DCTim

Hi all,

Turns out I have this headunit in my car. I want to remove it to install my vastly superior Alpine unit. However I have no stereo keys and so am unsure how to remove it.

Can anyone help here?

Ta

escott

iTrader: (1)

Edit - first question - is the Alpine single or double DIN? If double DIN you don't need the pocket mentioned below.

I'll start by saying, this worked for me - if you break anything on the car or yourself, I can't be held liable!

There used to be a great guide linked in the sticky by chiark, unfortunately it's offline now, so here goes:

Make sure you have a single din pocket and Subaru ISO wiring harness to connect to the non-iso connection - Autoleads provide both. You can also get the black pocket from a dealer, and also a silver one for a Forester, which looks better but requires you to do a bit of drilling to get it to fit. Check the 'Show us yr single din' thread below for ideas. Then:

Open the cup holder and remove the 2 screws behind the silver front, one each side. You can then pull the entire cup holder out. You may have to lift the heater vents slightly to get this out.

Holding the top of the surround directly below the cup holder, pull it away from the dash - the top should come away OK, it is only clipped on. You should then be able to pull from the sides to remove the rest of it.

Once the whole surround is out (heater controls still connected though), remove the 6 screws holding the stereo brackets into the dash. You can then pull the stereo in the cage towards you, although you will have to remove the earth from the right side of the brackets. Then remove the aerial and main harness from the back of the stereo and it should all come out.

Remove the brackets from the stereo keeping the screws, you should then be able to use these to attach the Alpine and your single DIN pocket. If you have an Alpine you will probably need an aerial adapter, these are a couple of quid from a car stereo shop/Halfords. Plug in your ISO harness to the harness in the car, then the ISO harness of the Alpine into this. Screw the brackets back in and replace everything.

Phew!

Hope this helps - it's really not tricky, should take about 15-20 mins if you have the right tools and everything ready.

You will come across a major problem though - once you've got the headunit in you will realise how poor the standard speakers are - now that's a whole new story...

DCTim

Thanks mate. I already know about the poor quality speakers. Those are next on my list