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'02 Factory radio removal?

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scott_nadeau

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Joined
January 21, 2004
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City, State
Concord, NH
Year, Model & Trim Level
02 XLS
Hi all,
I can't seem to figure out how the dashboard comes apart on my 02 explorer. I am installing new stereo...I assume the black dash piece around the stereo and climate controls is all that needs to come off. Can somebody point in the right direction?

Thanks!
Scott
 



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The black trim piece around the radio with the climate contol knobs just pops off. There are 6 clips that hold it on. However, the clips are extreamly tight, so it takes a lot of pulling or prying. I had a pair of short pry bars (4" and 6") that I stuck in any pryed out with carefully, just slowly going around the outside. I think the trim pannel is pretty tough, but if it's cold out I would run the heater for a while to warm things up before prying on it just to try to prevent cracking the trim pannel.

After that's off there are just two bolts at the bottom of the radio to take off (they are 7 mm), then you can pull it out.
 






Thanks Mustang. Did you successfully remove it without marring any of the plastic? My wife will kill me if I scratch anything. I've done a million stereos, but the pressure is on to do a pristine job this time :D
 






The best advice I have for you is to try to use something with a wide blade. The first spot I pryed on bent the back edge of the plasic trim a little, but the trim is so deep that once it was pressed back in the dash you couldn't even tell where the mark on the back edge was. I was kind of surpised at how deep the trim is and how far back in the dash it goes. It's thick enough that it should hide about any scratech you make on it when trying to pry it out. You'll see what I mean once you get it out. Once you get one of the clips loose the others are pretty easy. The hardest part is just getting under the trim to pry it out and get a clip loose. After that first clip is loose the trim piece stays out far enough that you don't have to dig down in the dash to get under it, so the rest go quick and easy.

I was a little nervous about prying the trim piece off for the first time last week on my new used Xplorer that I had only had for a couple of weeks, but after it came off it wasn't really a big deal. I just pulled the radio so I could check if I had the right wiring harness for hooking up an aftermarket radio, so I have to pull it out again this weekend for the actual stereo install, and now I'm not worried about doing it at all.
 






Excellent. Thanks for the info. I have a 90* pick that I can get back there to pull the first clip off I think. I assume there are 4 clips in the corners and two in the middle of the sides...

Do they make install kits that plug into the factory harness? I bought the radio tonite but couldn't find an install kit...if I don't have to splice wires, I'll really be happy!
 






Well, I got the stereo install kit from Crutchfields, but I'm sure you can get the wiring harness from Best Buy or Circuit City. The harness I have is a Metra harness, but there is no part # on it so I can't help you there. Here is a link with a picture of the harness from Crutchfield's web site:

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-eE3tdn...photos&pi=2&i=120701771&display=XL#morephotos

You may need a different harness if you have the factory sub woofer in the rear (I didn't).
 












The best way to remove the bezel is with a pick tool. They are the little screw driver looking tools that have either a straight pointed tip or bent pointed tip. You just stick the pointed end (use the one with the bend in it) between the bezel and the dash and pull out.
 






Thanks for the help guys. I got the project done tonite, and I used a 90* pick to take the bezel off.
 






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