Mazda Factory Wood Dash Kit

Deciding I wanted a wood dash in my 2001 LS Miata I looked into the options available.  I didn't want a kit that was stuck on using double-sided tape, so that left me with the factory kit.  When it arrived I was a bit disappointed to only find two pieces included.  Not to worry, after installation I was amazed at the difference of the look of the interior.

This was a fairly simple project that most mechanically inclined people could do in less than an hour. 

Now that that's out of the way here is the installation procedure.

First ** Disconnect your battery! **

Remove the screws from inside the storage compartment (you'll find two of them) that hold your center console in place.  I'm pointing at one of them with the screwdriver, the second is directly below.

Remove the screws hidden under the molding colored caps from the side of the console (the caps are attached to the screws, so do not try to pull them off!)

Remove the power window switches.  I used a folded piece of paper under my pry bar to prevent damage.  Note if you don't have power windows this will be a plain cover, the removal instructions remain the same.
   

After getting the cover or switches out of the way, you'll find a single screw that need to be removed.  Note the white power connector for the windows switches.
 

Lift on the front of the console to loosen it (can take some force to do this) and then pull it forward until you clear the trunk and gas release levers.  This will allow you to remove it from the car.

My screwdriver is pointing a one of the two screws holding the radio surround in place, the other is left opposite.  Remove both of these.

It takes a surprising amount of force to remove the trim piece, I found it helpful to force a screwdriver into the gap near the clips as I pulled it free.  Use your new trim piece as a guide to figure out where these clips are located.

Once it's pulled free you'll have access to the lighter and passenger airbag electrical connectors.  Both of these are keyed so they'll only go back one way, so you won't need to mark them.  IMPORTANT! Make sure you have disconnected your battery before disconnecting the airbag!

Remove the airbag switch from the radio surround by pressing down the wedge connectors.  The lighter socket is also held by wedge connectors, these are a bit harder to get to since they're inside the lighter barrel.  Use a fine bladed screwdriver to press one of these down while firmly pressing the socket toward the front of the surround.  Once the metal part is removed you can remove the yellow plastic surround by pressing down on the wedge connector and pulling.

Reinstall both the airbag switch and lighter socket by reversing the directions above.

Reconnect the airbag and lighter electrical connectors.

Snap the radio surround back into place.  Note that the surround along the top of the radio doesn't sit flush with the radio.  It sticks out about 1/8".  Reinstall the two lower radio surround screws.

Remove the shifter surround from the center console by squeezing the clip I'm pointing to and pressing, there one just like it left opposite of the one I'm pointing to.  This piece will pivot toward the small end.  See the next picture to get an idea of what I'm talking about.

Feed the smaller end into the console.  Firmly pressing the wide end of this piece will snap the surround in place.  Make sure the shift boot is pulled up out of the way.

Reinstall the center console by reversing the console removal steps above.

Here is the finished product.

Questions?  Send me an E-mail and I'll try to answer them.