I think we've had a couple of renditions of this guide through the years, but I couldn't find a detailed one with working pictures, so I took some photos earlier while I stripped down the dash of the breaker I've got here
Removal of the dashboard binnacle is quite straight forward, and only requires a stubby phillips screwdriver, and some tool to remove the ghastly interior trim clips (stanley knife, small flathead, needle nose pliers etc - choose your weapon!).
Here goes:
Slide both front seats all the way forward, and you'll find two screws on the sides of the centre - easiest access from the back seat. Remove these.
[img]https://i.imgur.com/20JouO8.jpg[/img]
Then, slide both front seats all the way back, and squeeze your dainty little hands either side of the centre just below the seam. Tuck your fingers underneath, pry outwards and pull upwards simultaneously. Simply slide the whole thing off the handbrake lever (you might find it easier to nudge the gearstick into 3rd, to give you more room).
[img]https://i.imgur.com/hLtHpBy.jpg[/img]
Hoorah, you have revealed some more screws! Undo these.
[img]https://i.imgur.com/vgTpYq3.jpg[/img]
Now the best part - remove the trim clips on either side of the centre console in each footwell - they're already removed in this photo. I find it easiest to gently tease a stanley knife blade under the edge of the middle bit, pry it up just enough to get your fingernails under and pull it - it should pull the middle bit out, enough to grab it with your sausage fingers and yank the whole thing out.
[img]https://i.imgur.com/LSweyjr.jpg[/img]
Next up, whip your knob out. Then, remove the gearknob
It just turns anticlockwise, for about 6 weeks, and then finally pops off the longest thread in the world.You can now cuddle your dashboard. No, seriously. Grab the centre console from either side (in the footwells) and pull towards the back of the car - it'll slide backwards. Watch the back edge (where those screws just were - it can sometimes snag on a lip of sound deadening on the floor).
Don't pull it all the way off yet! Hopefully you'll have noticed that your cigarette lighter and ashtray light are plugged in behind this cuddly panel. There's a single connector on the right hand side - unplug it, and you can then remove this whole piece in one (you may need to stretch it open a tad).
[img]https://i.imgur.com/rvPUn1r.jpg[/img]
Big old silver plate here covers up the ECU, in case you need that information
[img]https://i.imgur.com/WhdrpoZ.jpg[/img]
Next up, open the driver's door and pry the dashboard end piece out. I find it easiest to just shove a screwdriver in the point where the three trim pieces meet, and pop it out. Guess what? More screws! There's two shiny little screws holding the lower half of the dash in place - remove these (you should now see why you need a stubby phillips)
[img]https://i.imgur.com/o6tQubt.jpg[/img]
BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE. Open the cubby hole, get your head in the footwell and look up - hello cheeky little secret trim clip! Remove this.
[img]https://i.imgur.com/p9tTkJQ.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/pxSUahL.jpg[/img]
Next up, you need to remove this whole lower panel - it's sort of hinged at the bottom, and just clipped at the top, so you can pry the outside corner off easily, then get your hands up underneath it, rotate it downwards as you pull it towards you - it should come off.
Guess what? More screws! There's a screw either side of the steering column now, the last two screws holding on the dash binnacle. Undo both of them.
[img]https://i.imgur.com/zWgWySM.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/ramdNdQ.jpg[/img]
Right, now you're just fighting about 406 metal clips, which will inevitably spring into oblivion when you remove the last piece. Start prying upwards on the corners, as shown here:
[img]https://i.imgur.com/1M08n8U.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/X3LgyVg.jpg[/img]
Once the binnacle is a bit loose, channel your inner meat-head and just grab it and pull, with both hands, towards you. Mad photoshop skillz required for this part. Or a third hand to hold the camera.
[img]https://i.imgur.com/eZl3uCs.jpg[/img]
It should pop off. At this point, you can peek round the back to unplug the clock, hazard and demister switches.
[img]https://i.imgur.com/hMVZG7T.jpg[/img]
Reach through the instrument cluster hole, and unplug the switches for fog lights, dash brightness, headlight level etc.
[img]https://i.imgur.com/oQBfIhS.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/jrg1ks1.jpg[/img]
Hoorah! You've just removed the binnacle! Now you can access the instrument cluster (held on with 4 obvious screws), or the heater controller (two obvious screws)
Re-fitting is obviously the reverse of this whole procedure
