Hi, I recently bought a 1.4 T-Spirit hatch 2002 only to realise (after purchase) that the centre console which contains the air vents and audio system is protruding quite noticeably from the dash. I have asked around and this appears to be a common problem in these earlier models. I have brought the car back to ireland after buying it in the uk so cannot go back to the dealer from which i bought it. I want to try fix this problem myself as don't want to risk the aluminium finish being scratched. Has anyone any ideas or had this problem themselves?
Thanks,
Brian

You're probably better off putting this in the Corolla section. I've asked a mod to move it for ya!

[quote name='macdonb2' post='740290' date='Apr 7 2008, 03:36 PM']Hi, I recently bought a 1.4 T-Spirit hatch 2002 only to realise (after purchase) that the centre console which contains the air vents and audio system is protruding quite noticeably from the dash. I have asked around and this appears to be a common problem in these earlier models. I have brought the car back to ireland after buying it in the uk so cannot go back to the dealer from which i bought it. I want to try fix this problem myself as don't want to risk the aluminium finish being scratched. Has anyone any ideas or had this problem themselves?
Thanks,
Brian[/quote]

This is a design fault for the pre-facelift corolla.
You will find this on all corolla's which have had the H/U removed and tried to be put back in again.
Not much you can do about it, apart from keep pushing it back in once in a while, better if been a warm day than cold.

Bing

[quote name='man-bing' post='740505' date='Apr 7 2008, 10:08 PM'][quote name='macdonb2' post='740290' date='Apr 7 2008, 03:36 PM']Hi, I recently bought a 1.4 T-Spirit hatch 2002 only to realise (after purchase) that the centre console which contains the air vents and audio system is protruding quite noticeably from the dash. I have asked around and this appears to be a common problem in these earlier models. I have brought the car back to ireland after buying it in the uk so cannot go back to the dealer from which i bought it. I want to try fix this problem myself as don't want to risk the aluminium finish being scratched. Has anyone any ideas or had this problem themselves?
Thanks,
Brian[/quote]

This is a design fault for the pre-facelift corolla.
You will find this on all corolla's which have had the H/U removed and tried to be put back in again.
Not much you can do about it, apart from keep pushing it back in once in a while, better if been a warm day than cold.

Bing

[/quote]
I can take the gear stick gaitor and surrounding trim out handy enough but am unsure how to take the main console containing the A/C controls etc off any suggestions or tips? do i need to purchase any clips incase i break one in the proces?? Would you recommend also replacing the existing head unit? Thank you

[quote name='macdonb2' post='740583' date='Apr 8 2008, 10:40 AM']I can take the gear stick gaitor and surrounding trim out handy enough but am unsure how to take the main console containing the A/C controls etc off any suggestions or tips? do i need to purchase any clips incase i break one in the proces?? Would you recommend also replacing the existing head unit? Thank you[/quote]

If you look at my signature, there are some link to pics which show's you how to remove it, not very difficult.

It depends on what you want to do with the audio in the car, as in, just change the H/U or go for a full install.
It's been many years since i heard a basic toyota audio, and i'm not planning to go back to it in the near future either

Bing

So do i just pull the black surrounding away from the centre silver console or do i pull the silver console straight out and are they the same clips as on the gear stick surround?? thanks for the help

oh dont get me started on this. ive had toyota trying to fix this for the last 6 months. ive had an entire new dash put in cos it was warpped and now im havin this problem with the stereo fallin out. its been fixed once and now the passenger side is fallin out. its in again today and i got a phone call sayin they have broken the clips on the back so i have to wait till tomorrow to get tge car back. an mine is a facelift compressor so its not just on the pre-facelift

I gave up in the end ..... I just keep pushing it back

Just wait till the summer comes and it will be on your lap

[quote name='macdonb2' post='740665' date='Apr 8 2008, 03:31 PM']So do i just pull the black surrounding away from the centre silver console or do i pull the silver console straight out and are they the same clips as on the gear stick surround?? thanks for the help[/quote]

As you already done, remove the gear stick trim and take out ashtray

[img]http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/gallery/albums/Misc/Ashtray_Gearstick_cover_removed.jpg[/img]

Where the ashtray is, pull out towards you from here, and the whole contre console will come out upto where it meets the airvents trim

[img]http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/gallery/albums/Misc/Pulling_out_centre_console.jpg[/img]

There are four clips (two on each side at the top and bottom), this is how it's cliped into the dashboard

[img]http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/gallery/albums/Misc/Centre_Console_Clip_same_on_otherside.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/gallery/albums/Misc/Centre_Console_Clip_01_same_on_otherside.jpg[/img]

When you get to the airvent trim, there are 4 bolts holding it in place (10mm head), you might need to use an extender to reach it

[img]http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/gallery/albums/Misc/Location_of_headunit_bolts_4_to_remove.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/gallery/albums/Misc/Removing_headunit_bolts_with_ratchet_spanner.jpg[/img]

Once you undone them, pull the whole airvent trim out with the H/U still attached to the trim

[img]http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/gallery/albums/Misc/Pulling_out_Airvents_and_headunit.jpg[/img]

Once removed, it should look something like this, but pehaps a little less cabling

[img]http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/gallery/albums/Misc/Wiring_loom_for_my_Alpine_and_rest_of_audio.jpg[/img]


That should help you alot now

Bing

Yeah it's annoying i mean it doesn't effect the car practically in any way but i would just like it right. I don't believe that car would have been let go from the production line like this in japan i think build quality has taken a blow since they strted being produced in the uk. I have all the information know for removing it but wether i can fix the problem once removed is another story. Just worried about taking it off for that reson in case i break a clip. Regret not getting a bigger engine 1.4 really needs thrashing to get any speed. hows the compressor go like??

It's not where it's built .... it's the parts their using.

If you have a look in the new yaris you will see what I mean!

[quote name='DaveSR' post='741803' date='Apr 11 2008, 12:32 PM']It's not where it's built .... it's the parts their using.

If you have a look in the new yaris you will see what I mean![/quote]

why are they using different parts than japan? i heard theres a kit available but i can't seem to get hold of it?

[quote name='Kerby' post='740830' date='Apr 8 2008, 08:58 PM']oh dont get me started on this. ive had toyota trying to fix this for the last 6 months. ive had an entire new dash put in cos it was warpped and now im havin this problem with the stereo fallin out. its been fixed once and now the passenger side is fallin out. its in again today and i got a phone call sayin they have broken the clips on the back so i have to wait till tomorrow to get tge car back. an mine is a facelift compressor so its not just on the pre-facelift[/quote]
hey so what was toyotas solution for the centre console? going to take mine apart next wk end and have a go at fixing it.

i heard somewhere on this forum that toyota made bigger clips to solve the problem, you could ring the dealers and ask them....

First thing they will do is shave the back of the dash, if that don't work then they will order in a new one.

If that one fails then they change the clips on the back.

Like I said earlier I have had all of the above done and it's still not 100%

yeah exactly the same done to mine as daves. and fingers crossed they seem to have solved it

I had the same problem on my pre-facelift E12. It went back to Mr T twice, but they never truely fixed the problem. Had my facelift E12 for 20 months now and so far (touch wood), the dash has been fine.