TreyP
2018 Soul Red AWD Touring CX-5
This will cover taking apart most of the front trim on a 2014 CX-5. This is for anyone that wants to access these areas for stereo replacement, including running a new USB line to the center console. I am only covering the trim and head unit removal in this tutorial.
NOTE: I am not responsible for any damage you do to yourself or your car. If you have any doubts about your ability, please hire a professional!!
Start by removing the shiny vent trim:
Beginning at the passenger side, open the glove box and pry the end of the trim by using your fingers or a cloth wrapped screw driver. Be careful not to scratch the interior or cut yourself. There are plenty of sharp edges you will encounter in this process.
Work your way over to the center where the vents are. Take your time and be firm but gentle so you don't break anything.
Note that there will be one electrical connection to take off once you get this trim piece all the way loosened. You can see the connection in the following pic, between the vents and on the back side of the hazard button.
Next, remove the stereo head unit trim by grasping and pulling the bottom as shown here, then just work it off the rest of the way. It is only held on with clips, the same as the trim piece we already removed.
To remove the head unit, there are two Phillips screws (one on the left and right), and one 10 mm bolt on the bottom that need to be taken out.
Note that the bottom bolt is back quite a ways, so you will need a long extension to reach it.
At this point, you simple grab the head unit and pull it straight out. You will have to remove the connections on the back once the head unit is far enough out to reach them.
To remove the center floor trim, which includes the cup holder/shifter/parking brake trim:
Start by reaching into the cup holder area and pull out the rubber piece at the bottom (not pictured).
Then grab the edge of the cup holder trim as shown and pull up the right edge just until you feel it release from the clips.
Open the center console and lift the rear edge of the cup hold trip as shown.
Continue to work your way around to the drivers side of the trim. Once you have it all loose, carefully lift the whole piece and slide it up and off of the lifted parking brake handle. You will need to gently bend the front of the trim where the storage cubby is in order to get it all the way off. The trim has a 'hinge' there to facilitate this. Do not force it in any way or you may break something.
There is a wire connector on the bottom of the rear cup holder that is removed by twisting it until it lines up with the oblong hole, and then you press a small clip from the top side which will allow the clip piece to slide down through the hole.
To make wiring access easier, you should also remove this bracket in front of the shifter. Simply remove the two Phillips screws and take it out.
This section covers how to remove the USB port. This is not really needed because there is an opening at the front top edge of the console which is large enough to pass an iPod cable through. I will show the process anyway in case someone wants to go this route.
Pry the top edge back with your fingers, it comes off fairly easily.
Remove the connectors from the USB port and the cigarette lighter.
To remove the port itself, there are two clips that push in on both sides of the port. I found the easiest way was to push in the two on one side, slide them through, then repeat for the other side.
The glove box is easy to remove, and really helps to have out of the way when you are running wires. It could be taken out first or last, but I did it last. Open the box and push in firmly on the sides in order to get the guide pins to come out of their holes, then open the box until the pins are all the way out in the open. Then lift the bottom edge of the box off its rail.
There is also a clip on the right bottom side that comes right off. It is for the glove box 'shock absorber' which makes the box open gently under normal circumstances.
This is one last picture with everything removed.
That's it. Hope it helps, and good luck with your project!
-Trey
NOTE: I am not responsible for any damage you do to yourself or your car. If you have any doubts about your ability, please hire a professional!!
Start by removing the shiny vent trim:
Beginning at the passenger side, open the glove box and pry the end of the trim by using your fingers or a cloth wrapped screw driver. Be careful not to scratch the interior or cut yourself. There are plenty of sharp edges you will encounter in this process.
Work your way over to the center where the vents are. Take your time and be firm but gentle so you don't break anything.
Note that there will be one electrical connection to take off once you get this trim piece all the way loosened. You can see the connection in the following pic, between the vents and on the back side of the hazard button.
Next, remove the stereo head unit trim by grasping and pulling the bottom as shown here, then just work it off the rest of the way. It is only held on with clips, the same as the trim piece we already removed.
To remove the head unit, there are two Phillips screws (one on the left and right), and one 10 mm bolt on the bottom that need to be taken out.
Note that the bottom bolt is back quite a ways, so you will need a long extension to reach it.
At this point, you simple grab the head unit and pull it straight out. You will have to remove the connections on the back once the head unit is far enough out to reach them.
To remove the center floor trim, which includes the cup holder/shifter/parking brake trim:
Start by reaching into the cup holder area and pull out the rubber piece at the bottom (not pictured).
Then grab the edge of the cup holder trim as shown and pull up the right edge just until you feel it release from the clips.
Open the center console and lift the rear edge of the cup hold trip as shown.
Continue to work your way around to the drivers side of the trim. Once you have it all loose, carefully lift the whole piece and slide it up and off of the lifted parking brake handle. You will need to gently bend the front of the trim where the storage cubby is in order to get it all the way off. The trim has a 'hinge' there to facilitate this. Do not force it in any way or you may break something.
There is a wire connector on the bottom of the rear cup holder that is removed by twisting it until it lines up with the oblong hole, and then you press a small clip from the top side which will allow the clip piece to slide down through the hole.
To make wiring access easier, you should also remove this bracket in front of the shifter. Simply remove the two Phillips screws and take it out.
This section covers how to remove the USB port. This is not really needed because there is an opening at the front top edge of the console which is large enough to pass an iPod cable through. I will show the process anyway in case someone wants to go this route.
Pry the top edge back with your fingers, it comes off fairly easily.
Remove the connectors from the USB port and the cigarette lighter.
To remove the port itself, there are two clips that push in on both sides of the port. I found the easiest way was to push in the two on one side, slide them through, then repeat for the other side.
The glove box is easy to remove, and really helps to have out of the way when you are running wires. It could be taken out first or last, but I did it last. Open the box and push in firmly on the sides in order to get the guide pins to come out of their holes, then open the box until the pins are all the way out in the open. Then lift the bottom edge of the box off its rail.
There is also a clip on the right bottom side that comes right off. It is for the glove box 'shock absorber' which makes the box open gently under normal circumstances.
This is one last picture with everything removed.
That's it. Hope it helps, and good luck with your project!
-Trey
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