[11hopeful]

There is a 91 sedan that I'm looking at to harvest many parts from it's interior. I too have a 91 sedan. I'd like to get the dash, console, seats, carpet, door panels and steering wheel. I don't think that I want to deal with the ceiling material (don't know how much more work that would be. I have a navy blue interior with a light blue for the ceiling material and the donor vehicle has a dark interior(blackish). So question for all you people (which I need soon ) is as follows:

1. The 91 donor has been fitted with the newer temperature control unit. What all do I need to get it to work with my current setup? wiring harness, etc, etc..
I don't want to forget import parts from the donor like computers and sensors - if any.

2. How hard is it to pull the steering wheel off? How do you replace the horn buttons. (one is taped on)

3. The donor vehicle has a passenger airbag and mine doesn't. What parts do I need to have to make the swap work. (Does this entail a different computer?)

4. My passenger seat is not powered, donor pass. seat is. Do I have the wire there already to make it work? Side note, the donor vehicle is somewhat already torn apart so no power to the seat. Any easy way to power it?

5. Anybody know of a good way to get the vin plate off the dash and tack it on to the donors?

6. My primary D3 light(regular drive mode) is out and also the low fuel warning light. Is this an easy replacement bulb?

If you can think of anything else that I'm sure I have forgot then please mention it.

Thanks for your help

 

[ari_one]

Here are some answers:
1. Search for LS control swap.
2. Not hard but it is a lot easier with an impact wrench, also there are torx screws holding the airbag in place which can be a bit of a pain to get out. Recommend having a reverse threading screw extractor socket.
3. You'll also have to get the controller under the center console armrest along with the complete SRS wire harness, you might also need the clock spring but not sure on that one. (Bad plug here but I've got a good Dash with no airbag if you're interested.)
4. Probably not but easy to check by looking under your seat.
5. Just pop the rivets (with dremel or the like) and use a rivet gun to put your other one on.
6. If the donor car has the instrument cluster, swap that out. Otherwise the lights are really small and you will have to pull the cluster anyways.

good luck.

 

[Boru]

Hi, wow, big swap, but possible! The coupe and sedan dashs are interchangeable, but model specific(L,LS.) The A/C controls vary
with model also. This post attempts to answer the airbag issue.
If you change the dash; the wiring harness dictates the components.
If the new dash has a passenger side airbag, you have a choice: same
harness, no airbag; or, new harness to include airbag. The AC and radio
may also be harness dependent. Staying model specific (L,LS) may be
easier in the long run. Keep posting, there are many details and many who can provide insight, Remember to use search function. You will find the HELM
manual very helpful: get one that matches our model nd year. I will stop at
this point, except to ask if you might have a friend who can help. Keep
researching, obtain HELM, keep posting, plan and just do it! Good luck.
This link may help:
http://www.acura-legend.com/vbulletin/f13/diy-dash-removal-writeup-second-gen-93010/
Here is a picture of Kenso's dash showing the harness in place (no pass. airbag)
http://www.acura-legend.com/vbulletin/f4/dashboard-replacement-wiring-reuse-79484/

 

[Guest]

Interior swap is CAKE if you've taken it apart before I've taken mine down to bare metal (roof and floor) takes about 8 hours first time dash is a little harder but thats tricks to getting it out faster. Personally I would not add the airbag just put it in and don't plug it in. The bulbs you get from acura. The LS swap if you have the harness you'll need some sensors from the front of the car and some from the HVAC unit. Just plug and play if you have the harness.

 

[11hopeful]

Ari_one – I’ll look for the controller under the arm rest. I’m guessing that same controller controls both the driver and passenger air bags?
I might not pull the steering wheel if it’s going to be an issue although I’d like to get it since I think it matches the rest of the interior.
I don’t want the donor’s instrument cluster since it has many more miles than mine. If it’s possible to replace the bulbs then that may be an option I’ll have to evaluate.

Boru – I’m cautiously optimistic about the swap. One of the main reasons I’d like to do the swap is to get the passenger airbag setup. I don’t want all this to turn out into a bigger headache than planned for. I wonder if I should get all the harnesses I can get so I am not left without the necessary harness.

95LegendGS – I like the legend so I would do all this work, not for another can though. I definitely want to plug the passenger air bag but I’m worried that I won’t get it setup right. I’ll just follow the wires from the air bag and see where that leads me. Is there like a master wire harness that runs under the dash?
So just to be clear, not only am I going from an L to LS, but the donor car I’m harvesting from had had another donor that it got its parts from.

Does the carpet come up pretty easy or is it glued in?

One weird thing about my Legend is that both rear doors do not lock/unlock when I use the lock/unlock switch from both the inside driver and passenger doors? Actuators?

 

[ari_one]

If you pull the instrument cluster you can easily swap the odometers to keep your real mileage. The SRS control box controls the whole setup. The SRS wire harness is easy to see as it is covered with yellow shielding. The carpet is not glued but you will need to remove both front seats, center console, and door sills. The main wire harness is connected to the dash so pull it as a whole, actually there are two wire harnesses, one for the instrument cluster and one for all the rest. Does the main switch unlock and lock the passenger door? If not then your problem is most likely the "lock" button on your main switch.

 

[11hopeful]

ok my Lock switch is bad so that is very likely the culprit.

Do you know if the instrument cluster changed any between the years?

 

[11hopeful]

I've started to strip down the donor and things are going pretty smooth thus far. I haven't gotten to the dash yet. From what I've been reading, It sounds like the auto climate control is going to be a little challenge. If I'm reading these post correctly, I will still need to splice wires. So is it the wires into the control module that I'll splicing/matching? Would I have to cut the harness end that plugs into the the climate console and match that with anything?

One sensor I'm concerned is missing is the ambient sensor that is suppose to be near the radiator. Is it located between the bumper and the front of the radiator or is it between the rear of the radiator and the engine block.?

 

[Boru]

Wiring harness connects at driver's side kick panel link
Acura Legend Online Service Manual (Page: 0819)

One caution involves the glove box connector and the AC connector;
they are the same shape; but, different voltage. Mis-connect and the
AC control gets fried. That has happened to a couple of forum members.
Just label all conectors with tape to avoid mix-ups. (behind glove box.)

Also, there have been earlier threads about interior swaps with pictures
included. Sorry, I do not have a link. A search might produce some.
The online service manual has a section. There still is some guess work
involved. Sounds like you are underway. The results will make the effort
satisfying.

 

[11hopeful]

Thanks for the heads up Boru. I now have my interior almost completely torn out. The SRS harness from the donor car was extremely a pain to get out, but somehow I managed. The SRS conector that plugs into the fuse panel was terrible to get undone. I had to pry a tab like thing in order to get it to unclip. But in order to do that (mostly because I couldn't see why it wouldn't unclip) I had to remove the fuse panel to get a better look. I also took the modules that are under metal plates that are part of the SRS system. I don't know if I really needed the driver's side but I'm pretty sure I need the passengers. Getting the SRS harness is actually one of the worst parts about doing this swap.

 

[11hopeful]

The blue/white wire that is sitting on the wrench. Where should this wire be connected to? It's quite a thick wire.

 

[11hopeful]

alright people I need your help. I have almost everything put back together and have tested some electrical to be sure they work. I'm still having the same problem as before concerning the rear doors not locking/unlocking when I toggle the driver or passengers side switches. What is going on? Could this be actuators in the rear doors or do I need to look at the wiring? The rear doors have power as I'm able to roll both windows up and down and lock and unlock them from the doors themselves. I just can't control them from the front doors. I looked up the manual but I'm not really finding what I'm looking for. Well maybe I just am not looking hard enough!

 

[11hopeful]

Alright guys talk to me cause I feel like I'm talking to myself.

Acura Legend Online Service Manual (Page: 1239)
The manual tells me that I have a disconnected or obstructed door lock rod/linkage. Anyone ever have this issue before? Strange that it is both rear doors and both the knob and switch are not working. Errrggg!!

 

[ari_one]

Sounds odd/unlikely that you would have bad linkages on both rear doors. Have you:

1. Checked that the wire harness' are plugged into the rear door lock actuators?

2. When you lock or unlock using the drivers lock button, does it lock/unlock the passenger side and vice versa?

3. They don't show it in the manual but the door locks do all go through the security control unit, do you have an extra one from your donor to do a quick swap to rule that out?

Don't give up talking to yourself, it can be refreshing at times :yes:

 

[11hopeful]

Sounds odd/unlikely that you would have bad linkages on both rear doors. Have you:

1. Checked that the wire harness' are plugged into the rear door lock actuators?

2. When you lock or unlock using the drivers lock button, does it lock/unlock the passenger side and vice versa?

3. They don't show it in the manual but the door locks do all go through the security control unit, do you have an extra one from your donor to do a quick swap to rule that out?

Don't give up talking to yourself, it can be refreshing at times :yes:

I'll check on those items in the next few days. I bought this car with these peculiarities so I'm kinda over my head right now. Why would someone unplug the actuators unless they were malfunctioning? I've also have some new electrical issues since doing the swapping. I took the donor dash wire harness and I ended up with one extra white plug at the end under the cluster gauges . Not sure where this needs to be plugged in.

 

[11hopeful]

Is there anyone that could take a picture of their under dash fuse panel with the cover off for me?

 

[11hopeful]

Does anyone have a fuel gauge. I opened up the instrument cluster to change one of the bulbs out and some how broke the fuel level gauge. Anyone know how to fix this or have one they'd like to sell?

 

[ari_one]

Check in the Marketplace under OEM parts or parting out.