I did this to assist member 96Z34man. I know he has been concerned how to remove the bolts from the dash pad that are between the dash pad and the windshield and there is limited space.

In a recent trip to the junk yard with a friend this past weekend, I did an experiment. I know I've taken my dash pad off my Monte years ago, but I had home field advantage with all my tools. My friend and I recall we pulled a pad with the limited tool kit I take to the junk yard (I try hard to travel light, so I bring the most common items in a tool bag and some extras stay out in the car). In this tool bag, I do not carry a typical ratchet, I carry a Harbor Freight ratchet with a swivel head. I brought a regular Harbor Freight ratchet (which actually resembles an old Snap-On ratchet). My friend grabbed pics.
For the first 1-2 bolts, I used the wrong ratchet, I used the swivel (which has a very fat head on it). But, for the record, I removed all the bolts with both ratchets (either one works fine), a 1 inch extension and a shallow 10mm (I did not test a 10mm deep, but, I bet with that you would not need the extension).
We did not time this event, but freezing, I believe it took 5 minutes to remove all four bolts successfully.

Attached are all the pics from this exercise. You will see a pic of each bolt installed, me working on probably each bolt and eventually, the bolt sitting beside the hole it came from.

For anyone curious, I hope this helps.

 

 

Wow, Jason that's pretty neat. I enjoy the trip to the U-Pull it yard, a person learns so much when retrieving a part and considering the shape of most of the stuff in these yards you don't need to worry about getting a scratch in it. Great photo's of the details. I was just at the u-pull it last week no snow and it wasn't to bad out. I carry the minimum amount of tools also, works good for the tool bag. I am hoping someone will think of getting me a Impact wrench for Christmas and I can take it along to try an get those stubborn bolts off.

 

Thanks, I appreciate the effort to take and upload all the pics. I do have two questions.

1. Why aren't there any pics showing the A-pillar trim pushed out of the way? Was the piece missing from this car?

2. What is the thing with the black handle and the wire that's lying on the dash in a couple of the pics?

 

Not sure which picture you are looking at, but if you are talking about the black object with the green and white, that is the photocell. Is snapped into the trim piece that sits between the dash pad and the windshield. There is a box with a white lid also between the dash pad and the windshield. That box is the keyless entry receiver module.

As for the a-pillar trim, I was not aware that was still in question, hence why I did not worry about taking pictures of it. But the a-pillar trim was there and required being removed in order to pull up the trim that sits between the dashpad and the windshield. There are no screws holding the a-pillar trim in place. It's all plastic tabs. If you open the door and follow that trim to where it is overlapped by the trim for the interior rear quarter panel. Even though I have removed the A-pillar trim on my car multiple times, I don't have a "best way". When I was at the junk yard, I began from the back of the trim and tug downward to pull it out of the portion that runs along the roof edge. It is very flexible and can flex out from the rear quarter trim piece (as there is only a very small overlap). Then when you get to the pillar itself, it pretty much pulls forward and out. Because I have done it multiple times, I can normally pop it out in about a minute. Putting it back in takes a little patients as to not force it in and bend/snap any of the tabs.

 

A couple of observations, having attempted the dash pad replacement today.

1. You forgot to mention that it's nearly impossible to reattach the green wire to the keyless entry module. Why on God's green Earth it couldn't have run along with the other wire, rather than disappearing deep inside the dash, I'd love to know.

2. No one seems to have mentioned that those small bolts visible in your diagram that go into the front of the dash pad also need to be removed. Otherwise, the clips won't go down into the dash.

 

That sensor wire can be an interesting one. When I had to pull my dash out of my Monte, it was at least during nice weather, so hands were not freezing and the plastics were not as brittle. It also helps me being tall with pretty good arm reach.

As for the additional bolts/screws, I did not know you needed info on those as well. I was just trying to help with solving the issues about the bolts between the pad and the windshield. Granted, the day I was at the yard and got those pics, not sure I could have hung out to finish removing the rest of the hardware.

So, the question I have, was replacing your dash pad successful? Still pending? Or had to hit the abort button for the time being?

 

Had to hit the abort button out of sheer disgust. (The bottom of the pad also put two gashes into the hard plastic on the front of the dash on its way in.) I hope this weekend to finally being sick of using my key to get in, and doing the limbo.

I do have another question. I'm now getting a "service tire pressure system" message and light. The keyless entry module is the only thing that's disconnected. Is it possible the TPMS is also in that module, or am I just having a horrific coincidence?

 

So now, the bolts by the windshield are in (took considerably more than five minutes) and the module is reconnected (and yes, the TPMS is in the module). The problem now is that even though the small front bolts weren't actually holding the old dash pad in (and it sat in place just fine), the new one apparently is demanding to be bolted in.

Is there a way to remove the hard plastic piece on the front, or am I going to have to undo my work from today?

Also, is it possible that that module also controls the remote start? If so, I'm going to have to replace it after slashing my arm to install it.

 

To my knowledge that module is for anything that has to do with the factory key fob. So most likely is handles doors, trunk and remote start off the factory fob. Since I have yet to work on a car that has tire pressure sending units in the valve stems (my gen Monte determines tire pressure based on data from the ABS wheel speed sensor, not as accurate as the valve stems), it's news to me that the keyless entry module also handles the TPMS system (but not a surprise).

I assume you are talking the plastic piece between the dash pad and the windshield? If so, I only know one way to get at the bolts under it and that is to remove it again.

If you are talking about any of the dash pieces with the air vents, you safest bet is to probably pull them back off. Trying to pry them out enough to get a tool in to put bolts/screws may end up resulting in some possible damage that could have been avoided by removing those fascia pieces.