How do I remove aftermarket radio??

[Cammer]

Simple question, but my simple mind couldn't manage to find a single detailed thread on this.

I just bought a real cream puff Sunday, literally only two things wrong with the car: 1) Belt squeaks occasionally when the A/C is on max, and 2) the previous owner said he unhooked the battery (seemingly very recently) and the head unit didn't work all of a sudden. That's it; quite possibly my best car purchase I've ever made (not sure what that says about me...). The 20-amp fuse that powers the radio and antenna is intact; the antenna does not rise and I don't hear any motor movements when turning on/off. No response from aftermarket head unit. Does the head unit actually control when the antenna rises/falls, even if it's aftermarket? Reason I ask is the radio manual shows a 10-amp fuse in the back; thinking that's a good place to start but I can't get the damn thing out.

The head unit in question is a Pioneer DEH-2000MP. The manual says to use "the removal tool provided" (don't have), and some random online manual diagrams that show a guy with two U-shaped coat hangers; tried that, no luck. That is the extent of my research.

There has to be a way to get it out this side of drowning in the interweb figuring out which tool goes to that head unit and somehow ordering it online... Been out of the car audio game for a long time now... Maybe there is a common universal Pioneer tool or something.

Thanks everyone! Happy to join the ranks! Will post photos of the rig asap.

 

[rubydist]

the u-shaped coat hanger thingy is for the stock radio.

typically, the aftermarket radio is installed into that little cage that you see around it and it stays there because the little cage thing has a bunch of tabs that push in towards the radio and lock it in. the cage is slipped into the opening, and some of the little tabs are bent outward to retain it into the opening.

so, you either need to release the little tabs on the cage so the radio slides out (usually easier) or you need to un-bend the little tabs that are holding the cage into the opening (usually impossible until the radio is out). a small flat screwdriver is often the right weapon for this. most of the little cages that I have seen have the locking tabs to hold the radio in on the short sides of the cage (the vertical sides), so I would start experimenting with a small flat screwdriver on the sides of the radio between the radio and the cage.

 

[luigisho]

I think it looks like this http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/6/5/4/1/0/0/webimg/469007870_tp.jpg

You can probably find a set at a local car audio place--or get here
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...vptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_3kr4ncuo45_b

 

[Banshee]

Yes luigisho. That will free it

 

[zoomlater]

Welcome and please post pictures of your car

 

[sperold]

I have used a unit that I got from Walmart in the car radio area.
It is flat " body metal thick" steel that is stamped into a wingnut shape at the end you hang onto and the other end (about an inch away) has a L-shaped hook. The whole thing is not much bigger than a quarter. And there are 2 of them.
You slide the hook end between the mounting cage and the radio, put a little out direction pressure on the tools and have someone pull the radio out at the same time.

 

[Cammer]

Welcome and please post pictures of your car

Thank you! Pics posted here: http://www.shoforum.com/index.php?threads/1992-cream-puff.130454/

Thanks for the help. I'll be checking out Wal Mart on the way home; if that doesn't work I'll definitely be ordering the removal tool from Amazon.

 

[Cammer]

Now that I'm set to remove the radio, I have been assuming that the radio controls the antenna even if it's aftermarket. In other words, a radio-less antenna will never move, and a working radio/antenna combo will bring the antenna up when: 1) The radio is in AM/FM mode, AND 2) the car key is either in accessory or run/on. The antenna will retract when: 1) the radio is changed to CD/Aux mode, OR 2) the car key is in the off position.

The 20amp fuse under the dash that powers the radio + antenna + one other thing I can't remember is still good, so if the above is true, replacing the 10amp fuse in the back of the Pioneer radio that came with the car is a logical place to start right? I guess I just wouldn't normally expect this much antenna functionality to be dependent upon a commonly-replaced item like a radio and not be dumb/automatically raised when the key is on.

 

[luigisho]

There is a low voltage trigger wire in the oem wiring harness and in the aftermarket wiring to activate the antenna. The power antenna has it's own motor powered by the vehicle & triggered up and down from the head unit. Get the ford stereo wiring schematics archived on this forum or available with a google search online. You can also track down the wiring from the head unit this way. Had to do both when I lost the wiring schematics for a head unit or two.

 

[Cammer]

I've never been so happy to find a blown fuse. Actually went out of my way to buy a lottery ticket last night after all the bad luck I've had with electrical systems.

Thanks for all the help guys!!!!!!!!! I'll try to post some pics tonight to show how I got the radio out. The removal tool is on order from amazon - if the fuse blew once removing the battery it can blow again, and I'm sure it's easier than the violent method I used.

 

[luigisho]

Over many decades I don't think I've ever seen more than one fuse blow in the back of a head unit. Might want to look at the connections and make sure no obvious wires are loose or exposed.

 

[Banshee]

I agree with luigisho. I've only blown one fuse on a hu and that was my wiring error. There's a lot going on with the wires in there

 

[Cammer]

One of the previous owners installed using wire caps like in the pic below. Seemed legit enough, but I wasn't looking closely; there could have been a couple hidden over-stripped wires. The antenna wire was loose but who's to say it didn't pop out when I pulled the unit out from the dash.

Once the removal tool comes in I might take a second look, but I worked on a used car lot long enough to know if it ain't broke, don't fix it...