Removing the panel with the Power Outlet

cembalo · 10-13-2010, 04:06 PM

Pillashoe's sticky post on radio removal states that the panel is held in with six clips and pulled forward to remove it. How much force is necessary? I have tried everything but prying it out with a screwdriver (which would mark up the adjoining plastic) to get it out. Tried fabricating a piece of sheet metal with a hook at the end to place over the rear end of the panel and used it to pull - but to no avail. Is there any other way to extract this plastic panel? Or should I order a replacement panel and clips and just pry it out with brute force??

JimJohnD · 10-13-2010, 10:00 PM

You need a flat trim tool (kind of like a puddy knife, but something plastic to avoid scratching) to get a gap started along the top edge, then pull toward you. Once the clips on the top corners start to come loose be careful not to pull on the attached wires. For as difficult as it is to get started to come off, it will all but pop off once you get it past that first gap.

Cobb · 10-13-2010, 11:07 PM

Its a tug of war. Just insert your thumb in the storage area, fan your fingers along the bottom edge and pull and push downwards at the same time. It should pop out, then you unplug the cig plug from the back side.

cembalo · 10-14-2010, 12:36 PM

It's more than a tug - I finally managed to remove it by prying down and foward. However the three clips on the top are slightly bend inwards due to the force required to extract the panel. Maybe the plastic gets hard after the vehicle sat eight months in the dealers lot, making the clips harder to release. In any case, I'm ok now and thank you kindly. Incidentally, it sure goes back in easily!

Cobb · 10-14-2010, 04:56 PM

FYI, the door panels are the same way. You got a screw behind the little cover in the door handle on the inside, a screw in the bottom of the pocket under a little cover in the door when you grab to close it. The rest is a tug of war.

carniver · 04-16-2011, 11:41 PM

Bumping an old thread. Any new hints on how to achieve this? My gut feelings tell me there's no way I can open this thing. I've been doing this for a whole day, my fingers are painful and I'm very exhausted. I've been using a flat tip screwdriver trying to pry it open from below, but it slipped and scratched the surface many times; what's worse I'm mentally frustrated

Cobb · 04-18-2011, 12:58 AM

What?!?!?!?! I like to pretend I am playing a game of taking a bone from the dog. Position your hand so thumb is up. Start to give it a reach, place all 4 fingers on the underside and your thumb inside the cavity. Then with a firm grasp yoink it out when its not paying attention to you. Careful to not do it too far as you got a connector to unplug.