Heater core replacement , pulled the dash off, dropped the stearing colum,pulled all the screws out and still can get the plastic plate cover offdash so i can reach the heater core, its a 2002 jeep grand cherokee they want a grand to fix it that i dont have thanks so much

You don’t need to remove the dash or remove AC refrigerant from 2005 Chevy Uplander. Its a simple job takes about an hour with 10 mm socket and Phillips screwdriver. Core is in the center of dash near the floor. Remove lower panels on center of dash where passanger
Left leg and driver right leg would be. Also the front lower panel where cigarette lighter is. They pop out. Also remove fiber cover from under glove box and driver area. Remove large black plastic member behind where the lower center panels were. Two black screws in front and seveal screws in either side. Pull to rear to slide out. Remove metal bracket on floor with 4-10mm. Remove vent from floor pops out. Look up underneath from area you created under center of dash. Many vertical gold colored screws. Remove first cover panel 4 screws. Remove second panel mores screws. Theres one clear against firewall by driver side also. After this heater core is accessible held in with only one screw by firewall remove it and core drops out easily after wiggle out pipe ends from firewall holes. This is about 20 minutes to this point

Before remove heater core, drain coolant, remove front engine yoke bolts, ratchet strap engine pull forward and block. Pop out windshield wiper link and brake booster vacuum hose so can reach hose connections from engine side. Remove hose clamps and disconnect hoses to core. One hose is 3/4 id and the other is 5/8” that necks out to 3/4” on other end.

The hardest part about the whole job was getting the hoses off then in with these spiring clamps and finding the right replacement hose and connectors. Not the removal of the core which is surprisingly easy.

You will find it behind the stearing colum. You can get to it by taking out 2 screws to the stearing colum. They will be right there when you get the cover off.

No Sir it can not. The heater core on those vehicles must come out into the passenger compartment and book time is 12 to 14 hours. I can tell you a professional system I always use that has some good shortcuts in it. The book calls for removing the steering column and dash. My short cuts avoid that. You can leave the column and dash partially hanging and still complete the job. I will be telling you this process from memory. First with the engine cold drain the coolant from the heater core by removing only the 2 hoses to the heater core under the hood. Now flush water thru the core with a garden hose. ( This is so you do not spill coolant inside the car) There is a stud with a nut (maybe 2 studs w/nut)on it between these hoses remove this nut as it holds the top of the heater box to the firewall. Now go inside the car and remove the two lower kick panels made of plastic by the drivers and passengers outer foot. Behind the drivers panel there is a large nut holding the dash to the window post where the hinges are attached to. Loosen this nut almost all the way off. On the other side remove the large nut completely and the small nut also. Pry the plastic cover up that covers the dash right under the windshield and there are several screws to remove there. This loosens the dash on the left side and allows you to pull the right side out enough to spin the heater box out and to the floor. Now remove the plastic covering under the steering column and the metal plate behind it. This part is important > Be sure to loosen the adjuster on the transmission indicator cable and remove the cable from the steering column before going further. This is the small black cable that moves the dash indicatro from park to drive...ect. if you do not remove this cable prior to dropping the column you will break the plastic that holds the cable to the instrument cluster. Now remove the 2 bolts holding the upper part of the column to the dash. Now there is a floor vent in the center made of plastic that must come out. There is a screw on the left side and a plastic pin button you pull out. Pull out the ashtray and there is a small screw behind it holding this vent also. You will have to pull the vent to the laft and out. I make a small **** in the plastic vent this attaches to under the carpet to send air to the rear floor so I can pull it out and replace it easier. Ok, now remove the 2 lower bolts on the steering column and let it rest on the seat. Go over to the right side and remove the two nuts under the heater box and now the heater box is free from the dash. Now pull the right side of the dash out and up to access the heater box. You will see 4 screws and possibally a bracket with a switch mounted to two of these screws that we need to remove to access the heater core. 4 screws hold the core inside the heater box. Pull the core out and install the new one in the box. You may have to prop up the right side of the dash to get enough clearance. Careful to force the dash and not the new core to put the box back in place. Aklways put the top stud thru the firewall first or you will not get in in. If you attach the bottom studs first the top will not line up. Now just reverse the procedure to reinstall and you have just completed one of the hardest jobs in auto repair. Thanks for asking at Fixya.com, Rich

under the dash on the pass side there is a large black plastic box. take out the 6 screws and pull off the cover. there is a wire attached to the top that controls a flap, that just lifts off. under the hood loosen and remove the 2 host clamps right at the firewall area. Push the metal tubes in to the firewall. Then reach back in from under the dash and pull out the old core. put the new one in reverse order.

it is not ness to remove the dash.

Drain cooling system.
Remove inlet and outlet hoses from heater core.
Remove lower right hush panel.
Remove lower trim panel.
Remove heater case cover screws.
Remove heater case cover.
Remove core support plate baffle screws.
Remove heater core, support plate and baffle from car.
Reverse removal proceedure to install.
Refill cooling system and check for leaks.

It is very hard!! You actually are supposed to remove the whole dash!! I took a shortcut and just took the screws out of the plastic box under the dash where the heater core is,behind the console, next to the floorboard, and cut it across the back on the bottom. You then have to get under the car to remove this screw that is on the firewall between the 2 heater core hoses..then remove the hoses from the heater core on the firewall. Then you can get back inside the vehicle and it will pull out. When you replace, the cover that you cut, just put the screws back in and put some tape across where you cut the cover off. It saved me from having to take the whole dash out, and having to spend $300 to have a mechanic replace my heater core!!

Have replaced my heater core in my 2001 regular cab 4wd in december 2009. Had to pull the complete dash including the complete metal dash behind the dash that you see. Also had to remove the right passenger side inner fender well to acess the remaining two bolts that hold the heater core cover to the firewall. Its an insane job to do but the repair shop books call for 9 1/2 hrs to do the job. I'm not an expert but this is what it takes.

Drain the coolant. Remove the dashboard first, then a bunch of air ducts, then the heater core cover. Remove the heater hoses in the rear of the motor, and finally the heater core.

Just pull the dash back a little by undoing all the bolts and screws, its going to be a tight fit find someone with small hands.

This is a really easy job, disconnect the heater hoses at the firewall, go inside the truck on the passenger side there is a plastic panel/cover over the core, 6 bolts/screws I think, remove the cover pull the core, tops 1 hour, as job at work I did them in 20 minutes.