Instrument panel perspex ! (9-3 Vector Sport)

[bryandsi]

Hi all - nice to be here!
A while ago my 9-3 was valeted and a few weeks later I noticed the instrument panel perspex was cracked. I can only imagine that the cleaner gave it a thump as it cracked around the hole for the button to zero the tripometer. Nothing I could do except try to stop it spreading - as you have guessed, I failed and the perspex is now in a three pieces!

I'm sure Saab would only try to sell me a new cluster at £500+ !!

Does anyone have a broken cluster for a 2004-06 9-3 that they have had to replace, that they would let me have cheap - it seems a waste to buy a working unit off ebay just to pull the perspex off it!
Cheers
B

[Louis]

There is a way to stop a crack.  Drill a hole at the end of the crack and then it has nowhere to go!  Ingenious when you think about it.  This was demonstrated on Tomorrow's World back in the early 1980s, IIRC, using perspex under stress to show the pattern of stress with a crack and with the crack terminated at each end using a hole.  The technique was used undersea on oil rigs.

Of course, this is not practical on instruments cover, therefore you'd probably be better putting in a telephone call to Kevin at Parts ASAP down in Bristol, tomorrow.  They might have one from a breaker that you could have.  They'll want money in exchange, though.

Hope you get it fixed.

[sgould]

The instrument unit is linked into the car computer/security.  You need someone with tech2 computer to enable it once installed.

[sgould]

BUT!!........ 

The good news is that the "glass" is a separate part.  At least it is described as such in the workshop manual.

In the parts list there is a "bezel" listed as a separate part, but I think that this is the surround.

When you have yours apart, you will be able to see.  At worst it means that a broken MIU with good glass will be OK for you.

[Audax]

It is available as a spare part, it used to be about £85 for a new one from SAAB, I've changed one in the past due to the valet getting a bit over enthusiastic too. Not too bad a job to do either apart from removing the air vents which always results in them falling to bits for me

[bryandsi]

Thanks guys - found a used instrument cluster at a v. cheap price - all I want is the "glass" so wll remove and spend my next weekend trying to take the vents out of the dash in one piece! Thanks again to all

[Petemate]

Thanks guys - found a used instrument cluster at a v. cheap price - all I want is the "glass" so wll remove and spend my next weekend trying to take the vents out of the dash in one piece! Thanks again to all

Good luck with the vents. I had to take one of mine out recently (the one above the radio unit) to try to stop a dash rattle and it was a pig. Worst thing is the rattle is back, though not as bad. There is an article in Saabscene covering the vent removal and cures for rattles, very good too. HTH
Pete