1995 Buick Century Radio Removal

The map light and defog panel on my 1995 Buick Century has put a halt to what should have been a 15 minute job of installing a new radio. There are three screws securing that panel. One underneath is removed while taking off the lower dash panel and the other two (one above and one below) are revealed when the instrument panel cover is off. The problem is this panel covers the right side radio mounting screws and I cannot figure out how to remove it. It can slide up and down a little but it has resisted all efforts to pull it off. Since GM never changed the Century dash from 1982 through 1996, I assume this panel is the same all those years.

are you sure that you aren't trying to take apart more than you need to? i think that radio unbolts from underneath. you might have to loosen up the ac controls but dont pull them completely out because it will probably break being so old. if im right then there is 2 10mm nuts on the bottom of the radio and once those are loose the radio should slide out. i dont see any reason for why they would put a non removable panel on top of the radio mounts unless someone took it apart before and put it back together wrong.

Black trim that surrounds the 2 switches on the right of the radio is held in place by 3 screws. YYour picture shows that 2 are removed and the third is on the bottom of the trim panel. Nothing else holds the panel in place. If it has never been off, then it is likely just sticking to the dash on the right side. Try sliding a thin plastic trim tool down the right side of the panel where it meets the dash pad. Pull hard. It will come off. Once it's off you can remove the final 2 screws holding the right hand radio mounting bracket.sparky

1. Get plastic trim tool with a sturdy hook on one end. 2. Get it in between the panel and the dash at the top. 3. Pull. 4. Pull harder. 5. Pull even harder and just when you think it's going to break it pops off.

Now contemplating replacing the bulb in the map light with some 5mm white LEDs to make it bright enough to be useful.