How To-Removing the gauge cluster
 

I figured since i want my 800th post, ill make it a useful one :)


Tools: Short/Normal phillips screwdrivers, 13/16th spark plug socket

1. Remove the Mazda cap from the center of the steering wheel.

2. Put the 13/16th socket on the nut and remove it.

3. You can use a steering wheel puller if you want, but i just pull it off by hand, make sure you know how the steering wheel was on so it will be correctly aligned when you put it back on, it doesnt matter, it just feels weird if the wheel is in a different position.

4. On the bottom side of the gauge cluster there are 2 screws on the right side, and 2 screws on the left side, now there are 3 screws on the bottom of the upper part of the gauge cluster, this is where you need the short screwdriver to remove these 3 screws.

5. After you have removed all the screws pull out the gauge cluster some to get the wires stretched out some, unplug the wiper switch, the cruise control switch (if you have it), the blinker switch, and the rear window heater switch, now pull the cluster out just a little more, you need to turn the small plastic piece that is holding the speedometer cable on so it will unlock so you can remove the cable, after you have removed the speedometer cable pull out the cluster more (you got much more slack now :) and stick your hand up in there and unplug the main plug, it controls all the gauges.

After you do what you need to do to the cluster installation is reverse of removal.

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happy 800 posts
 

and for your enjoyment, a black line.

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Just a correction: you dont need to pull off the steering wheel. You have to remove the two plastic "covers", yes, but you can simply drop the wheel as much as possible using the adjusting lever, and then "slide" the cluster out...;)

some of them dont have tilt wheel Ace, and the ones that dont, it is also possible to take it out, but you have to break the plastic cover to remove it.

forgot, its less time consuming to just take off the steering wheel, lol :)

Thanks for the info man-I need to pull the gauge cluster on my vert to fix the wiper switch, but I had been putting it off. Now I have no excuse. :D

The cluster cover/surround is all you will need to remove, not the cluster itself.

You will only need to remove the two "clam shell" cover pieces of the steering column. No need to remove the wheel. The cluster surround that contains all the switchs for turn signal/wiper/hazards/lights/etc is easily removed without taken off the steering wheel.

hmmmmm, i forgot a step

There are 4 screws holding the gauge cluster in place after you remove the black outer casing, sorry about that, i forgot to put it in there. there is one in each corner.

its not "easily" removed withotu taking off the wheel, but it can be removed without taking off the wheel, you just have to break a few things, and work a lot

Maybe you didn't see the pics of my custom gauge cluster set-up, by I have taken the cluster and housing out a few times and I have never taken the steering wheel off. That being said, my car is an 87 and maybe there is a difference between model years.:)

hmmm, could be, i know it can be taken out without removing the steering wheel, but ive always broke that small plastic piece that covers the upper steering column on mine.

You need to remove that. Once that peice is removed it is very easy to pull off the cluster/surround.

The steering column cover (or clam shell) is only 4 screws. Pop the bottom section off, then lift the top out.

Plenty of room then