my mk2 had been suffering from weak output on the screen demisters for a while i decided to whip the dash out for a look , to remove the dash you need to take off the following parts , should take around an hour for a first timer radio all switches heater facia dash bezel steering wheel stalks and surrounds both under trays center console..loosen but can stay in car dash clocks all vents and surrounds rain tray cover once thats all out ...theres a 8mm bolt either end of the dash , one each side of the console and one 10mm nut each end of the rain tray (hard to see, look up under the wipers from under the bonnet ) give the dash a tug towards you ...you will find theres some wiring clipped onto to it,so detach that and the glove box light and with any luck it should come out heres some pics that explain the cause , the dash is made from some cardboard type stuff and the screen duct had come away , the intake was also deformed by someone shoving the radio in with lots of wires behind it the fix is to use some polyureathane sealer like tiger seal to caulk into the gap , then clamp it tight over night until its set refit the dash and you should have working demisters ( while the dash is out you might like to fit a new matrix ) spot the fault ? it should be bonded tight all the way along couple of closer pics where the 2 parts have split open all glued up and waiting to set , i used polyureathane sealer that sets over night , use some wood and old rags to stop the clamps marking the dash, put some thought into what you use so you dont reset the dash too straight
that would explain why my screen demist is **** poor yet i have a toasty warm dash. may have to do this if i get a chance
i used polyureathne sealer ...tigerseal /sikaflex , should find some on ebay under 10 what tips do you want ? i tried to cover it all best i can
Excellent work there pigbladder. I'm wondering if I have a bit of this splitting going on. Any chance you could check something for me on your 'all fixed up' dash? With blower set to windscreen, do you get a fairly even amount of airflow out of all four of the main screen vents? The reason I ask is that my middle two blow a lot more air than the outer two; and hardly any air seems to come out of the very end bits where the dash speakers are. This could be normal; but I'd be surprised if VW hadn't been clever enough to distribute the air reasonably evenly? Do you reckon loosening off the scuttle fixings and some/all of the others might allow the dash to be pulled back enough for finger-room to feel whether this splitting has occurred, without complete removal? S'pose I should just try it.
with it all sealed up the outer ones arent as strong flow as the inner ones ..assume thats because its further away from the fan inlet you might get you hand along there with the radio facia out ? when its failed the ends of the screen wont demist , if its clearing evenly leave it
Thanks for this bladder mate - what a name btw. I currently have the bloody dash out as you know - I spent ages making a new gasket for the duct that mates to the dash last year. Upon refitting there was no difference which I was baffled with. This will explain it. I will be checking this first thing when I get round to the workshop(mates gaff) tomo morning!
I have now done this while fitting a new heater matrix - major improvement in blowyness just in time for the big freeze. Great idea pigbladder
just done my dash your guide was very helpfull i now having properly working screen vents thanks john
I have just followed your guidelines above and now how tornados of air coming out on to the screen. Mucho happy tar.
Just had the dash out the rocco to look for a leak suspected to be from under the windscreen.similar splitting to be found! I noted with interest that the rocco dash doesnt bolt through the fire wall! Ill make a thread tomorrow with pictures on the screw locations Aid
