How to Remove the Radio in a GT86

Advertisements

Super simple tutorial today – we’re going to remove the cheap aftermarket head unit that came with my GT86 and replace it with a factory one.

First take a plastic trim removal tool to remove the fascia plate around the stereo.

I found the driver’s side bottom corner of the panel made for easiest access.

Once you’ve got a bit of a gap, get your finger under the panel and gently pull it forward to remove it.

It’s held on by four push clips as pictured.

The radio itself is held into place with four 10mm bolts – one in each corner. Mine have the number 8 etched into the top, but they are 10mm. Don’t be tricked like I was.

With those out, the stereo will simply pull forward.

Now you just need to unplug everything. The factory plugs have a little tab on one of the longer edges that you press in to release them.

If like me you’re reverting back to how it left the factory, the way the plugs go into the head unit should be pretty self explanatory. This is the best photo I could get though. The wiring harness is actually pretty short on this car so I couldn’t get my phone right behind the unit for a clearer pic.

Lose the aftermarket adapter plates and bolt the OE mounting plates onto the side of the radio. I only had one bolt per side, but thankfully there are little locating pins on the plate so it won’t move around.

Pop it all back together and job done!

I’m the world’s oldest 31 year old. I prefer having dials and buttons rather than a touch screen for doing basic things like adjusting the volume or skipping a track. I also like having a CD player, so going back to original just made total sense.

The sound quality on this unit is much better than the cheap aftermarket one too. This one is Panasonic and the other was unbranded. If you are going to get an aftermarket head unit – spend the money and get a decent one.