# Help with Head Unit



## Tomcat7194 (Jun 2, 2005)

Hello, I recently purchased a 1996 Nissan Maxima GLE. The previous owner had installed an Alpine head unit. I want to connect my iPod to the auxillary jacks on the back of the Alpine, but I'm not sure how to get to the back. When I tried to remove the unit, it came out about a half an inch, but it wouldn't go any further. Do I have to remove the panels surrounding the head unit? Is this difficult to do? (I have very little experience working with cars, though I have lots of technical experience and access to tools). Can anyone offer any advice or give me good link to a page with useful information?
Thanks in advance,
Tom


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## captain_shrapnel (Sep 10, 2004)

Typically with a DIN style headunit, you would use the keys that came with it to remove it from its bracket in the dash. The keys look like narrow, thin metal pieces about 3" long. These keys are inserted along the sides of the deck and push down on tabs hidden inside the sides of the unit in order to unlock it and allow it to slide out freely. Without them, it might be very difficult to get the head unit out without breaking something. If this is the case, try going around to any Best Buy or Circuit City install bays and beg someone there to extract your stereo. Likewise, call up anyone you know who has the keys from their install and borrow those. Good luck!


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## Tomcat7194 (Jun 2, 2005)

Thanks. In order to get the unit out, will I have to remove any of the panels from the dash, or can I just pop off the unit's display and use a tool like you described? Is there any way such a tool could be improvised? I tried to take the unit out by unlocking the two pins on its front, but it did not slide out, and I nearly broke it trying to pull. Is this because there are internal pins that I did not engage?
Thanks
Tom


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## captain_shrapnel (Sep 10, 2004)

Tomcat7194 said:


> Thanks. In order to get the unit out, will I have to remove any of the panels from the dash, or can I just pop off the unit's display and use a tool like you described?


That depends on how the unit is mounted. Most of the time, you have to remove a trim bezel at least, and usually a dash panel or two as well. 


Tomcat7194 said:


> Is there any way such a tool could be improvised? I tried to take the unit out by unlocking the two pins on its front, but it did not slide out, and I nearly broke it trying to pull. Is this because there are internal pins that I did not engage?


Yes the tools could be improvised, but it will be alot of trial and error. Basically what you are trying to make is a shim to push down on the side tabs. Probably start with 2 strips of metal about 4-5" long, 1/2-1/4" wide and about the thickness of a credit card. If you had an electricians flathead screwdriver and ground it down very thin, that might work.. 
You want to insert these tools on both sides, at the same time, between the casing of the head unit and the metal bracket that sleeves it. When they are in the right place, the deck slides out easily.


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## UnKnOwN @uDiO (May 15, 2005)

WRONG WRONG WRONG...

alpine HU's dont use "keys" to get them out, they have two tabs, one on either side, that you gently push up on and slide the unit out here is a pic of an alpine with the tabs im speaking of, they are about midway back in this pic b/c of where the outer plate is placed for the pic the little metal "tabs" look like little cylinders that have to be pushed up on each side to alow it to slide out of the cage. 

as for removing the trim in your car, its specific to each install sometimes you have to gut the whole dash and sometimes you can slide the HU out without removing anything


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## captain_shrapnel (Sep 10, 2004)

Thank you for clarifying, I have not done an install on an Alpine unit personally, and appreciate the input. It seems strange that Alpine would make a head unit so easy to remove without any kind of tool; you would think that any theif could just get in there and pop it out without alot of hassle.


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## UnKnOwN @uDiO (May 15, 2005)

thats exactly what i thought when i bought my alpine... guess thats y they also sell car alarms! ([email protected] just tring to get more of my money!)


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## SE-R_03 (May 27, 2005)

This is just a heads up, When you get your radio out(if you haven't already), there is not any kind of RCA input that you can just plug your ipod into. You will need to connect it through your CD changer input. If your radio is a "Versatile Link" radio, you can get a connector that plugs into the CD changer port and converts it to RCA's. Once you get this, you will need to program your radio to use this port as an auxiliary input rather than a CD changer input, otherwise it will not recognize your ipod. If you don't have your manual for your radio, you can find out how to program it on alpines website under the FAQ's.


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## Tomcat7194 (Jun 2, 2005)

Yeah, I realized that when I went to the store. I opted to just replace it with a Jensen head unit that had an aux input rather than spend the money on the adapters and whatnot.
Tom


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## UnKnOwN @uDiO (May 15, 2005)

Tomcat7194 said:


> Yeah, I realized that when I went to the store. I opted to just replace it with a Jensen head unit that had an aux input rather than spend the money on the adapters and whatnot.
> Tom


a tear droped from my face thinking of an alpine being replaced by a Jensen... but make sure you get some good money out of the alpine that was in your car


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## Tomcat7194 (Jun 2, 2005)

Yeah, I was wondering about that. Where should I go to sell the old unit? Ebay? How much should I ask for it (it does CD and radio but not MP3s).
Tom


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## SE-R_03 (May 27, 2005)

What model alpine do you have.


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