How do you remove the radio from 2002 Ford Explorer?

Answer 1

Use the removal tools to pull the radio assembly out of the dash - note: you do NOT need to remove the plastic trim piece! :)

• Insert the tools into each pair of small holes on either side of the radio face
• They're all the way in when you feel them hit an indent, or a bit of 'click'
• Push the tops of the tools to the *OUTSIDE* while pulling the radio out from the dash. This is more "art" & feel than specific instructions.

- Disconnect the 2 or 3 wire harness connectors off & disconnect the radio antenna wire.

As you can imagine, re-installing is just a matter of connecting the wire harnesses & antenna - align and push the radio back in until you hear/feel the side-clips click back into place.

TIPS:

• Be sure to spend the few dollars for the wire harness kit - This saves you from having to CUT the factory wiring. If you sell the car, it takes only 10 minutes to put the factory radio back.
• Many places even give you the radio removal tools when you buy a radio from them, like Crutchfield.com
• Do not try to save a few dollars and spend far more than $5 worth of your time with home made tools

In my opinion, the only way to properly install an after-market CD player in any vehicle would be to make a trip to your local electronics store and buy the adapter (harness) for that vehicle. They are pretty inexpensive and a lot more dependable.

first disconnect the positive& negative battery cables.then wait for two minutes.then insert removal tool into the four holes in the control panel. if you don't have one use a metal coat hanger and bend it so it has a u-shape.then insert them in all four holes about 1-1/2 inches until you feel the clips release.then push the tools outward and pull the assembly out of the instrument panel.disconnect the wiring harness & vacuum hoses. if you want to replace it with a CD player you will have to get the kit.go to www.scosche.com and they will have what you need.good luck!

Don't want to spend the money? You can insert 4 small slender rods in the 4 holes on the left and right side of the radio (small Allen wrenches or very long nails, or similar). insert until you feel some tension, then apply slight pressure towards the outside of the radio while pulling the radio out. There are clips that you need to press in towards the radio to release it. Sometimes, you can do one side at a time.

-donville

ClarifiedThe answer that donville provided is excellent, however it doesn't take you through it step by step.

You can use two long screwdrivers and put them into the side closest to the cassette dock. Then you can push away from the stereo while grabbing the front. This will kick out the one side of the device. Do the same on the other two holes, but have a firm grip on the front of the stereo. Otherwise the side that you have popped out will pop back in. From here you can pull the stereo out and tilt it up so the hook above the stereo will clear the top of the main housing.

By using this http://www.crutchfield.com/p_120865618/Universal-DIN-Tool-Pair.HTML?tp=990

OK, I have a Mercury Sable 93 and 94 - if you have the stock radio that is a similar in size to a retail headunit, then you have to buy the Ford radio removal tools. I'm not sure of the specific name, but they're in the shape of a U, and only cost about $3 to $4. Put them in both sides until you feel an indent - push the tools outward while pulling the radio towards you.

You can usually take the factory stereo mounting brackets off and put them on the new radio and it should pop in and lock and release the same way you took the factory radio out.

DO NOT USE WIRE HANGERS!! For only about $3 you can buy the Ford radio removal tools made for this.

Also, you do not have to remove any dashboard trim - the radio will slide straight out of the opening with the tools. I have found that the clips can be taken off the old radio and screwed onto the new unit.

I also agree to buy the wiring harness! It is $15 well invested and they are readily available from most autoparts stores. Crutchfield.com will usually even throw them in if you buy a radio from them. (if not free, very inexpensive.)

Cut up a wire clothes hanger so that you make a tool shaped like the letter C. Ensure that the "C" is fairly long by cutting one end of the hanger close to the middle. Now you have your tool, look for two holes on either side of the stock radio and insert your "tool," into the holes about 1 to 1 1/2 inch, this should give you enough friction to pull it out. It will take a couple tries but you'll know you're doing it right when the radio partially comes out. Eventually it will pop out.

You only need the standard Ford radio, U shaped removal tools, readily & cheaply ($3-5) available at an auto parts store, Walmart, Kmart, etc.

(Don't try to save a few dollars and spend far more than $5 worth of your time with home made tools)

Use the removal tools to pull the radio assembly out of the dash - note: you do NOT need to remove the plastic trim piece! :)

• Insert the tools into each pair of small holes on either side of the radio face
• They're all the way in when you feel them hit an indent, or a bit of 'click'
• Push the tops of the tools to the *OUTSIDE* while pulling the radio out from the dash. This is more "art" & feel than specific instructions.

- Disconnect the 2 wire harness connectors and the radio antenna wire.

Re-installing is just a matter of connecting the wire harnesses & antenna - align and push the radio back in until you hear/feel the side retainer-clips click back into place.

TIPS:

• Be sure to spend the few dollars for a wire harness kit - This saves you from having to CUT the factory wiring. If you sell the car, it takes only 10 minutes to put the factory radio back.
• Many places even give you the tools when you buy a radio from them, like Crutchfield.com

The same way you would change any Ford/Mercury factory car stereo. You use either the U-shaped Ford removal tools you can buy at any auto parts store (kept usually near the stereos, cost $5 at Advance/Discount Auto). Insert these in the two holes on either side of the factory stereo until you feel them slide in a little easier. This has released the retaining clips inside the stereo housing. Pull your hands apart as if stretching a piece of bubble gum or something, and pull out. The old factory stereo should slide out pretty easily.

Unhook the connectors in the back, the thicker black cable with the metal spear-like tip is your antenna wire.

You also need a wiring harness which you can buy for anywhere from $10-20 at any auto parts store or electronics store that sells car stereos. Most will have a simple wiring diagram printed on the package, you just splice the wires together, nearly all are color-coded and the new harness will use the same colors. Usually are 8 wires for the speakers, one colored and one striped for each of the four speakers (solid colored is positive, striped is negative) that will actually be on one harness (grey, I think) and the other harness (they do come as a set) should be black and for the power other connections. One blue wire is for the antenna control, which you can ignore if you have a separate switch on the dash to control it. Red wire is positive power, black is negative/ground. I think there is a yellow wire but hell if I can remember what its for, but like I said, there should be a basic wiring diagram on the package for the wiring harness.

Once you have the wiring harness connected to the new stereo (make sure you used crimp connectors or electrical tape, do NOT use Duct Tape or any other sort of tape), you just hook the new harness to the existing one in the car, and plug the black antenna cable into the obvious round hole in the back of the new stereo (some will also have a black line coming out of the stereo rear with a female connector to plug the antenna cable into). Once you have these connected, slide the stereo into the dashboard and make sure it fits tightly. You may need a mounting bracket kit, but in my experience, its usually not necessary.

Its fairly simple, the hardest part is cramming the wires back into the dashboard so the stereo will fit in tightly. The wiring harness connecting takes anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, depending on your experience and confidence. My recommendation is to take the new stereo and the wiring harness inside and splice them together while you're watching some football or non-existant hockey.

Cut two pieces of coat hangar 5" long. Bend into "U" shape around a broom handle. On each side of the face of the radio are two holes. Insert your new tool approx. 1 " into the holes. Apply pressure outwards to release the clips holding the radio in the dash and pull the radio towards you.

... or you can just go to any sound shop or Wal-Mart and buy the tool for a couple of bucks... they'd have it by the head units and speakers.

Ford radio removal tools are available for just a few dollars from any auto parts store. Insert one into each set of 2 access holes on each side of the face of the radio unit. When inserting the tool, you will feel a spot where the notched ends have caught into a slight indentation. Push the tops of the tools outward (left and right) while simultaneously pulling the radio forward, away from the dash.

When you have the radio out, you'll see that the tools are actually releasing the clips on the side of the radio.

you will need to unscrew your dash and pull off the front plate of your dash, then you will need to unscrew the stock radio, then you will need to go ahead and pull out the adapter from the back of your radio. -Shocker

There are 2 small round holes on each side of the radio body faceplate. There are tools sold in sets of 2 that are inserted into the holes to release the catches. When inserted and the catches are released, the tools are used like handles to pull the stereo head out.

take 4 home trim nails in and push them twards the doors(left 2 to the left and right 2 to the right) pull out of dash

You can also go to O'Reilly auto parts and pick up a Ford Radio Removal Tool for 5 bucks,to go perfectly in and pop, then remove

Answer 2

Also you can cut a piece of a metal hanger bend it into a U and put it into each of the four holes to get it out

You can buy the tool at wal-mart or just go to a car stereo store and see if they will do it for free. The tool looks like a U-shaped piece of wire. Insert these into the holes located on the sides of the radio faceplate, and push them towards the center of the radio, and pull out..it's very simple once you have the right tool.

Answer 3

# Remove the dash center bezel # Remove the radio retaining bolts and pull the assembly out of the instrument panel,disconnect thre antenna and electrical connectors and remove the unit from the vehicle.

Answer 4

You just have to take a cloth hanger. Cut 2 length of about 12 inch, bend each one in a C ( you would have 2 side with about 5 inch and the peace where they meet would be 2 inch). After you did the tool just enter them into the 4 small holes on the radio, drag your hand behind the radio and gently push, the radio should come of easily.

Answer 5

You need the U-shaped disengage tools that can be bought at Best Buy. Two come in the pack, one for each side on the radio. If you look to the side of the radio, you'll see two little holes on each side. Once you push the tool into these holes, the radio will unlock from the dash and when pulling on the U's, will slide right out.

Answer 6

You can buy the tool, or take two caot hangers and bend them to fit in the holes beside the radio. Then push together to pry the clips to the outside, then remove. Or do what I did, go to BEST BUY and ask them to remove it. They didnt charge me, but I gave him a $5 tip.

Answer 7

THERE IS A U-SHAPED RADIO REMOVAL TOOL WHICH CAN BE PURCHASED AT WAL-MART. I USED IT TO REMOVE THE RADIO IN MY 92 TOWNCAR, BASICALLY THE SAME AS A 93 T.C. FREDERICK

Answer 8

http://www.carstereohelp.com/stereoremovalMercuryGrandMarquis2.htm this link has great step by step instuctions on new radio install including removing the original.

Answer 9

look at these sites: http://www.tele-tukku.fi/pdf/mtu/70369.pdf http://www.metraonline.com/downloads/pdf/TurboKits/INST99-2004.pdf

Answer 10

Smash it with a hammer, it might work.