Removing stereo in 97 Grand Am

[yg17]

Hi, I would appreciate any advice on this.

The other day, I was in a pretty bad car crash, and it seems my old 97 Grand Am is totaled, although the insurance company will decide for sure Friday. If that's the case, I'll be getting a new car. The only thing that I dont like about getting a new car is my brand new Pioneer MP3/CD headunit I had put into the Grand Am. If it is totaled, I'm not letting the headunit which with installation parts cost me 300 bucks go to the junkyard with the car, so I need to somehow remove the HU so I can have Circuit City install it in the new car. What would be the easiest way to get the thing out? Pioneer's instructions for removal involve using some sort of supplied extraction key, but the 2 step instructions seem rather unclear, after all, I'm sure there are several screws holding the HU in there. If there are screws, how would I get to them? I dont care if I damage the car while doing it, after all, it's totaled. As long as the headunit comes out undamaged, I don't care. Or, is it really not held in by screws allowing me to remove it with those key things?

Also, the impact of the crash or airbags caused the face plate to pop off, but I was able to put it back on with no trouble at all. Once on, it started playing the CD fine, then I ejected the CD which came out without a scratch (fortunatley, since I bought it the day the crash happened) so would it be pretty safe to assume the headunit isn't damaged?

[toolapcfan]

If it's totaled, I'd literally hack at the dash to get it out. Did the original installer not give you the removal keys that came with the stereo? See if Circus City, I mean Circuit City, will lend you a set to remove it with.

[ferrari_adidas5]

if you have the keys, those are all you need. i dont think there are any screws in there at all b/c my 95 doesnt need them and i dont think they would change that, but maybe they did

[urweak]

ok this is what you need to do. there are two bolts under the headunit and the ac/heat controls (that little cubby) undo those. then there are two around the instament panel (if you look at the gagues its were it arches) take those to out. than you can pull that whole panel out (also the dimmer switch and fog light switch left of the steering wheel will probably hang you up so detach it or just rip it out) once you have that big piece of you can get to the headunit. i dont know how they put yours in so i cant tell you how to take it out, but just take any bolts that you see that you think hold the stereo inplace. also anytime your working on the dash or around the airbags its a good idea to disable them for the time being.