help disconnecting gauges

Gang,

I need to do some work on my dash and I removed the gauge pod from the dash (two Phillips screws) but having trouble disconnecting all the gauges. They don't pull out smoothly and unlike the sensors and other connector plugs elsewhere in the vehicle there does not seem to be an intuitive way to remove the plugs without risking forcing it too much and causing damage.

Any ideas how these come off the gauges? Just being super cautious. I hate feeling like I'm forcing something when there might some release tab somewhere I can't find.

ketel
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They don't come out smoothly. Take your time, make sure the tabs are released, and pull the connector evenly. The do fit very tightly.

 

Yup. It's a scary amount of force. As Bob said: make sure the tabs are released. I can't remember if wiggling helped or not, or if they all had a release tab on them. They do go back on a lot easier than they come off. The harness also stays put pretty well, so I didn't need to mark anything, in order to get them back on in the right order.

 

By "tabs" do you mean the red tabs that seem to cover the ends?

ketel

 

A few connectors have push in tabs but the longer thin one have a tab you need to pull to release (with finger nail)

Also, the tach and speedometer have connectors that go over a plastic circuit board and you need to be very careful with these coz they can be very tight and often start to pull the circuit board.

I've had mine out at least 10 times, maybe more...

 

No! Those red parts hold the pins in the connector, don't remove them.

 

Everything should come out without breaking anything, just have to wiggle a lot.

All the connectors are different except the 2 white ones at the bottom of each end which should be "marked" to avoid confusion when you reconnect them

 

I can't even explain it other than they are the same type of connectors though out the car and have a tab that you depress to release the locking portion and then pull them out of the cluster. It's just they are at a weird angle, drop the wheel down as far as it will go and come at them from the side. Pull it out as far as you can there's some sock in the wire bundle not much but some. I took mine out last month and it was less than a couple of minutes but I have done it before.

 

Here is the back of the gage cluster.
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