IMW Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 Hi. My Focus is a Ghia model so it has a top of the dashboard storage compartment. The latching mechanism has broken and I need to replace the cover and the latch itself. However, to get to these the large panel in which the storage compartment is located has to come out but I can't see how. Can anyone tell me how to remove this panel or is it going to be a garage job? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjr63 Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Same thing happened to mine. Very annoying - this is a shoddy piece of design/engineering. I brought a replacement lid from Ford (Part F1519315 - black) - cost £31.50 plus VAT. To fit it, you have to remove the storage box body along with the thinner plastic trim which goes over to the right side of the dash. It is all a push-fit unit - and I started on the right hand side at the front (i.e. nearest you) - the first few clips come out of the dashboard foam relatively easily. Be careful with this step as the thin section of trim is rather brittle. I managed to crack mine at the back :( The trick to this job is releasing three plastic sprung lugs that hold the front of the storage box in to the dashboard foam on the edge nearest you. I used a plastic kitchen spatula which was thin enough to slide in round the front right corner of the storage box. The foam gives reasonably easily. The clips are on in the centre in line with the catch mechanism and on either side on the front edge of the box by the corners. Once the lugs are free, you can lift the whole storage unit and trim out of the dashboard. It was easy to see how to fit the new lid by removing the return- spring and then extracting the hinge rod. It all went back together pretty easily and popped back in to the dashboard easily. The whole job took me 30 mins and most of that was working out the trick to using a flexible spatula to push back the plastic sprung lugs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IMW Posted February 20, 2011 Author Share Posted February 20, 2011 That's very encouraging. I shall take another look at the problem. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IMW Posted February 20, 2011 Author Share Posted February 20, 2011 No time like the present and a search revealed that I did have a thin kitchen spatula. It was as easy as you described and I'm off to get a new cover and latch tomorrow. Many, many thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aslat Posted June 18, 2011 Share Posted June 18, 2011 Bumping into this thread... I have the same problem but all I need is a new latch (the springy thingy). Does anyone know where to get one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aslat Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 Bumping into this thread... I have the same problem but all I need is a new latch (the springy thingy). Does anyone know where to get one? Can anyone help with this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edward adams Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 On 11/7/2010 at 9:30 AM, IMW said: Hi. My Focus is a Ghia model so it has a top of the dashboard storage compartment. The latching mechanism has broken and I need to replace the cover and the latch itself. However, to get to these the large panel in which the storage compartment is located has to come out but I can't see how. Can anyone tell me how to remove this panel or is it going to be a garage job? Thanks. On 11/7/2010 at 9:30 AM, IMW said: Hi. My Focus is a Ghia model so it has a top of the dashboard storage compartment. The latching mechanism has broken and I need to replace the cover and the latch itself. However, to get to these the large panel in which the storage compartment is located has to come out but I can't see how. Can anyone tell me how to remove this panel or is it going to be a garage job? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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