Radio module removal - 1988

[padgett]

Exactly how do you get to the radio module under the console, is there an easy way ? Had the passenger seat out for lowering but could not even remove console glove compartment - something not visible at front seems to be holding. Does the whole shift bezel/console top need to be removed ?<P>Have looked through FSM but is somewhat vague about console removal. Now have another unit can swap while replacing the capacitors to eliminate the "snap, crackle, and pop" but first need to know how to reach it.

[Guest cdoersom]

Padgett, <P>I took my radio out about 6 mos. ago because it was toast, so my memory is foggy but I think you access it by removing the bessel at the gear shift, and also the ashtray. There are screws in the ashtray hole, and under the shifter bessel that allow the top of the console to be removed. It also helps to remove the side of the console which I think is just held on by a number of screws.<P>Chuck

[Guest cdoersom]

Padgett, <P>I took my radio out about 6 mos. ago because it was toast, so my memory is foggy but I think you access it by removing the bessel at the gear shift, and also the ashtray. There are screws in the ashtray hole, and under the shifter bessel that allow the top of the console to be removed. It also helps to remove the side of the console which I think is just held on by a number of screws.<P>Chuck

[Guest cdoersom]

Whoops, <BR>Don't know how this got posted twice, anyway I forgot to mention that mine's an '89 - I assume there isn't much difference. I also didn't mention that one of the previous owners was a gorilla. Almost every piece of plastic under every panel is broken. They obviously didn't have the manual so forceably removed panels when something needed to be fixed. That's something you can't see until you start working on a car because they could hide the broken plastic under to panel facia. So my radio may have been easy to remove because some of the plastic was broken or missing making the panels easier to remove.<P>Chuck

[Richard S]

Yes, Padgett, the secret as I recall, is to remove the chrome bezel from around the shift area which exposes two screws. Although the PO of my car was a pretty careful person, several of the plastic mounts were broken or cracked. Most are poorly designed and are of inadequate strength for the job asked of them.