Removing a Stereo From a 2010 Pontiac G6

The 2010 model year marked the end of an era, as General Motors officially ended the production of all Pontiacs after this year. For that reason, the Pontiac G6 was a carryover from the previous year. The 2010 G6 came standard with an AM-FM radio, which included satellite radio and a single-disc CD player. Removing and replacing the radio in the 2010 G6 requires an in-depth procedure that ends with a trip to a GM dealership for reprogramming.

Instructions

Removal

1

Open the passengers door and find the dashboard outer trim cover -- the trim panel on the far passengers side of the dashboard. Grab this panel and sharply pull outward to disengage its retaining clips. Set the panel aside.

2

Adjust the passengers seat as far back as it goes. Look under the passengers side of the dashboard and find the closeout panel, which is the black panel under the dashboard. Sharply pull downward on this panel to disengage its retaining clips. Pull the wiring harness clips from the closeout panel and remove the panel from the G6.

3

Open the glove box and find its five retaining screws. Remove these screws with a ratchet and socket. Pull the glove box assembly downward to disengage its remaining retaining clips, and remove the glove box assembly from the vehicle.

4

Open the drivers door and pull outward sharply on the drivers side dashboard outer trim cover to disengage its retaining clips. Remove the outer trim cover from the vehicle.

5

Adjust the drivers seat so it is as far back as it goes. Look under the drivers side of the dashboard and find the drivers side closeout panel. Remove the two closeout panel screws and its one nut with a ratchet and socket. Sharply pull downward on the closeout panel to disengage its retaining clips and remove the closeout panel.

6

Remove the bolts securing the data link connector -- the male electrical receptacle on the bottom of the dashboard -- with a ratchet and socket. Allow the DLC to hang by its wires.

7

Remove the three screws securing the knee bolster the trim panel closest to your knees when you drive with a ratchet and socket. Sharply pull the knee bolster rearward to disengage its retaining clips and remove it from the vehicle.

8

Skip this step if your G6 has a manual transmission. Engage the G6s parking brake, turn the ignition to the Run position and shift the gear shifter into neutral. Turn the ignition to the Off position.

9

Pull outward on the bottom of the radio bezel the trim surrounding the radio to disengage its retaining clips. Pull the bezel outward just enough to access the hazard switch wiring harness. Press and hold the unlocking button on this harness, and unplug it from the hazard switch. Remove the radio bezel.

10

Remove the two screws securing the heater control panel using a ratchet and socket, and pull the panel outward to access its wiring. Press and hold the unlocking button on each wiring harness, and unplug each harness. Set the control panel aside.

11

Unfasten the four screws securing the radio in the dashboard using a ratchet and socket, and pull the radio from the dashboard just enough to access the wiring on the rear of it. Press and hold the unlocking button on the radios wiring harness, and unplug the harness. Pull the antenna lead from the radio and remove the radio from the G6.

Installation

12

Press the antenna lead and wiring harness into their respective receptacles on the rear of the radio. Slide the radio into the dashboard, then hand-thread the four radio-retaining screws. Tighten the radio-retaining screws to 2 foot-pounds using a torque wrench and socket.

13

Connect the wiring harnesses back into their respective receptacles on the rear of the heater control panel. Position the heater control panel under the radio and hand-thread its retaining screws. Tighten the retaining screws to 2 foot-pounds.

14

Plug the wiring harness into the receptacle on the rear of the hazard switch. Line up the clips on the rear of the radio bezel with the slots in the dashboard. Press the bezel onto the dashboard until the clips snap into place.

15

Set the knee bolster back into place, aligning its retaining clips with the slots in the dashboard. Press the knee bolster toward the front of the G6 to engage the retaining clips. Hand-thread the three knee bolster bolts, then tighten them to 2 foot-pounds.

16

Position the data link connector back into place on the bottom of the knee bolster and hand-thread its retaining bolts. Tighten the retaining bolts with a ratchet and socket.

17

Align the clips on the rear of the drivers side closeout panel with the slots under the dashboard and press the closeout panel upward to engage the clips. Hand-thread the two closeout panel screws and the nut, then tighten them to 2 foot-pounds. Line up the drivers side dashboard outer trim covers retaining clips with the slots on the drivers side end of the dashboard. Press the trim cover toward the dashboard to lock it into place. Close the drivers side door.

18

Turn the G6s ignition to the Run position and shift the gear shifter into park, if equipped with an automatic transmission.

19

Reinstall the glove box into the dashboard and hand-thread its retaining screws. Tighten the glove box retaining screws to 2 foot-pounds. Close the glove boxs door.

20

Press the wiring harness clips back into their respective holes in the passengers side closeout panel. Align the retaining clips on the closeout panel with the slots under the dashboard. Press the closeout panel upward to lock it into place.

21

Line up the clips on the rear of the passengers side dashboard outer trim cover with the slots in the end of the dashboard. Press the trim cover toward the end of the dashboard to lock it into place.

22

Visit a local General Motors dealership to have the radio programmed to the vehicle. This process requires special training and tools to which only trained professional have access.