How to Replace a Photocell in a 2008 Cadillac DTS

In the 2006 model year, a new breed of Cadillac, the DTS, replaced the aging DeVille. It wasnt quite as much a replacement as it was a redesign and condensing of the name -- DTS stands for DeVille Touring Sedan. The 2008 DTS came with a wide array of high-luxury features, including automatic temperature control. A photocell, or solar sensor, reads the intensity of the sun and adjusts the temperature and fan setting to compensate for the suns intensity. Replacing this sensor requires partially disassembling the dashboard, but it remains a fairly straightforward task.

Instructions

1

Open the drivers side door and find the left side outer trim panel, the panel on the very end of the dashboard. Pull this panel outward firmly to disengage its retaining clips and remove it. Open the passengers side door and find the right side outer trim panel. Pull this panel outward firmly to disengage its retaining clips and remove it.

2

Insert the blade of a flathead screwdriver under one end of the windshield defroster grille and pry upward to disengage its retaining clips. Proceed to pry upward on the center of the grille and the other side of the grille to disengage all of its retaining clips. Remove the defroster grille.

3

Pry outward along the sides of the windshield pillar garnish molding, the trim panel covering the A-pillar, using a flathead screwdriver to disengage its two retaining clips. Pull the trim upward and rearward to remove its tabs from the dashboard and remove it. Repeat this step on the windshield pillar garnish molding on the other side of the DTS.

4

Remove the instrument panel center bezel, the trim piece that surrounds the radio, then runs across to the passengers end of the dashboard, by prying along the entire length of the trim piece with a flathead screwdriver.

5

Find the four screws surrounding the center air outlet panel, the trim panel in the center of the dashboard with two vents in it. Remove these four screws with a ratchet and socket and pry the panel outward with a flathead screwdriver to disengage its retaining clips. Remove the center air outlet panel.

6

Remove the six screws securing the upper dashboard pad three in the windshield defroster cavity, one on either side of the pad and one in the center of the pad using a ratchet and socket. Pull upward on the pad firmly to disengage its two retaining clips.

7

Lift the upper dashboard pad just far enough to access the sun load sensor. Press and hold the unlocking button on the sun load sensors wiring harness and unplug the harness. Remove the dashboard pad from the Cadillac.

8

Twist the counterclockwise to unlock it and remove it from the dashboard pad. Insert a new sun load sensor into the dash pad and twist it clockwise to lock it into place.

9

Align the retaining clips on the underside of the upper dashboard pad with the slots in the dashboard. Press downward on the pad to lock it onto the dashboard. Tighten the six upper dashboard pad screws to 80 inch-pounds using an inch-pound torque wrench and socket.

10

Line up the clips on the rear of the center air outlet panel with the slots in its cavity in the dashboard and press the panel inward to engage the clips. Tighten the center air outlet panels four retaining screws to 18 inch-pounds.

11

Position the instrument panel center bezel on the dashboard so its retaining clips align with their slots in the dashboard. Press the instrument panel center bezel onto the dashboard to engage the retaining clips.

12

Slide the tabs in the bottom of the windshield pillar garnish molding into their slots in the dashboard, then align the retaining clips on the rear of the windshield pillar garnish molding with the slots in the A-pillar. Press the windshield pillar garnish molding onto the A-pillar to engage its retaining clips and lock it into place. Repeat this step to install the windshield pillar garnish molding on the other side.

13

Line up the retaining clips on the underside of the windshield defroster grille with their slots in the dashboard. Press downward on the grille to lock it into place.

14

Align the left side outer trim panel retaining clips with their slots on the drivers side of the dashboard, then press the trim panel onto the dashboard to lock its retaining clips, securing the panel. Repeat this step to install the right side outer trim panel on the right side of the dashboard.