If you want to remove the dashboard, it’s a good chance that it’s because it looks like this. Airbag go pop.

I bought this brand new replacement dashboard direct from smart. December 2022 is cost me £330. Every generation of smart gets harder to remove the dashboard. The 450 was easy, the 451 was a bit of a pain but the 453 is a nightmare that involves removal of so many other parts. However, if your dash airbag has blown, you have to do it.

The majority of the bolts we are removing are Torx20 and are one of 2 lengths. I’ll call them long or short and I’ll note the length as each one is removed.

This has been performed on a right hand drive car. Left hand drive should be the mirror of what you see below.

Disconnect the battery. Remove the glovebox and the radio. Remove the centre console and the heater controller.

Next to the steering wheel is another trim piece.

Lift the dashboard up and slide it out of the passenger’s door. You can now stand back an gasp in horror at the fact that half of your car is no longer in position.

When you refit the dash, there’s 1 slide clip on the passenger’s side.

And that slides into a recess underneath the dash. So you have to slide the dash into position or it’ll not refit properly.

If you have a sat nav stereo, you will have to swap the GPS antenna over from the old dash to the new one. Look just below the right hand centre air vent. Remove this Torx20 short screw.

You can pull antenna straight out towards you but you’ll need to unclip the wiring loom from behind the dash.

Swap to the new dash, screw it in tight and clip the wiring into the clip.

Airbag Connector

If your airbag has gone pop, the heat from the explosion usually melts the electrical connector so disconnecting it usually destructive so it can’t be used again. Your only option is to cut the connector off and attach a new one.

Refitting The Dash

As the saying goes, refitting is the reverse of removal. However, there are a few small points to pay attention to so you don’t have to remove it halfway through fitting.

As you reseat the driver’s side, make sure the rubber flap is pulled back so it doesn’t get trapped behind the dash.

Also make sure the speedo wiring connector is showing and not hidden/trapped under the dash.

Make sure the wiring for the hazard switch isn’t trapped behind the dash as it tends to get caught behind the cross member.

When the speedo has been put in position, the rubber flap goes in over the top…

…and the bolt goes through the rubber flap and the speedo.