Instrument cluster removal

[Robby71]

I've got an annoying rattle which i'm sure is coming from behind the cluster and it's driving me nuts
I know a few members have swapped their clusters so i was hoping for a guide to removing the clocks so i can look behind mine to see if there's anything obvious thats rattling

Thanks

[Robby71]

ok figured it out, removed clocks and there's nothing behind tightened the screw at the back so see if that's made any difference?

[iichel]

would you mind telling the ladies and gentlemen at home how you did it?

[Robby71]

Pull the steering wheel back towards you and lower it as far as possible
Lift up the plastic top shroud above the steering assembly (it pulls straight up - i prised it slightly so not to break any tabs)
With the shroud now loose lift it up out of the way (it's still attached by the rubber cover)
You should now see 1 torx screw at either side holding the clocks in place - these need unscrewing enough so they're free but you don't need to pull them out (so you don't drop them into the column assembly) then the clocks pull forwards

Take it easy so you don't scratch and of the plastics or break any tabs

[RUM4MO]

I think that the clear plastic will scratch by just looking at it, wife's Polo has a mark, from new, I've told her not to try to do any thing with it.

Noises from cluster, okay just a Aug 2015 SEL, but I think that wife's car's cluster noises come from the cheap looking chromed plastic shrouds/hoods that are on the clocks, if you grab one and try to move it slightly it will stop making noises, now to be brave enough to apply something to lubricate it against the spongy body of the cluster!

[Robby71]

I tried pushing every part of the cluster and on all the dash areas when driving but couldn't stop the rattle noise, typical that when i test drove the car it was on Cambridges roads not on the crappy Yorkshire roads i have to drive every day which is why i didn't notice it before buying the car

I just got rid of a Fiesta ST2 which was a year older (64 plate) with similar mileage and even though that had firm suspension it didn't have a single rattle or creak - was expecting VW to be better

[RUM4MO]

Oh dear, a bad mistake, VAG don't do "rattle/creak free" cars, never had in my experience over the past 16 years of a 2000 VW Passat 4Motion, 2002 VW Polo 1.4 SE, 2011 Audi S4 and 2015 Polo 1.2TSI 110PS SEL!

Seasonal temperature changes have a lot to do with most of these noises, the issue I was highlighting on wife's 2015 Polo is just due to thoughtless design which leaves a hard plastic shroud clipped into a dashboard where it is in contact with a spongy plastic cowl - one moves against/relative to the other. Other noise on that car is due to driver's side seat belt in the B pillar area.

In my S4, the main issue is my sunglasses in the sunglasses holder, after a lot of cursing and pushing bits, I finally open/close sunglasses holder and noise goes away - though it does fool me and seems to be coming from somewhere completely different - until you prove otherwise. Up here in Scotland, the noise is there most of the time, hint very little sunshine!!!! If the sunglasses are worn - no noise ever!

Edit:- only rattle I ever had in a Ford was a Fiesta with the 1.6 Zetec engine in it, and only when the rear ARB link broke! Ford did not list a part number for that car, so I used my brains and got them to supply me with a couple from a same age XR2i !

[next703]

Hello! Very interesting topic, thank you raised it
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