How to fix a dim hud 97-03

**BillBoost37** · 12-16-2010

Remove the trim panel over the HUD and remove the HUD itself.
Remove the 4 T15 screws holding the HUD together at the four corners

Looking inside we see the circuit board, remove the two wire brown connector from the board

Remove the ribbon cable from the board

Gently pull back the two tabs being pointed to by the pens and lift that side of the circuit board.

Now with your circuit board out, find the photocell. It is the round sliver item with a glass on it.

Find the two solder dots holding the photocell to the circuit board on the other side.

Using a soldering iron (smallish tip) touch each of the two soldering points for the photocell to reflow the solder on them. Reflowing is heating them up to allow the solder to liquify again and make a good connection.
Reassemble. If the issue was a loose photocell, your problem should now be solved.

**matt5112** · 12-17-2010

dup?

**BillBoost37** · 12-17-2010

Could be. I haven't looked and Nick said flood away with write ups if I had them.

**matt5112** · 12-17-2010

true enough

**hardrocrick** · 07-07-2011

thanks alot il try that, is clips holding it on the dash? thanks

**JoshsGTP** · 07-08-2011

What if you remove the photocell?

**BillBoost37** · 07-08-2011

Originally Posted by JoshsGTP

What if you remove the photocell?

I think you'd have to jump the circuit. However I'm not suggesting anything other than a fix that others have shown to work well.

**PurpleGuy** · 09-08-2011

Just to clarify we don't have to add more solder do we? Just reheat what's already there so it can melt and get a better contact?

**Iceman6669** · 03-18-2012

Thnx... I just did it and it worked Great.... Very easy to do...

**natejames99gtp** · 03-27-2012

thanks for the help, mine didnt work at all before, and it only took 15 mins of messin around and 5 mins to put back together and its done

**asite57** · 04-22-2012

How do I get the trim piece off without breaking my dash?

**dsmuts** · 04-22-2012

pull slowly popping the clips one by one. I've pulled a couple out and wasn't very careful and didn't break anything.

**asite57** · 04-22-2012

alright on my first attempt i went slow and cracked it a little bit

**copgtp** · 04-22-2012

Use the correct trim panel remover to avoid breaking the panel.

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**asite57** · 04-22-2012

you mean a j 38778 tool?

**asite57** · 04-24-2012

used the proper tool still eened up breaking clips, got the 4 scews to get the HUD out lony the top houseing would come out couldnt get it out at all

**BillBoost37** · 04-25-2012

Usually a trim panel tool helps. Sometimes the plastic is old and brittle.

On the screws, look at the body of the hud and find the 7mm bolts/phillips heads on the side... I think there might be one in the front too. Those get the body out.