how do you remove lower&upper steering column covers?

[fenixus]

hi there,

how do you remove lower & upper steering column covers?

need to dig into the ignition area. checking on my RS3000 alarm connections (alarm is dead) and looking for likely immobilizer bypass module placed in car by prev owner who installed aftermarket "alarm".

not sure if 2000 camry has same design of steering column (and covers) as 2000 soalra, but any help would be appreciated. i can easily undo the loweer dash cover (knee panel), but ignition area seems tricky or requires prior removal of other plastic/metal parts before it comes off...

... and actually ... is this huge black metal sheet (held by 4 bolts) going across under-dash area considered a lower steering column cover or this term refers to plastic piece above it ( i though that was upper cover). sorry, kind of confused here, any clarification very welcome. i do not do those tasks daily.

thanks.

[fenixus]

anyone please? i'd like to do this now in daylight. have spare time today. I would really appreciate if someone posted steps from a repair manual (i don't have any).

i need to get to all wires around steering column and ignition cylinder.

at least please propose a good repair manual i can get (Chilton or Haynes) that cover such electrical things like getting into the ignition wires. i'm not stealing cars just wanna get my own stock/dealer alarm to work after removing cheap aftermarket crap i had... it was only pissing me off.

EDIT:

Amazon

Amazon

is this good, Haynes? or better go with Chiltons ... whats the difference?

anyways can someone post the steps for dissasembling the plastic covers on steering column and around ignition cylinder? I will be greatly thankful and happy

[flyeri]

Manuals are in the DIY section. I took mine off not too long ago. There are screws on the bottom. As i recall a couple held the two halves together and several held it in place. Take them all out. Tilt the wheel down to give yourself room to wiggle the parts out.

[DxElite]

I recommend Hanes, I had a Chilton for a different car and it wasn't as detailed as the Hanes.

On the 2000 Camry the ignition key is next to the steering column and to get access to the ignition wires, you'll have to take off the knee plate (the large black metal across the bottom part that you spoke of) and the cover of the ignition key.
The knee plate comes off easy with a few bolts and the cover of the ignition key just pops off easy (held by clips). After those are off, you should be able to get access to the wires, best access is from laying down and looking up to it.

If the Solara has the ignition key on the steering column then the knee plate would have to be taken off the same. On the Camry, there are 2 screws that hold the steering column covers on behind the steering wheel. Turn the wheel until you can get access to take them off. There were other screws on the under side of the column too.

Hope that helps.

[fenixus]

thanks guys. actually figured out how to remove all those panels in meanwhile
those 2 screws on steering column (behind wheel) were my problem yesterday hehe, rest was just clips.

just returned from car, put all back as it was already. had to remove literally everything (including black metal sheet held by 4 10mm bolts under dash to take pictures of all wires going out of ignition cylinder and meeting RS3000 harness (and bunch of other cables).

for some reason my RS3000 alarm does not run as it should, or I'm troubleshooting it wrong. do you know if 2000 Solara SE has immobilizer or not? it may be a crucial issue, as I was looking for a bypass and did not find any (maybe was looking in wrong spot).

in short door locks engage after ignition which is a part of RS3000 programming I assume, but I can start the car even with a flat metal key (no transponder in it) which is odd. someone told me that I must have an immobilizer bypass ... or I got no immobilizer at all...

I'm ordering Haynes manual, may need it sooner or later. thanks for opinion.