It's nothing but smooth sailing...
It's nothing but smooth sailing for our Modern Mach's dash, now that we have our new crash pad in place of the old wavy one.
All cars have their little pet problems, and our job is to help you fix those problems so you can enjoy your Mustang to its fullest and get on with your life. As our Mustangs get older, new problems rear their ugly heads and try to ruin our enjoyment. But with Mustang Monthly on your side, this won't have to happen.
Case in point-the '87-'93 Mustang dash crash pad that runs across the face of the dash assembly. This pad is a vinyl-covered length of dense foam that is molded to a metal frame. The vinyl tends to pull away with age and heat stress, revealing the foam underneath. The fix is usually to throw one of those carpet-type dash covers over the entire mess, but we prefer correctly fixing things. Removal of the crash pad is relatively easy and requires nothing more than a 9mm socket, 9mm or 3/8-inch wrench, a T-20 Torx, and a small flat-blade screwdriver. Once the pad is removed, your choices are to replace the pad or to repair the one you have-especially if it is a difficult-to-replace color. Mustang Parts Specialties, purveyor of many Mustang parts new and used, helped us find a black crash pad for our '90 Modern Mach. We also repaired our old one just so you could see how it is done.
Our original '90 crash pad...
Our original '90 crash pad was pulling away on the bottom (though most usually fail on the top side) and would sometimes catch the glovebox door when it was opened.
Empty your glovebox, and then...
Empty your glovebox, and then push the two glovebox stops (one on each side) in far enough to allow the glovebox to rotate downward and out of the way.
Disconnect the wiring for...
Disconnect the wiring for the glovebox light, as you will be placing your arm inside the dash and you don't want to burn your arm on the hot light.
On early airbag-equipped cars...
On early airbag-equipped cars (the '90 and most '91s) the airbag auxiliary power supply is mounted above the glovebox. Disconnect the electrical connection and remove the two T-20 Torx screws to free it.
It takes some wiggling and...
It takes some wiggling and rotating, but the airbag module will come out with little difficulty. Set the module aside in a safe place, as it is expensive.
There are three 9mm nuts retaining...
There are three 9mm nuts retaining the crash pad: two above the open glovebox and one to the left of the center A/C vents. To access the latter, you will need to remove the center vents and vent surround. Using a small screwdriver inserted against the airflow adjustment wheel, pry the vents from the surround.
This next step is a bit tricky...
This next step is a bit tricky and might require additional screwdrivers or a helping hand. Pry up the lock tabs, working in a circular manner to release the vent surround from the crash pad. You might have to apply outward force to prevent the tabs from popping back in, but be patient.
Once the tabs have been pried...
Once the tabs have been pried out far enough (be careful not to break them), the vent surround can be pulled straight out.
After the vent surround is...
After the vent surround is removed, you can see the 9mm nut retaining the left side of the pad (arrow). One of the other two nuts can be found above the hatch/trunk release button, while the other is located about 2 inches in from the far right side of the pad.
Even though it is a 9mm nut,...
Even though it is a 9mm nut, if you don't have a 9mm wrench, you can pinch-hit with a 3/8-inch boxed or open wrench. If you have a wrench with an offset head, such as the one shown, that's even better. The nut only needs to be loosened, as the dash hole is slotted. The other two nuts can be easily removed with a 9mm socket.
Once the pad was removed,...
Once the pad was removed, we found that the vinyl had separated from the metal frame. It was easily fixed with some patience.
Using a sparing amount of...
Using a sparing amount of black weatherstrip adhesive, we applied a bead under the edge of the vinyl, and then taped the vinyl back into place and let the pad sit for several hours.
Since we were installing a...
Since we were installing a new pad, the inner 9mm nut was transferred to the new pad. Installing the nut first prevents possibly losing it in the dash while working in tight quarters.
Insert the driver-side end...
Insert the driver-side end of the pad into the slotted opening first, and then line up the two remaining mounting studs with their holes. Evenly tighten the three nuts and support the pad while tightening to prevent it from hanging crooked once it has been tightened.
Snap the vent surround and...
Snap the vent surround and A/C vents back into place, connect and reinstall the airbag auxiliary power supply module, and then reconnect the glovebox light before pushing the glovebox back into place.
A close-up of our new pad...
A close-up of our new pad shows no problems interfering with the glovebox door or any separation whatsoever. The Modern Mach simply looks dashing now (sorry, I couldn't help myself).