Help! Replacing the Dash Cap Advice/Instructions

[cmathews23]

Does anyone have experience or guidance on how to replace the dash cap? I have a 2009 Platinum that the leather has shrunk and peeled away from the plastic base. Looks like shit.
Instead of the painstaking BS of trying to fix it (and there are none available for purchase in great shape), I am going to replace my cap with a 2008
cap that is not leather. I have already purchased the replacement cap. I just need to get some advice on the swap out and if anyone has some detailed
instructions on the process....I appreciate any advice.

 

[justdennis]

It has been a while since I removed mine but here's what I remember. If you don't have trim removal tools buy some, they are cheap at Harbor freight. You need to carefully remove the A pillar covers, the driver side has the microphone so you will need to remove that. There is a screw at each end, in the door jam area, I think it's behind the plastic trim piece at the end of the dash. I can only remember one other screw and it's behind the center stack face plate next to the right air vent. You need to remove the center console top plate in order to remove the center stack face plate. Then the dash cover is just held in place by some clips and will pop straight up. The light sensor on top of the dash is a little tricky also, just rotate it counter clockwise a half turn and it will drop out but don't let it drop down into the dash, it's a bugger to get out. Ask me how I know. Just take your time and be gentle. I may have forgot something but it will become obvious to you once your in there. Good luck

 

[cmathews23]

It has been a while since I removed mine but here's what I remember. If you don't have trim removal tools buy some, they are cheap at Harbor freight. You need to carefully remove the A pillar covers, the driver side has the microphone so you will need to remove that. There is a screw at each end, in the door jam area, I think it's behind the plastic trim piece at the end of the dash. I can only remember one other screw and it's behind the center stack face plate next to the right air vent. You need to remove the center console top plate in order to remove the center stack face plate. Then the dash cover is just held in place by some clips and will pop straight up. The light sensor on top of the dash is a little tricky also, just rotate it counter clockwise a half turn and it will drop out but don't let it drop down into the dash, it's a bugger to get out. Ask me how I know. Just take your time and be gentle. I may have forgot something but it will become obvious to you once your in there. Good luck

Thank you, this is great guidance. Much appreciated.

 

[cmathews23]

It has been a while since I removed mine but here's what I remember. If you don't have trim removal tools buy some, they are cheap at Harbor freight. You need to carefully remove the A pillar covers, the driver side has the microphone so you will need to remove that. There is a screw at each end, in the door jam area, I think it's behind the plastic trim piece at the end of the dash. I can only remember one other screw and it's behind the center stack face plate next to the right air vent. You need to remove the center console top plate in order to remove the center stack face plate. Then the dash cover is just held in place by some clips and will pop straight up. The light sensor on top of the dash is a little tricky also, just rotate it counter clockwise a half turn and it will drop out but don't let it drop down into the dash, it's a bugger to get out. Ask me how I know. Just take your time and be gentle. I may have forgot something but it will become obvious to you once your in there. Good luck

Question.......Does the Center Console Top Place and the Center Stack Face Plate have screws anywhere or do they just pop off?

 

[mickeytee]

I offered to help also but you never emailed me.
Each step has its on section and requires several uploads that i find to hard to do here. Good luck. Its just nuts and bolts

 

[cmathews23]

I offered to help also but you never emailed me.
Each step has its on section and requires several uploads that i find to hard to do here. Good luck. Its just nuts and bolts

Did not see your offer to help. If the offer is still open, my email is wcm232323@protonmail.com. I would love to get your input.

 

[justdennis]

No screws, but you need to move the shifter to neutral and use the trim tools to lift the top plate on the console just far enough to remove the center stack face plate.

 

[nvme]

Did not see your offer to help. If the offer is still open, my email is wcm232323@protonmail.com. I would love to get your input.

 

[nvme]

Go to UTUBE for Cadillac xlr and there is a video on how to remove the console top.

 

[luxuryrules]

Has anybody had success re-upholstering these when the covering shrinks, or is replacement the only way?

 

[mickeytee]

The original poster said he cleaned theglue upnand it looks like new. All the ones i tried the leather shrank and even pouring on the hyde food and soaking it to restreach. After using the best adhesive you can get for leather, in a week it had shrank right back to where it was. I made new ones but i covered them in alcantara. Maybe the op can let you know what he used to repair his.

 

[cmathews23]

Has anybody had success re-upholstering these when the covering shrinks, or is replacement the only way?

I have not heard of anyone who has had a leather cover dash that was able to repair it that sustained long term. They always seem to shrink again and/or bubble. The leather on these dash caps is not real high quality. I tore mine off in strips and it ripped almost like thick paper. I ended up buying a 2008 cap that was not covered in leather. I took my 2009 cap off and replaced it. I will never need to worry about the leather again. Additionally, my original cap had dried adhesive on the surface. I was surprised to see that the cap with the leather torn off was the exact same cap that were made for the earlier models, and like the one I bought for replacement. Anyway, I used a combination of Goo Gone and Acetone to remove the old dried adhesive from my original cap. I washed it up, applied some Armour All to it and it looks like new. I wish I would have known that prior. I would have not dropped $300 on a replacement cap. I suppose I will just sell my old one at some point.