the radio rests on the box, so unfortunately, he radio has to come out!

good luck!

I have a Haynes manual which says to remove the plastic strips at the side, which I have done, then undo the screws and remove the oddments box. Well, if there are screws there I'm damned if I can find them! The box feels as if it's attached to the radio unit. Do I have to remove the radio to detach the oddments box?

Any ideas would be gratefully received.

Neil

No need to remove the side strips.

When you've taken the HU out put your hand into the hole, Resting on top of cubby, At the back you feel a spine that extends from the rear of the cubby into the depths of the dash. Place 2 fingers either side and grip. Place remaining hand in cubby and grip. Now with a steady pressure pull straight out. This might take a fair bit of persuasion as that puppy's in there tight:eek:

I presume you know what you're doing from there:thumbup:

No need to remove the side strips.

Good old Haynes...

Hey there, I know this thread is getting on a bit my question may sound dumb, but whereabouts am I poking these bits of metal 2 release the stereo? down the right and left hand side? I've got a 54 Fabia Vrs.

Cheers in advance

If it's the Symphony unit, there are two holes either side below the CD changer keys 1 and 6

I don't know if you will be able to see it on this pic

I haven't got a CD Changer, but it is a CD player that looks exactly like the one in that wee picture.

Do you mean those holes under the one??

Yep and the 6, the keys should fit in those well they did on mine

Just to follow up on my earlier post, the radio keys are indeed Kenwood ones and worked perfectly. In my case (2007 Fabia Bohemia) the oddments box is not exactly fixed in place but is held where it is by the radio - if you remove the radio the box slips out effortlessly. I have yet to replace it with anything exciting as I haven't yet thought the project through properly but if and when I do I shall report back.

Thanks to all who replied to my question.

Neil

I ended up with gashes on both my for fingers 'cos of one of those tools!

Put plasters on your fingers before putting them through the finger holes!

I would really appreciate some help with this guys...

I've got the Symphony headunit just like the image above in a 57 VRS, but the kenwood keys (also just like those above) don't fit!! It seems like they would *just* fit into the holes, but they would have to be forced in and it seems like they might damage the hole as they seem to be exactly the same width as it, if not a little wider...

So, I cut up a credit card into 5mm wide strips and shoved these in and, having taken VW Gamma headunits out with the slot arrangement out before, I was expecting an obvious "click" when the catches released, but nothing.... The cards went in about 30mm and then stopped. Shoved one in a bit further, and it just came out with the end buckled.

I've taken the glove box out and have tried to push the stereo out from behind, but all this is doing is pushing the whole central console out and nothing "gives"

I can see above that people are suggesting removing the plastic up either side of the stereo - I'm guessing this means you can see the whole of the cage and you can get to the clips from the outside.

How do you get these bits off? It looked like the one on the glove box side would unbolt at the top, but what happens at the bottom and how do you get the driver's side one off??

Any help would be very much appreciated. I've been driving around for over a month now with no ipod and I can't take it any longer!!

Thanks

Deek.

My local car audio shop offered to take mine out for me for nothing if I couldn't get the removal keys, might be worth a try?

In the end I got a set from my local dealer for a couple of quid, much easier than taking the center console apart to get it out without the keys.

A word of warning to people using hacksaw blades to remove their radios. The previous owner of my car had done this, and broke the hacksaw blade inside the hole, which means that my stereo now requires an enormous amount of farting about to remove. Much better to spend a couple of quid on the keys.

i read somwhere that one the unit is removed you have to cross two wires over on the new unit, strange as it worked fine in the rover without crossing cables. Is this true:thumbup:

i read somwhere that one the unit is removed you have to cross two wires over on the new unit, strange as it worked fine in the rover without crossing cables. Is this true:thumbup:

Yeah, for some reason VAG use a different setup. Switched 12V with a speed sensor wire or something. Unless you buy an ISO adapter specifically for the car/radio.

If you don't sort it out properly, "odd" things can happen like the locking goes a bit random. If you're very unlucky, it fscks up one of the 'puters.

J.

I too did not have the appropriate keys, and I tried with the credit card strips to no avail (I could feel the release clip, but it did not release enough).

I ended up finding an easier way to take the Symphony unit out - wish I had known this from the start!

Remove the two vertical plastic strips that are on either side of the radio and object compartment. You need something thin and robust to act as a lever on their side to pull them out - they'll just pop out, be careful though not to use a knife or something like that, you'll end up denting the dashboard plastic.

Once they're out, you'll notice three square holes where the clips of the plastic strips go. The top square holes are exactly at the level of the clips blocking the radio. If you shine a light in you can seen the metal clip actually.

Now, you will need a piece of metal in the shape of an L - I took the L-shaped keys coming with IKEA furniture. I knew someday those would come in handy!

Insert the short arm of the L in the hole, with the tip facing inwards, and use it as a lever to push the clip into the radio. You can do it on one side first, give a little tug to the radio (I used the volume knob), then do it on the other side and it will just come out effortlessly. Unplug the cables on the back and put the stereo aside, you can then put the plastic strips back and you're ready for installing the new HU.

I too did not have the appropriate keys, and I tried with the credit card strips to no avail (I could feel the release clip, but it did not release enough).

I ended up finding an easier way to take the Symphony unit out - wish I had known this from the start!

Remove the two vertical plastic strips that are on either side of the radio and object compartment. You need something thin and robust to act as a lever on their side to pull them out - they'll just pop out, be careful though not to use a knife or something like that, you'll end up denting the dashboard plastic.

Once they're out, you'll notice three square holes where the clips of the plastic strips go. The top square holes are exactly at the level of the clips blocking the radio. If you shine a light in you can seen the metal clip actually.

Now, you will need a piece of metal in the shape of an L - I took the L-shaped keys coming with IKEA furniture. I knew someday those would come in handy!

Insert the short arm of the L in the hole, with the tip facing inwards, and use it as a lever to push the clip into the radio. You can do it on one side first, give a little tug to the radio (I used the volume knob), then do it on the other side and it will just come out effortlessly. Unplug the cables on the back and put the stereo aside, you can then put the plastic strips back and you're ready for installing the new HU.

 

FYI - THIS WORKS.

 

Had tried messing around with cut up bits of credit card (just bend, not strong enough to push the clips inside)

 

Hadn't got as far as getting the kenwood keys (PC5-106 I believe) 

 

However I managed to do this after 5 mins trial and error with a pair of small allen keys.

 

You'll know when you've done it as you'll clearly hear the clips 'ping' as they release.

 

Admittedly the hard part is getting purchase on the edges of the unit to try to 'pull' it out, but it can be done.

 

And I am totally not a 'handy' person, but I managed it.

 

So this is a good option if you find the 'keys' don't work for whatever reason.

Take the air vents outs, makes pushing the stereo out easy!!