# 2008 550i LCI trim removal procedure



## heathtx (Apr 24, 2010)

Start with the following tools, trim remover (8" long aluminum strip 1" wide with each end bent about 20 degrees), long flat blade screwdriver, Phillips screwdriver, torx driver and a couple of cable ties. I removed all this from the passenger seat.

*Disassembly*
The top wood trim comes off from the right hand side (open passenger door first). I raised the trim about 1/4" inch and then moved the trim tool toward the middle of the car and just kept gently raising the piece and moving the trim tool to the left, pretty soon it was loose. Tilt the piece such that the wood side is up to let the AC ducts clear the dash and then remove the torx screw at the bottom of the door lock/hazard switch. Remove the lock /hazard buttons toward the front of the long trim piece. Disconnect cable to buttons. Set the long trim piece, switch, torx driver and screw aside. Take a breath.

Remove 2 screws from the top corner of the A/C control mount. Pull A/C control trim about 3/8" out. Now is the tricky part, but not too hard. The A/C trim and radio trim are connected, so use your long flat blade screwdriver to remove the radio trim. The A/C and radio trim are connected to the dash by 1 spring retainer on each side, down at the bottom of the radio trim piece (about 5" below the top of the A/C trim piece). Insert the flat blade screwdriver from the top outside corner down and angled slightly toward the drive shaft tunnel. Make sure the screwdriver blade is contacting the radio trim and not the dash piece (look through the trim/dash gap to make sure). Press the handle of the screwdriver forward and you will feel the radio trim start to move toward you. Keep pressing, these clips are strong. Do one side and then the other. I used a cable tie to tie this up out of the way. Take a deep breath, the hard, scary part is over.

The radio face is held on by two plastic clips at the top, leave it in place and tie it up to the AC control with a cable tie. If you do take it off, it is only connected to the car on the right hand side by a very thin ribbon cable. The connector has a darker tan top piece that locks the ribbon cable in place. Raise the tan top piece to re-insert the ribbon cable and press the top piece down toward the circuit board to lock the ribbon cable in place. Be very careful, these types of ribbon cables and connectors are very fragile (and expensive).

The ashtray door trim can now be removed, simply pull it toward the shifter. The central lower trim can now be removed using your trim tool, starting at the top on 1 side, there is 1 clip on each side. At the bottom is 1 locating pin on each side. Use a similar technique you used on the long top trim piece, pry the tops loose first, then move to the bottom. When you get the ashtray trim loose, you can disconnect the cables running to the switches. Look inside and you can now remove the 2 phillips screws (1 each side) holding the ashtray slider unit in place. Pull the ashtray out and clear the shifter toward the drivers seat. Unplug the cigarette lighter connection.

The shifter trim is very easy, remove the bezel around the shifter (read owners manual), remove 3 torx screws in shifter opening. pull stright up on idrive knob, it will come off. gently raise shofter trim with trim removal tool. Disconnect cable from idrive button and trim is free to fully remove.

*Reassembly tips*
Reverse sequence above, plug in cigarette lighter cable, slide in ashtray, then connect ashtray trim switch cables and ashtray trim. For all trim pieces, I only had to press them in place with the palm of my hand. Look to make sure ribbon cable is inserted into radio face. Reassemble AC and radio trim and insert screws. Place long trim piece up close to where it will be inserted and connect cable. Reinstall lock/hazard switch and torx screw. I found keeping the wood side up made reinstalling easier. Make sure lock/hazard switch cable is tucked under air vents and rotate trim piece down so foam is not disturbed. Press trim piece in starting from left. I pressed a little from left to right and then fully seated using more force with my palm.

If your Nav/radio does not work, the little ribbon cable came loose.


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