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DIY: 93-01 Dash Removal

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#42 ·
mike-tracy said:
The guide is 11 years old, are you volunteering to make an updated version? ;)
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Oh no i'm done with subaru junk....Was just scrapping my RSTi and thought of saving myself some work by looking up a guide!

At least one mounting tab needs to be cut off, and also the rear bracket holding the HVAC unit needs to be cut or bent away to get it out.
 
#44 ·
r0bman said:
Oh no i'm done with subaru junk....Was just scrapping my RSTi and thought of saving myself some work by looking up a guide!

At least one mounting tab needs to be cut off, and also the rear bracket holding the HVAC unit needs to be cut or bent away to get it out.
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Wait, what cutting needs to be done to remove the dash and components? It must be a modified/custom interior.
 
#45 ·
Jack_Stalk said:
Wait, what cutting needs to be done to remove the dash and components? It must be a modified/custom interior.
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Nope, stock.

The HVAC unit is held by 2 plastic tabs that prevent the unit from moving deeper into the dash, also a metal bracket holds it in place. One of the tabs needs to be snapped off, and the bracket bent to allow the HVAC unit to slide out of the rear of the dashboard. There's no other way around it.

Your 98 RS is different and might not require the same modifications.
 
#46 ·
You are supposed to remove the entire dashboard and dash beam to access the HVAC heater core unit and fan blower motor assembly. If you're cutting things you aren't removing the part correctly. You can remove the entire interior of a 93-01 Impreza down to the metal without cutting a single thing. I've done it multiple times on multiple cars. I own a 98 RS right now but have owned probably 15 first generation imprezas including 2000 and 2001 RS's and the dashboards are all functionally identical.
 
#47 ·
Jack_Stalk said:
You are supposed to remove the entire dashboard and dash beam to access the HVAC heater core unit and fan blower motor assembly. If you're cutting things you aren't removing the part correctly. You can remove the entire interior of a 93-01 Impreza down to the metal without cutting a single thing. I've done it multiple times on multiple cars. I own a 98 RS right now but have owned probably 15 first generation imprezas including 2000 and 2001 RS's and the dashboards are all functionally identical.
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Don't take my word for it, i'll throw up some photos of the tabs that need to be snapped off to allow the control panel to slip through the back of the dashboard
 
#48 · (Edited)
Hmm, Jack is right, no cutting required. Maybe you mean the HVAC control panel? That one can be tricky to remove, but again, no cutting necessary. Either your setup is not stock or you missed something.

Edit, saw your first post. Ya you gotta be smarter than the control panel to get it out. Unplug the two electrical connectors first, then you can get the cable actuators out from beneath through the radio area, then you can shimmy it out.
 
#49 ·
SoCoNoHa said:
Hmm, Jack is right, no cutting required. Maybe you mean the HVAC control panel? That one can be tricky to remove, but again, no cutting necessary. Either your setup is not stock or you missed something.

Edit, saw your first post. Ya you gotta be smarter than the control panel to get it out. Unplug the two electrical connectors first, then you can get the cable actuators out from beneath through the radio area, then you can shimmy it out.
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Oh well it's getting scrapped anyway. Thanks for the help
 
#50 ·
r0bman said:
Don't take my word for it, i'll throw up some photos of the tabs that need to be snapped off to allow the control panel to slip through the back of the dashboard
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I would love to see some photos. Like I said, either you tried to cut corners by removing it incorrectly or the interior is modified. The heater core (HVAC) and fan blower/AC are both bolted to the firewall and I'm not sure you can get to those bolts easily without removing the dashboard, as is intended in the factory service repair manual for these cars.
 
#51 ·
Jack_Stalk said:
I would love to see some photos. Like I said, either you tried to cut corners by removing it incorrectly or the interior is modified. The heater core (HVAC) and fan blower/AC are both bolted to the firewall and I'm not sure you can get to those bolts easily without removing the dashboard, as is intended in the factory service repair manual for these cars.
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Oh im just talking about the panel with the three dials controlling fan speed, distribution, and temp. I mean of course it's impossible to remove the heater core without removing the dash first
 
#55 ·
Since it's a RSTi he may have a GD dash, where it would make sense that he didnt know he could just pop off the HVAC control trim and the controls literally come out with it. If you're trying to remove the GD HVAC controls from behind the dash the only way is probably to break it like he did.
 
#56 ·
Nope its not a full GD STi swap just tranny engine and harness, interior is bone stock except radio delete.

first off jack posted a post-facelift HVAC panel which is completely different.

Here's mine:


The two white tabs prevent movement of the panel outwards towards the passanger compartment, the silver bracket under the panel prevents any access to the bowden cables for disconnection, and the ducts prevent movement of the unit vertically to clear the mounting tabs, therefore why they need to be snapped off. They are glued back on now for resale though. I moved the panel back into a position it could never be in if the tabs were unmodified.
 
#57 ·
Hmm, that's the one I have, I've had it in and out about 6 times in the past 2 months. Definitely don't need to break or snap anything. The silver bracket absolutely does not prevent access to the cables, it's like 2.5" wide. The control panel can be worked around like a puzzle, connections removed, and the left side swings out. Honestly, it's not easy, but it IS do-able.
 
#58 ·
Yeah I haven't had a 93-97 interior in a while but I can definitely 100% remember getting that part out without breaking anything. You may have to shimmy things around a bit but in the future it can definitely be done. I swapped from a '95 dash to a '93 dash once because they don't have a passenger airbag (making it lighter) and it has this cool "shelf" you can put things on.
 
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