ok need som quick help i picked up a 1995 runner the other day and i am trying to take the stereo out of it to swap to my 1997, any quick tips for getting the dash apart on this thing?

 

This write-up might help..

 

That's a 2nd gen...what you do, is you find all the little metal things that hold the dash in (they are called screws btw) and you get this metal thing with a pointy end (you put that into the "screw") and a larger diameter plastic end (that's the end you want to be holding onto)make sure you get a philips head screwdriver (the kind that looks like "+" on the pointy end). Put the pointy end into the indent of the screw (this may take a few tries) and turn counter-clockwise (to the left...make an "L" with your fingers if that helps) until the screw comes out of the hole. Repeat as necessary. There are 3 screws in the glovebox, 3 or 4 in the driver's side, and 2 bolts, one on each side of the dash by the kick panels. Use a socket to get the bolts out, screwdriver probably won't cut it here. Then pull off the dash. There are clips that hold it in, but give it a good pull they won't come off. You can just remove only the center section but it's easier to remove all of them. The radio then just unscrews, there is a bracket on each side. If you are having trouble removing the brackets, put down the socket and go back to the screwdriver. To reinstall dash, do the reverse.

 

yeah yeah yeah los gatos i know how the screw driver works i just wasn't sure where all the screws were that needed to be removed and thought i would ask before getting pissed at it and just yanking it apart

 

Sorry I'm an ass aren't the screws just sitting there, looking like screws? Mine are all exposed....maybe fancy-shmancy '95s have covered screws

 

yeah they are all there i had noticed them all yesterday but honestly just thought that there had to be a better/easier way to get the radio out than taking the entire dash apart. on my old pathfinder it had a single plastic surround piece that went around the HVAC controls and stereo/ash tray and you just removed those 4 screws and the trim piece came off and everything was right there...very nice. but, no harm no foul, its apart now and the stereo is out, thanks for your help! now if only i can figure out whats wrong with the freaking kenwood

 

nope.. not on the 95 4runners. gotta take off both bottom dash parts of each side, then take off the middle section. its quite a task.

atleast you know it makes it a challange for car stereo thiefs

 

very true, i just hope this head unit isn't toasted, i don't think it is, i need to get out to a stereo shop and see if they can help me out

 

If it's toasted...you can probably get an indentical one cheap on EBay. I got a tape stuck in mine...so I ripped it out and got a cheap cd player, then I upgraded it to my ultra-shizzle-nizzle LCD touchscreen . Why do you want the stock one so bad? I had the "premium system" and it still sucked more than my $50 Sony did. Maybe mine was just messed up

 

its not stock its a Kenwood Excelon head unit and a kenwood 8 channel digital equalizer

 

There is a screw behind the AC panel. You need to CAREFULLY pry the panel off with a flat head screw driver. If I remember correctly, that screw will have to be removed. I didn't know about it a while back when I was replacing my fan switch and it about drove me crazy trying to figure it out. Then someone here told me about the screw. Solved the problem.

Well, don't know if that helps or not.
Have fun. DH6twinotter

 

I know exactly which screw you're talking about, but I didn't have to unscrew that when I installed my cd player. Weird....

Salue