lcc014

I am working on the blower motor/resistor replacement. I had center dash components out (radio, trim, etc). I could not the the center dash "component frame" out even though I undid all 6 Phillips screws. The whole component frame was loose and ready to come out but something in the bottom of this frame (ashtray area) holding it. I could not take it out.

Then I tried to remove the shifter trim in order to get to ashtray. I could not remove shifter trim. It was loose but something in the bottom side of shifter trim near ashtray area blocking the trim to be slided out.

What is the trick to remove shifter trim so that I can out the "component frame" out. Then I could access blower fan motor.

Also, when I removed radio connector - the big one, I saw a spark. It could be the heatsink of radio touching one of the antenna or small cable. Would this damage the radio ?

Thanks.

Ching-Ho Cheng

BostonJon

On my E61, i was able to remove the center piece you are referring to without removing the center console. I think there are clips at the bottom. i believe TIS says that you need to slide a long screw driver from the top to the bottom and pry out the bottom.

lcc014

Thank you for the suggestion. I read Bentley manual a few times last night. It said that ashtray insert need to come out before center console trim can slide out. However, manual did not mention how remove the ashtray insert.

Any idea ?

Thanks.

BostonJon

my apologies, I misunderstood. i thought you were trying to get out the center trim piece in front of the CCC, but I re-read your post and it seems that you've already removed the radio and front trim.

i believe the only way to remove the ash tray insert comes out is to loosen and slide out the center console. to do that, there are several screws/bolts to remove. there are two behind rear trim panel with the two cigarette lighters. there are two on the side behind the long thin strip of trim that has carpet on it (they slide rearwards), and there are some screws under the shifter trim. it's a bit of a PITA.

lcc014

Thank you for the suggestion. I re-read instruction (UK owner) in this forum (back in 2012) again and again. He stated that to "push down" ashtray insert in order to take it out of ashtray mount. I tried it tonight and it worked - ashtray insert popped right up by itself. Once ashtray insert was out, I could slide the center console trim piece out without any problem. I also saw the 2 prone of the ashtray mount which holding the "component frame" bottom. That was why I could not get the "component frame" out of dash even I removed all 6 phillips screws.

So for 2004/2005 models (pre LCI), ashtray mount needs to be removed first before tackling the dash trim and component frame. Otherwise, component frame would not come out of the dash.

I have enclosed pictures of ashtray insert and ashtray mount prone (near passenger side).

Thanks.

DanielFD

damn ashtray insert. That thing gave me a very hard time too. Couldn't get it out because i had half my trim removed. i guess the ashtray sliding door wasn't open enough at the time. eventually figured it out after 20 minutes of swearing. Sometimes the simplest things are the hardest.

lcc014

Last night, I got to the step to remove center vent duct on blower fan cover. I could not remove it because lower part of duct was connected to the long duct under the arm rest. So I had to remove center console arm rest and then disconnect long duct under arm rest. To remove arm rest/center console was a bit pain due to the special connector using behind the rear ashtray/vent panel. I could not get there disconnect before lifting whole arm rest out. I unscrewed the connector from arm rest instead. What a waste of time to deal with all these connectors .

Now, I have center vent out and driver side small vent out of the blower fan cover. I had to remove driver side panel to make the removal of left vent out much more easier. Right side vent is more difficult due to 2 big cables/harness. I am not sure whether I need to remove glove box to get to it ...

Overall, so far, this is a more than 1 day job for me. BMW makes this very difficult to do .... My Volvo is piece of cake.