Heya!

I need to replace my VDO and speedometer unit from my 97 850. Can anyone assist me on removing the dash board area to get to the unit.
Thanks for your time!

The one thing I would caution you on as far as the Bay 13 method is concerned is that while you are attempting to wedge out half the dashboard top, you put a lot of stress on the black plastic in the vicinity of the defroster vents. I wound up with multiple cracks. Its not that much harder to simply remove the entire top and there is much less chance of damage. The only extra work is:

Disconnecting the battery.
Removing the glove box.
Unbolting the passenger airbag and disconnecting the red wiring plug.
Removing srews at the top lip of the glove box.
Removing a srew under the right speaker grille.
Removing the screws at the passenger window defroster vent (same as the drivers side)

Haynes manual has a pretty good write up. Make sure you disconnect the battery to avoid an airbag fault when you reconnect. Otherwise you will be taking it to the dealer to have the fault cleared.

The best online instruction I have seen are on the Volvospeed web site under Repairs/Maintenance tab. Enter Bay 13 and scroll down to the Trim section - 850 Instrument Cluster Removal. Good instructions and photos. About a thrity minute job to remove and replace once you've done it a few times. Might want to test all the blubs while you are there. You don't need to remove the bulbs to test them, just use a continuity tester.

Good luck

Oliver

http://homepage.mac.com/dkowasic/PhotoAlbum5.html

OD STOPPED??

Chuck, where do you come up with those speedo gears? I called several shops around me and they won't even entertain the thought of selling speedo parts. I had an 850 in the shop last week with exactly the problem you have displayed in your pics.

It was custom molded some years ago when this problem sharted to surface. I guess someone did not want to spend $$ for a new unit back then. Good for the rest of us. I used to sell them on eBay @$17 then stopped due to many packages to the States got lost somewhere for no reason~~~ For $22 I think it's pretty good consider you can get it within days.

The gear is selling on EBay for $21 I think...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33678&item=2481277467&rd=1

Good luck.

Oliver