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1. Important: Before beginning, disconnect the battery negative cable.
Take time to label all the wires, connectors, small parts while removing.
2. Start at the driver's side by removing the steering wheel...
Gently pry out the center cap:
Scratch an alignment mark across the steering wheel shaft and the steering wheel so you can reinstall the steering wheel in the correct spot:
With the steering wheel locked, remove the nut and washer (22mm socket). Then unlock the steering wheel and pull it off.
3. Now remove the instrument cluster ...
Remove the kick panel under the steering wheel by turning the three plastic screws 90 degrees (two on the left side and one on the right side of the steering column), then pull down and out.
Remove the trim panel above the steering column. Reach up under the panel and remove two knurled nuts. One is just to the right of the foglight switch and the other is at the right side of the panel, to the right of the steering column.
With the nuts removed gently pry out the panel. It may hang up on the top of the steering column, just keep wiggling.
Remove the trim around the instrument panel. Two small screws at the top, above the gauges, then four more at the bottom to either side of the steering column.
Two more screws hold the instrument panel itself in:
You can now pull out the instrument panel. Be careful with the A-shaped "ears" in the picture above, they are easy to break off. Tilt it forward to access the connectors.
I put a rag on the steering column to avoid scratching the instrument panel while removing the connectors.
To disconnect, pry up the black plastic clips then pull out the connectors.
Here is the rear of the instrument panel, with all the bulbs accessible. If you have any burned out or dim bulbs, now is the time to replace them.
The larger sockets below and inside of the blue and white connectors hold the general illumination bulbs. These two bulbs light up your entire instrument panel. These are 3W European style bulbs available at your local Pep Boys/Autozone/etc.
The dozen or so smaller bulbs are for the indicators. The bulb and socket are one piece, I have not been able to find these anywhere other than my BMW dealer.
There is also a brass nut at the bottom left of the blue connector, this is the ground connection for the water temp gauge. Make sure this is tight.
4. With the instrument panel out, you can remove the headlight/foglight switch. There are two nuts that hold it in, one at each side.
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