How To Remove Car Audio System

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Motorcar stereos sometimes wear out or break, and yous need to swap out the old one for a replacement. This might sound tricky, but it's really a pretty like shooting fish in a barrel job. All y'all need are a few simple tools and some patience. Once you know the right process, and so you'll exist able to remove an former car stereo like a pro!

1. ane

   Disconnect the motorcar bombardment to avoid a daze or curt. Disconnecting the battery is an important prophylactic precaution. Pop the hood and find the battery. Unscrew the nut on the negative last outset and pull the wire off. Store it safely on one side of the hood. Then unscrew the positive final and move it to the other side of the hood. Make sure the positive concluding doesn't impact whatever metallic parts of the car or it'll produce a spark.^[1]

   • Car batteries normally have a blood-red clip on the positive terminal and a black clip on the negative terminal. If the clips aren't color-coded, look for the + or – symbols.
   • Never let the positive and negative wires touch.

2. two

   Remove whatsoever screws or bolts around the trim. The trim is the plastic border around the stereo. On some cars, the stereo trim is just clipped on, but others might have screws or bolts holding it on. Check around the border of the trim for annihilation attaching it to the dashboard. Unscrew the bolts or screws to free the trim.^[2]

   • If in that location are bolts or screws, they might exist most the bottom of the stereo trim and so they're subconscious from view.
   • Keep rail of any screw or bolts yous remove and then you tin can reattach the trim later on.

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3. 3

   Pop off the stereo trim with a flathead screwdriver. Whether the trim was attached with screws or not, you lot can remove it the same manner. Insert a flathead screwdriver under the trim and gently work effectually information technology to loosen information technology. Pull the trim off when it pops costless.^[three]

   • If the trim is stuck, you may have missed a screw or bolt. Double bank check and remove anything belongings the trim downward.
   • Be conscientious when you're removing the trim. If y'all crack it, information technology might be expensive to supervene upon.

4. 4

   Pry the dashboard covering off if you have a newer car. Newer cars and SUVs brand it a fleck more difficult to remove the stereo and might encompass information technology with a whole dashboard panel instead of just a simple trim. Luckily, this is easy to remove equally well. Find the edge of the panel and insert a plastic prybar into the space. Work the prybar around the panel until information technology pops off, and so pull information technology off to reveal the stereo.^[4]

   • On some SUVs, the panel continue downwards to cover the loving cup holders. This doesn't change the removal process. Only keep working around the panel with the prybar until information technology comes off.^[five]
   • Do not use a screwdriver or metal tool to remove the dashboard panel. This can crack the plastic and you'll demand an expensive replacement.
   • Yous can go a plastic prybar from an car parts store.

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1. 1

   Locate the slots on either side of the stereo. Car stereos are held in past 2 clips, i on each side. You can access them by inserting sparse tools into the slots on both sides of the stereo. Check alongside the stereo and expect for 2 thin slits to discover the spot you take to insert the tool.^[vi]

   • If the slots sit farther dorsum, you might demand a flashlight to run into them.
   • Some pickup trucks and SUVs have two holes on each side instead of a thin slot. In this case, y'all'll need a 2-pronged tool or wire to admission the stereo clips.^[7]
   • Always confirm the process to remove the radio in your automobile possessor's manual.

2. 2

   Insert radio keys into the slots on either side of the stereo. Radio keys are small flat tools that disengage the clips property the stereo in. They may come up with your car, or you can get a set from an auto parts shop. Slide a primal into each slot on either side of the stereo.^[8]

   • You demand both keys in at the same time to release the stereo.
   • If yous don't have radio keys, you tin use any apartment slice of metal that fits into the radio slots. Some choices include thin knives, files, or hangers.
   • Radio keys are sometimes chosen DIN tools, if you lot're looking in an motorcar parts store.

3. three

   Press the keys until they click. Continue inserting the radio keys into the slots until you hear a click. This ways that you've released the clips holding the radio in.^[nine]

   • If y'all don't hear a click merely the keys cease moving, then they're probably inserted enough. You should be able to pull the stereo out.
   • Continue the keys inserted while you take the radio out. If you remove them, the clips will clamp back downwards.

4. four

   Remove the screws and bolts effectually the stereo if it doesn't use clips. Newer cars bolt the stereo in instead of using clips. If you lot don't encounter whatever spaces to insert the keys around the radio, so check in the corners for screws or bolts. If you find these, utilize a Philips head screwdriver or socket wrench to remove them to free the stereo.^[ten]

   • Proceed rail of the screws and bolts you remove so you can put the radio back in.

5. five

   Slide the stereo body out of the socket. Grab the stereo by its outer edge and pull it straight back. Go on sliding information technology until it comes out of the radio socket. Be careful non to drop it once it's gratis.^[11]

   • Y'all might have to jiggle the radio a bit to work it out of position.
   • Don't keep pulling once the radio comes out because it'due south all the same plugged in.

6. 6

   Unplug the stereo to complete the removal. There are usually at least 2 plugs in the back of the stereo. The antenna connects to the right side. This plug pops out commonly, so just pull information technology out. On the left side, the electrical wires adhere with a clamp. Squeeze the clamp to release it, and then pull those wires out. The stereo is at present completely costless.^[12]

   • In that location might be other wires attached to the back of the stereo as well. Pull these out as needed to get the stereo out.

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Things Yous'll Need

• Flathead screwdriver
• Radio keys
• Socket wrench

• Always read the owner's manual for your motorcar earlier taking out the radio. The procedure might be dissimilar on different machine types.

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• Never remove a stereo without the car possessor's permission.

• Information technology's much harder to remove the stereo on newer cars, and some aren't designed to come out easily. Don't try to strength the stereo out if it'south not moving.

• If at any indicate y'all don't know what to do, then permit a professional take the stereo out. Yous don't desire to break something and end up with a plush repair.

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