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Easy Exit And Warped Dash

Sunshine_Kid_01

SM 2003
Full Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2002
Messages
232
Anyone have a warped dash? I just got the 2003 Av, but it was built 4 months ago. The center of the dash, at the windshield edge, is pushed up about 3/4 inch. The "hump" is about five inches wide on the center vent. If this is rare, I will get it fixed. If it is common, I'll let it go.

Next is the easy exit. It sometimes works when I pull out the key. It always works if I pull out the key, put it in, then pull it out. Is this a bug or a feature? Does everyone else's work on the first key pull out?
 
No hump on my '03 dash that I can see, but a picture of your would be helpful.

And the easy exit works every time, although I don't use it! Check your settings for the easy exit on the DIC.

Chris
 
Easy exit. Works everytime without starting the Av. Start the engine and remove the key...nothing. So it only works removing the key if the engine is off when inserting the key. Very consistent. Can't find any settings other than easy exit: ON.

Picture of warp attached.

[attachment deleted by admin larger then 100KB]
 
I would take your Av right back to the dealer for a new dash.
That is definitely a new defect that hasn't occured to others, or at least discussed here very much.
 
Wow! That sure is a warped dash! Nothing like that on my '03! Take 'er back to the dealership for a replacement.

My Easy Exit is set in the DIC. Wife uses it, I don't. To each their own! :)

Mike
 
It is time to return to the dealer. I have a 03 AV and my dash doed not look like that.

No problem with my easy exit either. Make sure that you have it setup correctly.
 
That dash does not look right.

If the dash cover is anything like the '02 dash, there is a row of clips along the windshield edge of the cover that fit in slots under the windshield. The other edge of the cover is held in with screws behind the gauge bezal and A/C vents.

Perhaps the clips in the center missed the slots and are sitting on top of the brackets. It might be as simple as removing it and putting it in right.

It's not hard, but it takes some time. This sounds like a trip to the dealer. They can try the easy fix, and they can replace it if it doesn't sit flat.

-- SS
 
thanks for all of the help. Back to the dealer I go, and boy do I dread that. They always break something while fixing something.
 
I can't believe that defect left Mexico like that. Anyone who drove it had to see it, including the folks at the dealer. They should all be ashamed of themselves. SS is right, it either isn't installed under the retainer clip or the is something trapped under there. Definitely worth a trip back to the dealer. I would mention to your dealer your dissapointment in receiving your AV in that condition. Maybe you will get some kind of freeby! :B:
 
AVid said:
I can't believe that defect left Mexico like that. Anyone who drove it had to see it, including the folks at the dealer. They should all be ashamed of themselves. SS is right, it either isn't installed under the retainer clip or the is something trapped under there. Definitely worth a trip back to the dealer. ?I would mention to your dealer your dissapointment in receiving your AV in that condition. Maybe you will get some kind of freeby! ?:B:

Could be some illegal contraband under that bulge; one can only image what it might be. They might mess up something else trying to fix it, but I'm sure if you went to trade your AV in on another vehicle, the dealer would definitely notice the bulge and devalue your AV because of it.

Roy :6:
 
I can easily push it down, so there is nothing under it. The dealer had a TV/Monitor installed in the ceiling. Maybe the installer did not reinstall correctly, although I can't image why the top dash would have to come off. I wish my service manual would get here so I could fix it myself. Anyone know how to take the top dash off?
 
I am pretty sure that the dash issue is due to the problem that Shapeshifter talked about.

As far as the easy exit goes, mines an 02.
 
Terminator said:
Anyone know how to take the top dash off?
I don't know the details of the '03. I've taken mine (2002) off, and while it's tedious, it's not difficult. Here is what XRover wrote a while back:

XRover said:
As for getting in behind the dash, Here is what you do.
First, Remove the dash trim panel by gently pulling it away from the dash. You will need to put the vehicle shift lever in L so you can get the trim panel over the steering colum. One the trim panel is off, you can put the shifter back in park.

Now, undo all the screws that are holding the dash down. Look close and it will be obvious which screws are to be removed. Once that is done, you will need to pull out the 2 air vents which are located on each side of the passanger grab handle. (Over Glove Box) The vents should just pull out.

Now look up into the open vent duct towards the grab handle and you will see a little sliding locking mechanism which retains the grab handle. There is one in each duct. Activate the mechanisms and you will be able to pull the grab handle straight out.

Now the dash is free to be removed !!! Be careful minded of the 2 dash mounted light sensors and there wires which are still attached to the dash.

Now you are free to run wires.

When reinstalling the dash remember to make sure that the forward portion of the dash is hooked into place first then lower the portion which you are holding.

It sounds harder then it is. It is really easy as long as you pay attention to what you are doing.
I have a few things to add. First off, to "activate" the grab handle latch mechanisms, push in on the white tabs.

Also, there are a couple of screws hidden on the sides. On the driver's side, pull off the cover of the fuse panel that is on the side of the dash and is visible when you open the door. There is a similar cover on the passenger side. Behind these covers are the last few screws. A stubby screwdriver will really help here.

Finally, you may find that you have to remove the trim panels on the A pillars on either side of the windshield. Grab them near the top and gently pull them off. This is the trickiest part, it is easy to break the tab inside that holds them in place. If you stress it too far, it could discolor the plastic, turning it white in the stress areas.

Remember, both XRover's and my descriptions apply to 2002. A 2003 truck may be different.

Good luck. If you've taken the dash apart on other cars, you shouldn't have too much trouble. There are a lot of fasteners to deal with, and a few tabs that can get broken. If you are at all hesitant, you might be better off going to the dealer.

-- SS
 
That dash really sucks!

I'd take it back to the dealer anyway, as it sounds like your EasyExit ain't working either.

What do you mean about the monitor being installed? Is it still there, or was it removed before you bought the truck?

Chris
 
A dealer installed Playstation 2 was installed under the rear seat with a TV/Monitor in the ceiling. It is still there and works great. There is a button on the dash that allows the audio to come through the radio, so I was suggesting that the contractor that put this in may have removed the top dash to do it. Not sure.
 
XRover said:
SS,

Thanks for adding some important points :)
You're welcome. I had a heck of a time "activating" the grab bar catches the first time around. There is a little slot in them which looked like it was designed for prying out with a screwdriver, but the wouldn't budge. Finally, just as I was about to give up I pushed it back in and click! It released. D'oh!

The rest of the comments come from the shop manual. ;)

Terminator said:
There is a button on the dash that allows the audio to come through the radio, so I was suggesting that the contractor that put this in may have removed the top dash to do it. ?Not sure.
Yep, I'll bet that's what happened. They must have used an adapter box of some sort, and they probably removed the cover to get some room to work. When they replaced it, I bet the center tabs missed the slots. Sounds like careless work. :mad:

-- SS
 
That sounds like it could be catastrophic if the Av was converted for the 8 foot bed. I don?t know if anything has changed in the ?03 but with my back seat folded down the front seats can only go back so far, any further and it could really do some damage, or so I think. Correct me if I?m thinking wrong on this??? ???
 
Sorry, I was talking of the easy exit, not to get off the subject at hand, but I also did not know what it was, must come with the adj pedal pkg.
 
rondoe said:
That sounds like it could be catastrophic if the Av was converted for the 8 foot bed. I don?t know if anything has changed in the ?03 but with my back seat folded down the front seats can only go back so far, any further and it could really do some damage, or so I think. Correct me if I?m thinking wrong on this??? ????
I have an '02 with cloth buckets. If I try to fold the seats without moving the front seat, the headrests get hung up, but a little pressure and they compress enough to get by. It doesn't take a hard enough push where I think that it might do damage to the headrest supports.

If I move the seats forward, it's much easier to fold the rear seats. Then if I move the front seats back again, there is only a little compression of the rear headreasts. Again, it doesn't seem to do any long term damage for the amount of time that they are down.

Having said that, if they were down most of the time, I might be concerned aboutdamage from the long term compression. Also, if I had the leather seats, I might be more concerned also, especially about scratches that might happen to the leather (actually vinyl) headrest material when I try to fold the seat without moving the driver seats up.

What these trucks really need is a button reachable from in back, so you can slide both front seats forward without having to go up front and move each individually. :0:

-- SS
 
I had my dash replaced in December. It took the dealer less than two (2) hours. The new one is better but it still not right. Plus the dealer scratched and marked the black inside finish on the lower portion of the windshield - not sure if this will come off or not. I'll make another appointment for yet another dash.

Anyone had their factory speakers in the front doors start to rattle or distort bass at low volume?
 
OK, I am back from the dealer and he is ordering a new dash. He said it is really easy and doesn't need the trim guy, the tranny guy will do it. (should I be nervous?)

Regarding the easy exit, I figured out the exact problem. If you turn off the engine and pull the key out quickly, the seat does not move. If you turn off the engine and wait 5 seconds, then pull the key, the seat moves back. The dealer was totally baffled and said they will tear the truck apart to find the problem when I return. I think I will live with the 5 sec delay instead, until something else goes wrong. Anyone out there with a 2003 Av have a similar problem on easy exit.
 
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