 | (1990-2000) Under ashtray (or cup holder) |
| (2001) Under window switches |
There are a number of reason why you might want to remove you center console. Replace the radio, add or remove a CD player, rewire the speaker of who knows.
If you've not done this before, or are not accustom to this sort of work, you should allow about 30 minutes. The only tools needed are a regular size Phillips screwdriver, a piece of wire or cord a little over 2 feet long and perhaps a flat blade screwdriver and any kind of tape.
Twist to unscrew (check for a set screw if not a Miata knob) (No need to remove for automatics)
Set the hand brake.
Take out 5 screws:
| Bottom of armrest/storage box area (2) | ||||
| Front of console, low on left side near footwell | ||||
| Front of console, low on right side near footwell | ||||
| Depending on model year:
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| Remove fifth screw from under window switch assembly. Use a putty knife, small metal ruler, or other firm, broad tool to leverage the switch surround away from the console. Since the vinyl is easily marred, we used a small ruler the width of a putty knife and protected the surrounding vinyl with an index card during removal. Prying at the edge of the switch surround nearest the ashtray, it is simple to pop the switches away from the console. |
| Disconnect the wiring from the switches using a small screwdriver to release the plastic catch. |
| Disconnect the wiring harness from the switch box by using a small screwdriver to gently push the soft black rubber flange back away from the box. Set switches aside. |
| Now you can clearly see the elusive 5th screw. Unscrew it and remove the center console. |
Lift the front part of the console upward a few inches and slide it a little forward so as to clear it from the levers for trunk and gas at the back of the console.
Once the console is clear simply lift it up and set it in the passenger seat. A plug-in wire cable runs to the bottom of the console -- it can be left plugged in.
Doing this will help prevent scratching the radio's face. Check, especially for automatics, to make sure the hand brake is still set.
The eye-ball vents must be removed to expose two screws that fasten the dash center piece to the main part of the dash. These two center vents just snap out by pulling them from the dash with a strong wire or cord (window blind cord works well) that's been looped through the vent openings.
Remove the left hand vent first. Start by forming a "V" shape in the cord about 3 inches from one end and have about two feet of cord on the other side of the "V". Window blind cord will not usually dent or scar the back- side of the vent but may not hold its "V" shape. If this is a problem with the cord you're using, use some tape to hold the "V" shape in the cord while sticking it through the vent openings.
Stick the point of the "V" into one of the vent's louver openings and then pull back so that the cord loops around the back side of the eye-ball from one vent opening to another. Pull the short end of the cord out of the vent so that both ends of the cord extend out with equal length.
Get both ends of the cord in your hands and give it a good strong steady pull until the eye-ball vent pops out. Start with the left vent to see how it works -- the right eye-ball vent in some of the 94's and 95's is installed overly tight and sometimes will not pop out using this method alone.
If an eye-ball vent will not pop out after a very strong pull, then in addition to pulling with the cord it'll be necessary to give it a little help by prying it from the dash with a flat blade screwdriver. To prevent marring the dash and the vent, cover the screwdriver's blade, the dash, and the rim of the vent with tape. Small sheets of thin plastic shoved into the junction before inserting the screwdriver's blade also works.
Use the flat blade screwdriver to pry at the eye-ball's outer perimeter rim (far right side for the right vent and far left side for the left vent) while also pulling firmly on the cord.
The center dash piece is held by 3 screws:
| At top inside of left vent opening |
| At top inside of right vent opening (a magnetic screwdriver will help prevent these 2 screws falling into vents) |
| At center dash piece lower left corner (this screw in some older Miatas is shorter than the others) |
The center dash piece is also held in with metal spring clips. To remove the center dash piece simply grab hold of it at strong points along the sides and pull it from the dash.
Once the center dash piece is pulled away from the dash a few inches, reach behind it and unplug the plug for the headlights-up and emergency buttons. Press in on the plug's locking tab release and unplug. The headlight covers will not operate while this plug is removed.
Hint: If the plug is removed while the headlights are up they will always stay up, even while the plug is removed. With the covers in the up position the headlights will work and can be used to drive the car. So, as a precaution in case you happen to forget to plug the buttons back in when you put things back together it's a very good idea to
The spring clips should come out attached to the back side of the center dash piece; however, they sometimes don't. So carefully look to see if some of the black metal spring clips have remained in the dash. If some have it's important to pull them out and shove them back into the back of the center dash piece. A drop of glue will fix them in place for the next time the center dash piece is taken off.
If one of the eye-ball vents was stubborn in coming out this is a good time to take care of that problem. Take your finger and bend back the copper colored metal springs clips on the back side of the center piece. Put the eye-ball vent back in to see if it needs further adjustment for ease of removal.
Reinstallation is the reverse of removal. The eye-ball vents just press and snap back in. Make sure the spring clips for the center dash piece are all in their proper place in the back of the center dash piece. If any of the clips are still hanging from the main dash the center dash piece will not go back on properly.
Don't forget to plug in the plug for the headlight-up and emergency buttons -- if you don't do this the headlight covers will not operate. It's easy to overlook plugging these buttons back in. If you do forget you'll have to take most everything back apart again.
Place the gear shift lever back in the neutral position before you place the center console back on, and be careful not to poke a hole in the shift boot. If you have an odd screw that's not the ground wire screw for the radio then that odd screw goes at the dash center piece's lower left corner.
Newer Miata's have a rubber filler plate that goes around the levers at the back of the console. It will usually become dislodged when the console is put back in. Work this rubber piece so that it goes back into proper position around the levers.
