S3 fuse box access

[Chris71]

Hi,

How do you get to the wiring loom on the S3?

I know it's supposed to be under the dashboard behind the glove box, but it seems very well held in place!

There's a sort of leather trim piece that comes past underneath the back of the glove box (viewed from the seat) and behind that I expected to find a nice obvious detachable panel. Instead everything is pretty smooth - there's no signs of screws or anything (except a large bolt on the left, but I presume that holds the dash in!) and I've tried tugging in case it's held in with velcro or something, but I don't want to pull too hard in case something that isn't detachable comes out.

Please excuse the numpty question!

Chris

[mep12345]

Chris71 said:

Hi,

How do you get to the wiring loom on the S3?

I know it's supposed to be under the dashboard behind the glove box, but it seems very well held in place!

There's a first for TVR most peoples just falls out like mine. You must have the one S3 which went through an electrics quality control check.

Sorry for flippant post but can't help with securing if it doesn't just fall out like mine

Mark

[Chris71]

The irony wasn't lost on me either! That said, I think I'm right in saying it's one of the last S3s they made, so it may have a different fixing arrangement. It may be that or - being TVR - it may just be that it was made on a Thursday.

Erm, let me see if this works, going to try and illustrate it:



I can get my finger between the trim strip and the carpeted section on the right hand side (near the transmission tunnel), but as I got to the left it appears to be fixed down.

Edited by Chris71 on Sunday 18th January 12:43

[neil240970]

Mine is accessed via a flap just below the glove box, which is (sometimes) held up by velcro and (sometimes) just flops down to reveal some stuff from Maplin's.

[Sweet Thunder]

On my S2 the leather trim piece is held on at the rear by a velcro strip, and a plastic screw in the middle of the velcro strip. Turn the screw a quarter turn anti-clockwise and the trim piece will fall down, together with the fuse box and lots of spaghetti.

[Chris71]

Sweet Thunder said:

On my S2 the leather trim piece is held on at the rear by a velcro strip, and a plastic screw in the middle of the velcro strip. Turn the screw a quarter turn anti-clockwise and the trim piece will fall down, together with the fuse box and lots of spaghetti.

Dunno if this is the same thing or not... the trim piece actually comes right round and up to the side of the dash where the passenger air vent is for example. On closer inspection it's not just a strip going across - that actually surrounds the glove box. The only visible fixing is the screw in the photo below and I'm a bit worried that holds the whole dashboard on!



The leather in the centre foreground is the bottom of the glove box. The leather all around it is the trim (it looks like a seperate panel at the back, but I think it's all one piece - believe that's just where the bits of leather join?). The carpetted bit beyond presumably contains the fuse box, but it overlaps the leather trim (so it can't simply drop down) and there's no sign of any joins or fixings.

Edited by Chris71 on Sunday 18th January 13:17

Edited by Chris71 on Sunday 18th January 13:19

[jimed]

Hi Chris - my S3C look like that under the glove box. The carpeted bit pictured (the piece above your feet behind the glove box) should have the ECU fixed to it on top; to get at it and the wiring put your fingers behind the glove box and feel for the edge of the carpet and grip that and pull it down. Mine doesn't seem to be fixed up other than that.
Jim

[Sweet Thunder]

You're right, this looks different from the S2 setup. Still it looks like it should drop down, as Jimed said.

[Chris71]

jimed said:

Hi Chris - my S3C look like that under the glove box. The carpeted bit pictured (the piece above your feet behind the glove box) should have the ECU fixed to it on top; to get at it and the wiring put your fingers behind the glove box and feel for the edge of the carpet and grip that and pull it down. Mine doesn't seem to be fixed up other than that.
Jim

Hi Jim,

Can you ellaborate? As shown (rather crudely) in the drawing above, the trim around the glove box (firmly attached to the dashboard it would appear) over laps the carpetted piece by a good 3/4" meaning you can't pull it down. I've tried pushing it forwards (in the hope I could then pull it down once it's clear of the trim), but it won't budge.

[Elfit]

On mine (S2) there's a screw:

[jimed]

Unless someone did somehting to my car before I got it there is nothing holding the carpet up other than the fact that it's been forced up behind the glove box. It is a bit tight to get it down but that's what I do as I said above.
Jim

[Chris71]

Cheers Elfit, but it looks like the S3 is different - or possibly just this one.

jimed said:

Unless someone did somehting to my car before I got it there is nothing holding the carpet up other than the fact that it's been forced up behind the glove box. It is a bit tight to get it down but that's what I do as I said above.
Jim

Ah, ok, so do you have to push it forwards to clear the trim around the glove box first? Sounds like it's the same as mine if the lip is holding it up, it's just that I couldn't pull it down without the trim around the glove box flexing and I didn't want to break anything.

Edited by Chris71 on Sunday 18th January 20:14

[DamianS3]

On my s3 there was a screw on the left off the flap to hold in place..

Removed that and its fine just tucked up there.. if there is a screw / cable tie etc you should be able to see it though..

Damian S3