything it wont be warranty...the dash is constructed from a single dash carrier and a topper pad with 2 side topper pad trims (technical name for the soft part of the dash)ive had them making a noise at the left side of the dash myslef,if you get a new car now and look at the dashboard you will notice it as some felt tape there now....cheers have fun

[brycem]

Here2help

I have a new cooper bought last saturday and it has various squeaks and rattles coming from the dashbard area over rough surfaces, creaking from round the stereo/heater area and a vibrating from the glovebox area and a rattle from the top part above the speedo. The dash however does not make these rattles/squeaks all the time. Will the dealer be able to do anything for me or will it just make matters worse?

Have you ever come across a car squeking and rattling when split new and then settling down?

I am a bit miffed about so called BMW quality.

[here2help]

Hi brycem please be aware that this cars isnt built by BMW...Its built by rover technicians in the old rover plant at oxford...yes there is alot of BMW parts and ideas in the car but it is not built by BMW.
That said yes i have had numerous faults with the dashboard causing squeaks and rattles in various areas which youre local dealer will be able to address if they are any good!
Do a search on this site alone and you will find out alot of info about sqeaks/rattles.
I am told that there will be a new dashboard out soon which i am reliably told will be a one piece dash and made from different materials so it will be alot quieter..Watch this space!!

[BruceK]

Quote:

Originally posted by here2help
Hi brycem please be aware that this cars isnt built by BMW...Its built by rover technicians in the old rover plant at oxford...yes there is alot of BMW parts and ideas in the car but it is not built by BMW.....

???

The old BMC/British Leyland/Rover Cowley plant?! I read that it was torn down and a brand new state-of-the-art assembly facility was built at the Oxford location to BMW requirements - originally to build the Rover 75. But all that changed quickly when BMW sold off all interests in Rover for the paltry sum of £10 in the Spring of 2000.

Rover and BMW parted ways and production of the Rover 75 then switched to Longbridge and the new Oxford plant was outfitted to build the MINI. I don't doubt that some of the employees who work at the MINI plant in Oxford were formerally employed by Rover, but, since the time BMW separated from Rover, all of their paychecks have come from BMW/MINI as they have no association at all with Rover now.

How can you say it is not built by BMW? BMW owns the facility, pays the suppliers, manages production, and employs the workers. That's not a Rover logo on the picture below.

(sorry I don't remember who to credit for this picture)

[here2help]

RE :How can you say it is not built by BMW? BMW owns the facility, pays the suppliers, manages production, and employs the workers. That's not a Rover logo on the picture below.

Bmw make bmw's....thats all im saying..3,5,7,series ect..they dont list a mini on there sales brouchers..Mini is a totally seperate thing,i agree its owned by bmw and designed by bmw..but bmw trained staff (3000 to be exact)came from germany to help build the new mini in the later stages because they were way behind schedule,they are not built by bmw trained staff at oxford that is what im saying...

The MINI preserves the unique character of the old Mini, whilst fulfil-ling
the BMW basic product values of safety, quality, efficient cost of
ownership.
The design objective for the MINI was to produce ‘the most emotive
small car in the world. To achieve this target the MINI had to have the
best handling, performance and equipment in its class.
Key Marketing Objectives For MINI
•Repositioning and revitalising the MINI brand globally.
•Establish MINI as a stand alone brand.
Im not here to pick an argument sorry

[rich]

Quote:

Originally posted by here2help
I am told that there will be a new dashboard out soon which i am reliably told will be a one piece dash and made from different materials so it will be alot quieter..Watch this space!!

Thanks for that news... Good to see BMW improving the build quality. Can it be retrofitted, do you know?

[monsta]

Quote:

Originally posted by BruceK

I read that it was torn down and a brand new state-of-the-art assembly facility was built at the Oxford location to BMW requirements)

They only changed the insides, I lived in Oxford at the time and could see the factory from my desk where I worked. Nothing changed, except maybe a slight facelift.

[here2help]

Ive been inside oxford plant and i have seen the parts that they have and are re-developing,they havent knocked it all down and started a fresh at all...thanxs monsta for backing me up on this one...cheers
With respect brucek dont belive all you read!

[BruceK]

Quote:

Originally posted by here2help
....With respect brucek dont belive all you read!

I don't.

[R1]

Quote:

Originally posted by here2help
I am told that there will be a new dashboard out soon which i am reliably told will be a one piece dash and made from different materials so it will be alot quieter..Watch this space!!

That’s interesting because my dealer has booked my car in to have a new dash frame? fitted!

I have a slight squeak from the near side of the dash (my dealer noticed this!).

My dealer said that it will get worse and BMW have come up with a new dash frame? that fits better. Apparently the dash frame was made with tolerances that are to tight and ends up rattling/squeaking against the bodywork/trim.

The new one has better tolerances.

So I've been told!

It's been booked in for 2 weeks time. I'll let you know what was done.

[Gar]

Thanks for the advice here2help.

I've already been to the dealer twice with this and it still does precisely the same thing. Had enough.

BTW a friend took delivery of a Cooper S last month and it looks like the electrical tape on the boot lock is now a dealer fitted item. (Warranty???!!!!)

[KenL]

Dash Creaking

My car had a dash creak from the sides at the A-posts that was noticeable going over bumps especially when heat was being directed through the dash to the windscreen. I asked the dealer to fix and after a week it is still gone.

I'm sorry but I didn't get the low down on how they fixed but it is fine now.

[Rwatts4mini]

I had mine in for a very bad rattle under the dash also, they DID fix that but I do still here a little rattle here and there but think it may only get worse if they rip it apart again...............screw it crank up the CD player and MOTOR ON

Randy

[here2help]

Rwatts4mini
Please remember there is alot of plastic on and around the dashboard built from different materials so you will inevitably get some rattles/creaks as the different plastics heat up at different rates...
im speaking from experiance here...
cheers