5th Generation Maxima Head Unit Removal
Step 1: Open the ash tray and remove the tray/liner. Below you will see a phillips head screw. Remove the screw and set aside
Step 2: Remove the upper air vents by prying from the bottom-right corner. The vents will not want to come out, so some force is needed. Be careful not to gouge the plastic and not to nick the dash. If the dash gets somewhat pushed in while removing the vents, that should be OK as it will go back to normal. Just be careful.
Step 3: Remove the trim around the shifter. Start at the back and gently pry it up. Again, be careful not to gouge the plastic nor scratch the finish. Once released you may disconnect the wires and set it aside or you can simply drape it off to the left and let it hang.
Step 4: As pointed out in the picture to the left, there are four phillips screws holding the Head Unit in position. Remove these four screws. At this point, the Head Unit may be removed and the connectors to it and the environmental controls disconnected. It should be noted that the Head Unit and environmental controls are connected together via the bracket. To remove the Head Unit from the bracket, you will need to remove four more phillips screws. These screws are TIGHT! I actually broke three phillips bits since I had to use a 1/4″ ratchet to get enough power to break them loose. So, word to the wise, make sure you use a phillips bit that is sized properly or you can strip these out.
Additional: Before removing the Head Unit, it is wise to eject all CDs first. I did not and accidently flipped the unit upside-down. This caused the internal CD changer to get skewed and fail.
Article By:audtatious