520

Ok, did this today as well. I had ton of dust/dirt in the IC and while it was bothering me a bit my GF was on my case about it ever since we bought the car so....
Pull your wheel all the way out and tilt down.

Remove this trim piece. Grab both sides and pull straight back:
<img src="http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n89/ubodepaode/Audi%20IC%20cleanup/DSC01422.jpg?t=1185766061">

You will expose 2 torx bolts in each channel. Remove them.
<img src="http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n89/ubodepaode/Audi%20IC%20cleanup/DSC01421.jpg?t=1185766097">

After that you are ready to remove the cluster. To do so, I used needle nose pliers and grabbed the tabs located at 6 o'clock beneath rpm and speedo unit:
<img src="http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n89/ubodepaode/Audi%20IC%20cleanup/DSC01417.jpg?t=1185766216">

Once the cluster slides out there are 2 plugs on the back that you will have to disconnect. Blue and green on opposite sides of the clister. To do so, press on the little tab where my flat head points to and the purple tab will flip up, releasing the plug lose:
<img src="http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n89/ubodepaode/Audi%20IC%20cleanup/DSC01416.jpg?t=1185766328">

Ready to pull it out. Do it on both sides and your cluster can come out.
<img src="http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n89/ubodepaode/Audi%20IC%20cleanup/DSC01415.jpg?t=1185766446">

Once the cluster is out, turn it around and you will see 4 torx bolts on the back. Only 2 are pictured here, but remove all 4:

<img src="http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n89/ubodepaode/Audi%20IC%20cleanup/DSC01411.jpg?t=1185766527">

Next, you will likely have to take off some of the identification stickers so the back of the cluster assembly can come off. What I did is follow the "line" where two pieces meet and unglued only part of thsoe stickers, not removing them completely. There also 6-8 tabs around like this - release them all and back plastic cover will come off:

<img src="http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n89/ubodepaode/Audi%20IC%20cleanup/DSC01410.jpg?t=1185766668">

When you remove the back plastic cover you will see this:
<img src="http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n89/ubodepaode/Audi%20IC%20cleanup/DSC01403.jpg?t=1185766758">

Notice the tabs with bunch of blue wires - you will have to release all 4 of those, 2 on each lower corner of the unit. I only had a pick like this handy so I used that. I can imagine other little sharp objects will work too. Be carefull here not to damage any of the wires.
<img src="http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n89/ubodepaode/Audi%20IC%20cleanup/DSC01404.jpg?t=1185766846">

<img src="http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n89/ubodepaode/Audi%20IC%20cleanup/DSC01402.jpg?t=1185766943">

Once you ae done with this, you are ready to pull the main piece of the cluster out of the clear cover that you see on the front. Just grab the whole unit and pull straight up.

<img src="http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n89/ubodepaode/Audi%20IC%20cleanup/DSC01407.jpg?t=1185767033">

Your fuel and water temp gauges will stay in the clear plastic cover. I can imagine thsoe can be removed too if need be but I didn't bother with them. I then blew the dust out and used some q-tips to clean out the larger pieces that wouldn't blow out.

Put everything back together in reverse oder. Don't forget to hide those wires behind the 2 clips on each side. I'm not sure the purpose but I imagine its so they don't get damaged during IC removal/install:

<img src="http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n89/ubodepaode/Audi%20IC%20cleanup/DSC01409.jpg?t=1185767238">

Nice and clean. Enjoy your IC again.
<img src="http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n89/ubodepaode/Audi%20IC%20cleanup/DSC01423.jpg?t=1185767264">

Merkin

when do you want the dash, need to get motivated to chop the car

520

well, 2 weekends from now is not good but othe than that....you tell me.

Merkin

anytime before school starts

520

when is that? September?

MikTip

Excellent write-up! Any issues with the immobilizer?

javanator

heebie jeebies when I realized the photo setup.

<a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/feedback/msgs/38076.phtml" target="_new">I vote to add to tech article section!</a>

.

LEH82

nice write up

Chekm8

cuz if it's on the cluster, then you can possibly grab a cluster from the junk yard with lower milage and put that back on

yah, yah, yah...it's a joke...but hmmmmmm

Merkin

i think