Jeep Wrangler TJ. Manual - part 551

(3) Remove the two screws that secure the latch

striker to the upper glove box opening reinforcement
(Fig. 10).

(4) Remove the latch striker from the upper glove

box opening reinforcement.

INSTALLATION

WARNING: ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AIR-
BAGS, DISABLE THE AIRBAG SYSTEM BEFORE
ATTEMPTING ANY STEERING WHEEL, STEERING
COLUMN, OR INSTRUMENT PANEL COMPONENT
DIAGNOSIS OR SERVICE. DISCONNECT AND ISO-
LATE THE BATTERY NEGATIVE (GROUND) CABLE,
THEN WAIT TWO MINUTES FOR THE AIRBAG SYS-
TEM CAPACITOR TO DISCHARGE BEFORE PER-
FORMING FURTHER DIAGNOSIS OR SERVICE. THIS
IS THE ONLY SURE WAY TO DISABLE THE AIRBAG
SYSTEM. FAILURE TO TAKE THE PROPER PRE-
CAUTIONS COULD RESULT IN ACCIDENTAL AIR-
BAG DEPLOYMENT AND POSSIBLE PERSONAL
INJURY.

(1) Position the latch striker onto the upper glove

box opening reinforcement (Fig. 10).

(2) Install and tighten the two screws that secure

the latch striker to the upper glove box opening rein-
forcement. Tighten the screws to 2 N·m (20 in. lbs.).

(3) Reinstall the glove box onto the instrument

panel. (Refer to 23 - BODY/INSTRUMENT PANEL/
GLOVE BOX - INSTALLATION).

(4) Reconnect the battery negative cable.

GRAB HANDLE

REMOVAL

WARNING: ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AIR-
BAGS, DISABLE THE AIRBAG SYSTEM BEFORE
ATTEMPTING ANY STEERING WHEEL, STEERING

COLUMN, OR INSTRUMENT PANEL COMPONENT
DIAGNOSIS OR SERVICE. DISCONNECT AND ISO-
LATE THE BATTERY NEGATIVE (GROUND) CABLE,
THEN WAIT TWO MINUTES FOR THE AIRBAG SYS-
TEM CAPACITOR TO DISCHARGE BEFORE PER-
FORMING FURTHER DIAGNOSIS OR SERVICE. THIS
IS THE ONLY SURE WAY TO DISABLE THE AIRBAG
SYSTEM. FAILURE TO TAKE THE PROPER PRE-
CAUTIONS COULD RESULT IN ACCIDENTAL AIR-
BAG DEPLOYMENT AND POSSIBLE PERSONAL
INJURY.

(1) Disconnect and isolate the battery negative

cable.

(2) Remove the glove box from the instrument

panel. (Refer to 23 - BODY/INSTRUMENT PANEL/
GLOVE BOX - REMOVAL).

(3) Reach through and above the glove box opening

to access and remove the two nuts that secure the
stud on each end of the grab handle to the instru-
ment panel structural support (Fig. 11). Discard the
used grab handle mounting nuts.

(4) Remove the grab handle from the face of the

instrument panel.

INSTALLATION

Fig. 10 GLOVE BOX LATCH STRIKER REMOVE/

INSTALL

1 - SCREW (2)
2 - LATCH STRIKER

Fig. 11 GRAB HANDLE REMOVE/INSTALL

1 - NUT (2)
2 - GLOVE BOX OPENING
3 - PASSENGER AIRBAG

23 - 46

INSTRUMENT PANEL

GLOVE BOX LATCH STRIKER (Continued)

(1) Position the grab handle onto the face of the

instrument panel.

NOTE: Always use new fasteners to install the grab
handle. The removed grab handle fasteners should
be discarded.

(2) Reach through and above the glove box opening

to install and tighten two new nuts to secure the
stud on each end of the grab handle to the instru-
ment panel structural support (Fig. 11). Tighten the
nuts to 6 N·m (50 in. lbs.).

(3) Reinstall the glove box into the instrument

panel. (Refer to 23 - BODY/INSTRUMENT PANEL/
GLOVE BOX - INSTALLATION).

(4) Reconnect the battery negative cable.

GRAB HANDLE BEZEL

REMOVAL

(1) Disconnect and isolate the battery negative

cable.

(2) Remove the grab handle from the instrument

panel. (Refer to 23 - BODY/INSTRUMENT PANEL/
GRAB HANDLE - REMOVAL).

(3) Remove the glove box latch striker from the

instrument panel. (Refer to 23 - BODY/INSTRU-
MENT PANEL/GLOVE BOX LATCH STRIKER -
REMOVAL).

(4) Remove the two screws that secure the grab

handle bezel to the upper glove box opening rein-
forcement (Fig. 12).

(5) Remove the grab handle bezel from the instru-

ment panel.

INSTALLATION

(1) Position the grab handle bezel onto the instru-

ment panel (Fig. 12).

(2) Install and tighten the two screws that secure

the grab handle bezel to the upper glove box opening
reinforcement. Tighten the screws to 2 N·m (20 in.
lbs.).

(3) Reinstall the glove box latch striker onto the

glove box opening upper reinforcement (Refer to 23 -
BODY/INSTRUMENT PANEL/GLOVE BOX LATCH
STRIKER - INSTALLATION).

(4) Reinstall the grab handle onto the instrument

panel (Refer to 23 - BODY/INSTRUMENT PANEL/
GRAB HANDLE - INSTALLATION).

(5) Reconnect the battery negative cable.

Fig. 12 GRAB HANDLE BEZEL REMOVE/INSTALL

1 - GRAB HANDLE BEZEL
2 - SCREW (2)
3 - GRAB HANDLE
4 - LATCH STRIKER

INSTRUMENT PANEL

23 - 47

GRAB HANDLE (Continued)

INSTRUMENT PANEL
ASSEMBLY

REMOVAL

NOTE: Before starting this procedure, be certain to
turn the steering wheel until the front wheels are in
the straight-ahead position.

(1) Disconnect and isolate the battery negative

cable.

(2) Remove the steering column opening cover

from the instrument panel. (Refer to 23 - BODY/IN-
STRUMENT PANEL/STEERING COLUMN OPEN-
ING COVER - REMOVAL).

(3) Remove the steering column from the vehicle,

but do not remove the driver airbag, the steering
wheel, or the switches from the steering column. Be
certain that the steering wheel is locked and secured
from rotation to prevent the loss of clockspring cen-
tering.

(Refer

STEERING/COLUMN

REMOVAL).

(4) From beneath the driver side end of the instru-

ment panel, perform the following:

(a) Disconnect the instrument panel wire har-

ness connectors from the 100-way cross body wire
harness connector near the left cowl side inner
panel.

(b) Disconnect the driver side window demister

hose at the heater-A/C housing demister/defroster
duct.
(5) Remove the glove box from the instrument

panel (Refer to 23 - BODY/INSTRUMENT PANEL/
GLOVE BOX - REMOVAL).

(6) Reach through the instrument panel glove box

opening to perform the following:

(a) Disconnect the heater-A/C control vacuum

harness connector from the heater-A/C housing
vacuum harness connector.

(b) Disconnect the instrument panel wire har-

ness connector from the heater-A/C housing wire
harness connector.

nector from the passenger airbag pigtail wire con-
nector.

(d) Disconnect the passenger side window demis-

ter hose at the heater-A/C housing demister/de-
froster duct.

(e) Disconnect the two halves of the radio

antenna coaxial cable connector.

(f) Remove the two nuts that secure the passen-

ger airbag lower bracket to the studs on the dash
panel (Fig. 13).

(7) Remove the top cover from the instrument

panel. (Refer to 23 - BODY/INSTRUMENT PANEL/
TOP COVER - REMOVAL).

(8) Remove the three screws that secure each end

of the instrument panel structural support to the
cowl side inner panels at the front of each door open-
ing (Fig. 14).

(9) Remove the four nuts that secure the top of the

instrument panel structural support to the studs on
the top of the dash panel.

(10) With the aid of an assistant, lift the instru-

ment panel off of the dash panel studs and remove it
from the vehicle.

Fig. 13 PASSENGER AIRBAG LOWER BRACKET

NUTS REMOVE/INSTALL

1 - GRAB HANDLE
2 - NUT (2)
3 - GLOVE BOX OPENING
4 - PASSENGER AIRBAG LOWER BRACKET

23 - 48

INSTRUMENT PANEL

INSTALLATION

(1) With the aid of an assistant, position the

instrument panel into the vehicle and onto the dash
panel studs (Fig. 14).

(2) Install and tighten the four nuts that secure

the top of the instrument panel structural support to
the studs on the top of the dash panel. Tighten the
nuts to 12 N·m (105 in. lbs.).

(3) Install and tighten the three screws that secure

each end of the instrument panel structural support
to the cowl side inner panels at the front of each door
opening. Tighten the screws to 12 N·m (105 in. lbs.).

(4) Reinstall the top cover onto the instrument

panel. (Refer to 23 - BODY/INSTRUMENT PANEL/
TOP COVER - INSTALLATION).

(5) Reach through the instrument panel glove box

opening to perform the following:

(a) Install and tighten the two nuts that secure

the lower passenger airbag bracket to the studs on

the dash panel (Fig. 13). Tighten the nuts to 28
N·m (21 ft. lbs.).

(b) Reconnect

the

two

halves

the

radio

antenna coaxial cable connector.

ter hose to the heater-A/C housing demister/de-
froster duct.

(d) Reconnect the cross body wire harness con-

nector to the passenger airbag pigtail wire connec-
tor.

(e) Reconnect the instrument panel wire harness

connector to the heater-A/C housing wire harness
connector.

(f) Reconnect the heater-A/C control vacuum

harness connector to the heater-A/C housing vac-
uum harness connector.
(6) Reinstall the glove box onto the instrument

panel. (Refer to 23 - BODY/INSTRUMENT PANEL/
GLOVE BOX - INSTALLATION).

(7) From beneath the driver side of the instrument

panel, perform the following:

(a) Reconnect the driver side window demister

hose to the heater-A/C housing demister/defroster
duct.

(b) Reconnect the instrument panel wire harness

connectors to the 100-way cross body wire harness
connector near the left cowl side inner panel.
(8) Reinstall the steering column into the vehicle.

Be certain that the steering wheel is locked and
secured from rotation to prevent the loss of clock-
spring centering. (Refer to 19 - STEERING/COL-
UMN - INSTALLATION).

(9) Reinstall the steering column opening cover

onto the instrument panel. (Refer to 23 - BODY/IN-
STRUMENT PANEL/STEERING COLUMN OPEN-
ING COVER - INSTALLATION).

(10) Reconnect the battery negative cable.

Fig. 14 INSTRUMENT PANEL REMOVE/INSTALL

1 - STUD (4)
2 - NUT (4)
3 - SCREW (6)

INSTRUMENT PANEL

23 - 49

INSTRUMENT PANEL ASSEMBLY (Continued)

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