In 1971, Toyota introduced a new vehicle based on its “Car of the Future” EX-1 concept: the Celica. This two-door sports coupe gave car buyers a sporty-looking alternative to the V-8 muscle of the day. The Celica continued uninterrupted for 34 years, before Toyota dropped the popular coupe after the 2005 model year. The 1991 Celica had a very modern design for its time, and the All-Trac Turbo trim level matched its looks, cranking out an impressive 200 horsepower from its 2.0-liter engine. Replacing the radio in the 1991 Celica requires special care, as not to break any of the plastic trim pieces.
Insert the blade of a flat-head screwdriver between the gear shifter bezel and the center console, then pry upward to disengage the clips. Pull the rest of the bezel upward by hand to disengage the remaining clips. Set the gear shifter bezel in a secure location.
Remove the two screws near the front of where the gear shifter bezel once was — just below the ashtray — using a Phillips screwdriver.
Insert the blade of a flat-head screwdriver under the top-most part of the dash bezel — the trim surrounding the radio and heater controls — and pry the bezel outward to disengage its upper retaining clips. Pull the rest of the bezel outward to disengage the remaining retaining clips.
Pull the wiring harness from the rear of the cigarette lighter. Remove the dash bezel and set it in a secure location.
Remove the four radio-retaining bolts, using a ratchet, 3-inch extension and 8 mm socket. Pull the radio and pocket below the radio from the dashboard until you can access the wiring on the rear of the radio.
Pull the black antenna wire from the rear of the radio. Press and hold the locking button on each of the two wiring harnesses as you pull each harness from the rear of the radio with a slight wiggling motion. Remove the radio from the Celica.
Plug the two wiring harnesses into their respective receptacles on the rear of the replacement radio — the harnesses are different sizes, so each harness can only plug into one receptacle. Plug the antenna wire into the antenna input hole on the rear of the replacement radio.
Slide the radio into the dashboard, lining up the locating pins on the dashboard with the locating holes on the radios metal mounting brackets. Hand-tighten the four radio-retaining bolts, then tighten them with a ratchet, 3-inch extension and 8 mm socket.
Plug the wiring harness back into the rear of the cigarette lighter. Line the retaining clips on the rear of the dash bezel up with the slots in the dashboard. Tap around the perimeter of the dash bezel lightly with the palm of your hand to engage the retaining clips. Tighten the two screws under the ashtray, using a Phillips screwdriver.
Set the gear shifter bezel back in place over the gear shifter, lining up the clips on the rear of the bezel with the slots in the center console. Press downward around the entire gear shifter bezel to engage the retaining clips.
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