Hello to all!


I am working with a 2006 Mountaineer Premium with rear heat/ac, sunroof, and Homelink. I need to remove the overhead console to replace burned out map lights.


I cannot determine how to remove the console.


The shop manual has instructions for 2 styles of overhead consoles but not the one in this vehicle. Those 2 styles have a sunglass or garage door opener compartment that you open to access some screws.


This console has the map lights at the front, the controls for the rear ac/heat in the middle, and a panel for the sunroof switch and Homelink buttons at the rear. There is no room for a compartment that opens.


I can get the front portion loose by pulling it down off the clips. The back seems to held in by screws. I do not want to apply much force to avoid damaging anything.


Any ideas?


Thanks,
Rusty

 

The service manual I have suggests for your panel there are just 4 clips (2 front, 2 rear) and you pull the panel down.

Removal and Installation
Vehicles with roof opening panel

1. Pull the overhead console downward to release the retaining clips.

Is this what yours looks like?



-Rod

 

Hi Rod,


Thanks for the detail information.


Overall it appears to be a similar console but not quite the same.


I have applied a lot of down force at the rear and it will not come loose. The front drops down without near as much pressure. Plus when I apply the force at the sides towards the rear the sides bend down but the middle of the rear stays up against the headliner.


I do not have access to the vehicle for at least another week so I will look at it then.


Hopefully someone else might have another idea.


Thanks for the help,
Rusty

 

Are you certain the vehicle is a 2006? It seems quite unlikely that the Ford factory service manual would not show the correct available overhead consoles....

-Rod

 

Hi Rod,


You are correct to question the basics when things are not as expected.


Yes, I am very confident that it is a 2006. I was with my sister when she purchased it in May 2006, I have the 2006 windows sticker which matches the VIN, and the VIN decodes as a 2006 Mountaineer.


Now to the question of whether or not the information is in the service manual. It would be more accurate for me to state that I cannot find the instructions about removing this design of overhead console if they are in the service manual.


The instructions for the design that has the sunglass compartment in the middle of the console are in the interior section. That shows 2 screws need to removed after you open that compartment.


The instructions for the design that has rear heat/ac controls in the middle of the console and a door opener compartment at the rear are in the climate control section. That shows one screw in the middle of the rear area that needs to be removed after you open that compartment.


I cannot find the design I have. I even looked at the section on the moonroof. I could not find anything about the HomeLink garage door opener control.


Unfortunately my experience is that service manuals always have gaps. It would not surprise me if this was covered in a TSB.


To make things less satisfying my local Ford dealer wants at least an hour of labor to even look at it because it is an older vehicle and not a "Ford". So if I go that route it is going to cost me at least $80 to get 2 map light bulbs replaced.


Thanks for the help,


Rusty

 

Have you tried a Google images search to see if you can find an image, or maybe even exploded view diagram, or the overhead console her Mountaineer has? Sometimes you can even find images of ones for sale that have already been removed so you can see how they are mounted.

-Rod

 

Hi Rod,


I have to wonder if we were related in a prior life!


I actually got to this forum through a Google search. There were lots of posts about other configurations of overhead consoles so I became a Premium member.


I also have been searching eBay regularly. The other day I did find what appears to be the same console for sale.


07 08 Ford Explorer Overhead Console Sunroof Switch Rear AC Homelink OEM LKQ | eBay


The top view does show what appear to be 2 slots at the rear that would slide over a clip or post. My best guess is that there is some type of flat spring clip on the post and it slides into the hole. I have not been able to find a parts diagram that shows the bracket this would mount to.


Next week when I have access to the vehicle I will try again to pull straight down on the rear.


Thanks for keeping me thinking. I will let you know what I figure out.


Rusty

 

From the eBay images, it appears that console mounts the same way that the image in post #2 does. That would make sense too since they wouldn't want to make the mounting configuration drastically different from one vehicle to the next. The spring clips that hold the console against the headliner are item 2 in that image above.

-Rod

 

Hi Rod,








Thanks for the confirmation that we are seeing a similar mounting configuration.


I will give it a try next week.


Rusty

 

Hi Rod,


Sorry it took longer than I expected to follow-up on this topic. About a week ago I had time to work on the console.


After applying what I felt like was a lot of pull the rear of the console did come down. Yes, it is held up by the same type of spring clips as the front. For some reason the rear clips had a whole lot more resistance.


I replaced the map lights and the console snapped right back into place. One trick I did was to put just a very thin touch of grease on the surface of each spring clip where it slides into the plastic slot. The console fits tightly to the headliner but I can now pull it down without excessive force.


Thanks for your help!


Rusty

 

Thank you for the follow up. I'm glad to hear you got it working. Hopefully that grease doesn't soften the plastic over time.

-Rod