Just picked up my car from service. I was complaining about a dash rattle. It looks like they pulled out the instrument cluster and put felt around the EDGES of the outside of the cluster then put it back in. The problem is, you can now see the white edges of the felt and it looks shoddy and crappy. To add to it, the dash rattles worse now! I'm fed up with the service i've received on this car and would rather do it myself right, without scratching up the steering wheel column like service did. I know where it's rattling, and it's not where they fixed it.

Does anyone know or have a Service Bulletin on how to remove the cluster properly, hopefully without having to remove the steering wheel? I only need to pull out the cluster partially to remove the crappy felt around it.

Thanks.

 

I think the following information can help you out. The removal of the instrument cluster itself looks fairly easy but according to BMW, the battery needs to be disconnected before doing so. Disconnecting the battery isn't so difficult but after you re-connect it, you'll need to do some reinitializing of things like active steering and the sunroof. (I imagine, but am not 100% sure, that if you aren't actually disconnecting any wires from the cluster, you may not have to disconnect the battery, etc. -- it's up to you to decide what you want to do.) All instructions to perform the complete removal are as follows:

First, there are a few steps documented on how to disconnect the battery. Most of it is common sense but to be thorough, as I always try to be, here goes...
Step 1, remove the luggage compartment floor:
1_Remove_luggage_compartment_floor_trim_panel.pdf
Step 2, remove trunk trim panel on right side:
2_Remove_trunk_trim_panel_on_right_side.pdf
Step 3, observe battery safety instructions:
3_Battery_safety_instructions.pdf
Step 4, disconnect battery:
4_Disconnect_battery.pdf

Now, the step that you're waiting for...
Step 5, remove instrument cluster:
5_RA__Removing_and_installing__replacing__instrument_cluster.pdf

After everything is back together and you reconnect the battery, according to the document in step 4, you'll need to do the following:
Step 6, initialize sunroof:
Initializing_sunroofs.pdf
Step 7, set active front steering angle:
Setting_AFS_steering_angle.pdf

I think that's it. Let me know if I forgot anything, be careful, and good luck!

 

Hey Rudy:

Where are you digging up all that information ???

Are you a subscriber to TIS ???

 

Naah, ya think?

 

Thanks for the info Rudy! Very nice.

I would have thought the instrument cluster removal info would be a little more detailed. I was mostly worried about any clips on the lower part of the cluster to look for. I guess just remove the two screws then GENTLY pull it out. Since I am removing the felt, I wouldn't think I would have to remove the battery, since I don't think i'll have to unplug anything going to the cluster, eh? I'm thinking I just put a towel over the column, unscrew the cluster, peel off the felt, then maybe goo gone the sticky crap off of it then put it back in. The rattle seems to come from the top of the cluster where the hard plastic meets the rubber. I'm thinking of putting felt around that area around the top where the cluster screws into the dash. Before, I could stop the sound before by pressing down on the dash. Now the whole thing seems to vibrate depending on the speed you're going.....Seems logical to me anyhow.

 

I would just take it back to the dealer or a different dealer and have them fix it right. Make sure they give you a loaner so that they have motivation to get it done right the first time (impossible in this case) and in a timely matter.

 

He writes the TIS.