How to Remove Factory Car Stereo in a KIA

By Nichole Liandi

The vast majority of vehicles produced and sold include a factory radio or CD player. For most people, that's fine. But if you're an audio enthusiast, or want to add extra features that your factory radio doesn't have, you'll need to replace your factory radio with an aftermarket model that gives you the performance and features you want. The essential first step in accomplishing this task is remove the existing factory radio from the dashboard of your car. This starting point is the same for all brands of cars, including vehicles produced by Kia.

Disconnect the negative battery terminal from your car's battery with the adjustable wrench. This will prevent the possibility of electrical shorts while working on the car.

Pull the ashtray out of the dashboard. Pull it out as far as possible, then depress the tab in the back to release it all the way.

Grasp the edges of the trim panel surrounding the climate controls and radio. Pull on it firmly until the clips holding it in place release.

Pull the panel away from the dash, and remove any wiring plugs connected to it.

Loosen and remove the four Phillips screws holding the radio in place.

Pull the radio out. Remove the antenna and wiring plugs from the back.

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