Hello All,

I have a 1996 850 GLT wagon with 400,000 miles that I purchased new. Anyway, over the years, I have had to have the a/c evaporator replaced, which required the removal of the dashboard to gain access to the a/c evaporator. Apparently all these years of taking the dashboard apart and putting it back again have not been kind to the 4 or so bolts/screws that secure the dashboard to the firewall. Of course being made of plastic (where the bolts/screws, screw into) and being over 20 years old does not help either.

On the side of the dashboard closest to the front passenger seat, there is a considerable gap between the dashboard and the “A” column. Today, a mechanic who has worked on my car many times at private garage, told me the dashboard on my car is about to “fall off”. He said the dashboard is held in place by 4 or more bolts or screws. Right now, one or may two of those bolts/screws are holding the dashboard in place. The problem is, that the bolts/screws screw into a plastic plate seated into the firewall. These plates, which are made of plastic, break after a while. The bolt/screw that is designed to secure the dashboard still screws into them, but they are no longer held in place. I asked him what my options where? He said I could have to get another dashboard from a salvage yard. Or the next time I have the dashboard apart, try to “glue” the support plates back in place. The idea of purchasing a 20 plus year old plastic dashboard, that may or may not match the interior color of my car does not appeal to me. Plus, it because it is made of plastic, will be as brittle as my old dashboard.

Has anyone else faced this problem and has addressed it without resorting to purchasing a used dashboard? The dashboard is still in place, but who knows how long that will last? I thank all those who respond to this inquiry.

Hugh