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Old 01-29-2009, 04:01 PM
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bluecoupe
bluecoupe is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Grimsby, Ontario
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Default Re: Pulling the factory radio

Found this on the forum a while back, and I want to thank and give credit to whoever posted it but I'm having a brain fart so please forgive me:

"Remove the radio by using a set of DIN tools. If you don't have a set, you can get them from sprawl mart or any other place that will have aftermarket radio stuff for a Mercedes or VW. They use the same DIN tools so they are fairly easy to find.


After you have the radio removed, there will be four screws at the very edge of the radio bezel. Two directly under the center vents, one above the ash tray and one above the lighter. Remove these being careful not to lose them behind the dash or under the seats as they can get away from you really easy.


Now that the screws are removed, pull on the radio bezel on the bottom part of the radio hole. Pull down and out. You may have to wiggle it around to get it out but there are tabs on the top so you need to try and pull it out from the bottom the best you can.


There are two tabs on the side of the switches that you can slide a credit card between the bezel and the back part of the dash if it is very tight and doesn't feel like it will come out but you probably won't need to do that.


After you get it loose, be careful not to mess up any of the wires for the switches as you are pulling it out.
To get the switches out, the easiest way to do it is to start on the outside with the seat heater switches and a flat head screwdriver and press on the switch as you press the tabs with the screwdriver. Do the top first on both sides and then the bottom. Don't pull them out too far, maybe a 1/4" tops. After you get some space in there, do the same for the blank and tow switches and then finally doing the traction control/hazard/lock switch. After you get them all out, you can lay the bezel aside.


Next, there are two screws under the vents that hold them in place. Remove them and remove the vent. You can pull the vent front face off by starting at the top right or left side and depress each of the little tabs while pushing the face away from the vent body. Work your way across the top and the two end tabs. You should then be able to pop the face plate out of the bottom tabs and remove it."