[GripperDon]

Does anyone have any suggestion as to refinishing the plastic of the instrument cluster? When I was removing the AC vent for the NAV LCD mod, I brushed it across the right side surface and it took away some of the blandness of the surface and put a smooth and some what shiny surface at the contact point. You can see them on the side of the Instrument Cluster closest to the LCD. Two narrow verticle marks.

I thought of 3M ScothBright pad, Guess I may find a hidden surface and try it out.

 

[zebelkhan]

The first step in the Service Manual was to put a tape on that area to protect it....:4:

I don't know about MO, but in another car, I used a crayon to re texture some of the blemishes and it worked perfectly. You may want to try that.

 

[GripperDon]

The tape would have prevented the problem. I have the problem.

I feel bad enough buddy without now having to feel more stupid than I already do, The instructions from Generator also said to tape it. The Forum that showed the installation of the 3 guys in Florida said to tape it.

Guess who teped it the 10 times before as I took it out and reout and never touched it, But the one time I didn't tape it, Guess who scraped it. and now get to use this great source of info to provide help fixing it.

Thanks for the Crayola suggestion.

 

[CopperKat]

Is it the two marks I think it is, by the hazard button?

 

[GripperDon]

CopperKat If you look at the pic above and let your eye follow up above the top front edge of the LCD but looking back at the instrument cluster housing you will see a streak about 2 inches long and another running parallel to it. Thats what I am talking about.

 

[CopperKat]

Is that where the hazard button is? Maybe it's the angle, but when I look at my instrument cluster, those marks would be on the plastic attached to the emergency flasher button. Is the '05 different? The reason I ask is you can replace just the casing part for around $10.00.

 

[GripperDon]

I'm sorry but I don't follow you, The Hazard button is on the front of the cluster and I am talking about the side. Have I lost something.

 

[CopperKat]

Is it the right side black area of the hazard button that's marked?

 

[GripperDon]

I think I am understanding finally! I'll check it out, that this area of plastic may be part of the side of the Hazard Switch.

 

[GripperDon]

I Think I found it. It's part of the Combination Meter in section Driver Information. Unfortunately I don't know how to paste that picture to this post. BUT YOU ARE CORRECT. I'll go to the Dealer and order the part. THANK YOU I'll be good to go.

 

[zebelkhan]

Try the crayon. It really works! Just find the right color (in this case black) and rub it on the marks, then take a napkin and feather it out.

And sorry, I didn not mean to make you feel bad. I am guilty of that exact thing myself. I must have removed the vent cover at least 5 times and I never taped it either so I am sure I will find scratch marks if I look.

Then again...two wrong things don't make it right....:2:

 

[GripperDon]

zebelkhan You know how much I like you, I was just half kidding and half feeling stupid. And 100% mad at myself for doing it. Thanks, for the tip, I'll try it and maybe save $10. Heck! I can buy some crayon for that. Haven't had any kid with crayons around for decades.

PS I deleted the Pic of the Gal on the Jet a bit much, and I was afraid Grippee would find out and then I would be in bigger trouble than Trump is in.

 

[zebelkhan]

Well, this the picture from my 04 manual and seems that it is one piece.

 

[GripperDon]

In my manual there is an exploded view that shows how to remove the gagues, etc and shows the part that CopperKat talked about. It's part #9 on the page 29 of section DI

 

[zebelkhan]

That is great. Will it take a lot of dismantelimg to get the piece replaced?

By the way, you can do what I do to post pages from the manual:

1- Open to the page or diagram you want
2- Go full screen or zoom in to the part you want
3- Hit "print Screen" button
4- Open MicroSoft Photo Editor (or other photo editing software)
5- Past in the image
6- Crop or modify as needed
7- save it as jpeg file
8- attach to your post

Sounds like a long process but in reality takes a few seconds.