Vigo Hilux Remove center panel - How?

[Daffy D]

I've done exhaustive Googling and YouTubing but can only find 'How to" for different/earlier models where the whole panel down to the three knobs at the bottom comes off as one piece.

On mine the top part is silver and the bottom part with the rotating knobs is grey color so I assume the two parts come away separately.

I just want to take out the upper silver part, the bit inside the red rectangle.

You may notice the small plastic shade, this stops reflection of the video screen on the windscreen, but under certain conditions I'm still getting reflection of the silver trim that I want to take off to spray paint matt black.

So anyone know how to remove this panel without braking it?

Thanks.

[Ace of Pop]

Call into any Car Audio and they pop it off for you.

[Satcommlee]

underneath the middle aircon knob (Off-Lo-Hi) is a screw.. pull the knob out and it will reveal the screw.

[Satcommlee]

There is a video on youtube....

[Don Mega]

underneath the middle aircon knob (Off-Lo-Hi) is a screw.. pull the knob out and it will reveal the screw.

Thats the one.

[rawhod]

I's nice to see positive help on here...complete with instructional video.

Well done that man.

[NanLaew]

I would latch the flip-up LCD cover closed and use masking tape and sheets of newspaper to mask the rest of the dashboard, windscreen and other parts of the interior. With both doors open and absolutely no breeze blowing through, I would then use the matt black spray as the OP intends.

Too old school I guess...

[Daffy D]

Thanks for the rapid replies.

As I said in my original post "I've done exhaustive Googling and YouTubing but can only find 'How to" for different/earlier models where the whole panel down to the three knobs at the bottom comes off as one piece"

I had watched the YouTube clips posted by "Satcommle" and "Don Mega" but the panel they are working on are different to mine.

The top photo is from YouTube and the bottom one is mine.

For one thing I cannot get any of the three control knobs off. The whole family have had a go but just does not want to come.

The inner panel holding the knobs on my unit is a darker grey so obviously a separate panel unlike the the top photo where it's obvious that the whole panel is all one piece.

Think I'll give up on this one and take "Ace of Pop" suggestion and take it to the local car audio shop to se how it's done.

Cheers.

[WarpSpeed]

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I's nice to see positive help on here...complete with instructional video.

Well done that man.

Yeah like that never happens here? Lately maybe, but it's not always been that way.

OP just because they aren't the same color doesn't necessarily mean they are 2 different pieces. Having said that, take a flash light (or torch as some in other parts of the world say) and look back in the A/C vents often there are screws hidden in the vents and you have to remove the vents carefully to get at them. Most vents have a prong they slide onto to snap them in and you have to use a small screw driver to gently lift at the contact point to remove them others have point where they slide in and catch when moved into a certain position you'll have to figure out your specific vents. Being a newer truck the plastic should be quite pliable without being too brittle to remove them.

I'm going off a lot of experience removing many types of dash trim pieces but not this one particular truck, so good luck, just take your time, pull on it a little bit gently and many times you can determine where the fixture hardware is located to remove them.

[Satcommlee]

I have a 1 year old fortuner that looks the similar to your console... maybe you are not pulling hard enough on that central knob :-)

edit: Mine is not the same though as I have climate control and no knobs.. but otherwise the rest looks the same, but it's got me thinking now! how would I remove it, without that knob???

[Don Mega]

okies. it seems yours is a 2011 or newer Vigo.

There is no screws. You basically just need to grab the surround and give it a yank to get it free from its clips... I would use the proper plastic dash removal tools though and gently pry it from the dashboard.

I have the 2011 to 2014 workshop manual downloading now so will confirm soon (about 1 hour till download complete).

For the dash removal tools, I bought a set similar to this from Hardware House, was about Bt.150.00 from memory.

[Don Mega]

[NanLaew]

From the OP's latest snapshots, I see that the shade thingy is fixed and not a pop-up like I suggested earlier (he says putting away the masking tape and yesterday's Nation). Looking closer, it looks like an after-market add-on that snaps over and around the existing facia? Should be able to pry it off using the tools that Don has suggested but if it has double-side adhesive taped up the ying-yang on the back, it won't come off easily at all.

[Daffy D]

Job done

According to this guy you just put you fingers in the space below the AC vents feel the tabs and just hoik out the panell then carefully work your way round unpopping all the remaining clips.

http://www.tiggersound.com/webboard/index.php?topic=173707.0 (scroll down)

The hoiking part was difficult as the space to get a grip with you fingers is limmited and not easy to manage.

Though it looks like it's in three parts the panel is just one piece and comse off with the knobs control module and the AC vents attached.

Easy enough to unclip all the bits any youre' left with just the panel.

I only wanted to paint the top half so easy enough to mask of the bottom section and before painting.

Will leave it overnight for the paint to harden and refit the panel tomorrow.

Now we all know how it's done

Thank you''all

[Daffy D]

I would latch the flip-up LCD cover closed and use masking tape and sheets of newspaper to mask the rest of the dashboard, windscreen and other parts of the interior. With both doors open and absolutely no breeze blowing through, I would then use the matt black spray as the OP intends.

Too old school I guess...

Not at all too old school,

Painting the panel in place did flash trough my mind but after I watched the YouTube movies of how easy it was to remove the panel I thought "I can do that"

Unfortunately as we all know real life is not always like the movies

[NanLaew]

Nice job sir! That matt black looks much nicer than the silvery plastic too. Maybe think about a nice Alpine car stereo with a black facia to replace the OEM noise maker? At least you know how to get in there next time. What year is that anyway? I have driven or ridden around in plenty weego's and 'tunas but haven't seen that arrangement before.

[Daffy D]

Finished job:-

I'm happy with it

"NanLaew" An upgrade stereo sounds like a good idea but I only ever go out with the wife and kids and doubt they would appreciate the "upgrade"

The model is 2012, it has the Navigator and reverse camera which I think makes the layout a bit different.

"Don Mega" The workshop download , is it a freebie???? If so could you provide a link

[dotpoom]

I's nice to see positive help on here...complete with instructional video.

Well done that man.

Just thinking the same thing myself....what great answers here. I needed to do the same on my pick-up, was baffled for days until I discovered 3 screws in roughly the same area, never bothered putting them back in when I replaced the front. I can whip it on and off now so quickly my wife thinks I'm a bit of a genius.... 555.