Reddit reviews KLTECH 4Pcs Auto Door Clip Panel Trim Removal Tool Kits for Car Dash Radio Audio Installer Pry Tool

Hey guys I ordered them online from a parts place in Texas. Link here:

https://www.nissaninfinitiparts.com

I did both sides in the front. $58 each. I think about $13 to ship. The guys were really friendly and helpful, called me after I placed the order to confirm the parts and they showed up on time. The parts and shipping were cheaper getting them from Texas than getting them here in Chicago.

I also used these tools:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00HNMLQAG/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Plenty of videos on popping the old ones out on YouTube. Took about 10 minutes.

No kit.

Wrap

Tools

And a heat gun I already had. The only issue I'm having is that there's air slowly forming in the corners like where the vents are, if I had to do it again id probably put some glue on those spots.

I went OEM because some of the aftermarket installs can have weird gremlins. The downside is that it’s limited to the range of your existing keyfobs. That and the fact that if you have the limited with the smart key the car shuts off when you open the door. I totally get why it works that way, it’s a feature not a bug and it’s not big deal, but some people are annoyed by that.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00OBVU92I/ref=ya_aw_oh_bia_dp?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I know that fits the 2014-2017 models, there is a similar part number (search PT398-891X0) for earlier 5th gen models.

I had to do some googling and digging in the 4Runner forums to find the install documentation, but I think it was this thread. The instructions covered everything, it was really very straightforward and was 100% plug and play. I have a limited and factory security so I didn’t have to install the hood switch, but that doesn’t look too hard either. If those aren’t the correct instructions let me know and I’ll dig it off of my hard drive.

You’ll want to get some plastic panel popping tools off of amazon, I got these. Other than that you’ll just need some common hand tools for the bolts, a screw or two, and cutting the tails off of the zip ties you install. Oh, they recommend a torque wrench for the knee airbag you have to take out (it’s less scary than it sounds, I promise). I had a cheap harbor freight one and it worked fine, but I don’t think it would be the end of the world if you just tightened them with your socket wrench by feel to what they were when you removed it, they don’t seem like they would be mission critical for the airbag to still work, they just hold it in place.

To get it to work with your keys, they have to be programmed. While there are apparently ECU programming tools one can buy, they seemed sketch and getting the techstream software to work was a fucking nightmare (I had to run a VM with Windows XP, and that’s before the driver nightmares) so I recommend just taking all the keys into a Toyota dealer, mine programmed them for the remote start for ~$60. It might even be cheaper if you time it with a maintenance visit. In the end my dealer wanted $750 to install the factory remote start but buying it myself and only paying them for the keys I spent half of that and 90 minutes of my time.

Oh, and the little barrel shaped plastic screw-head cover on the passenger kickplate in the bottom right of the passenger floorboard waaaay up in the back? It unscrews, it doesn’t pull off. Remember that, it took me like 10 minutes to figure that out. That was probably the toughest part other than getting the wiring harness actually plugged in, it was a tight fucking fit with all the wires.

Some conservative criticism

Proper panel removal tools will make life a lot easier and can prevent possible damage.

That ground looked questionable. Hard to tell if any cleaning of the paint/primer over that stud was done prior to install. But the rear package tray isn't a terribly substantial part of the car to being with. You want to ground to clean bare metal that is a substantial structure in the car. With the battery having been that close the factory ground point should have been readily available. The negative terminal on the battery would have been acceptable too.

The routing of the bass knob cable was just lazy. It takes very little time and effort to remove the rear seat bottom and route the wire that way with the factory runs.


Other that that, not to bad.

I used Goo Gone because it's gentle and I didn't want to risk stripping the clear coat or anything. Soaked it real good, waited 30 seconds or so and used one of THESE with a flat tip as a scraper. There were some very fine scratches afterwards. I could only see them with a flashlight and they came out easily with maguiers scratchx 2.0.

Since yours is newer the adhesive will probably come off easier than mine did.

No one should have to go through that much trouble running wires.... There are cheap products out there that make all of this very... VERY... easy.

Long Guide https://www.amazon.com/Electrical-Threader-Cable-Running-Pulling/dp/B00NQ0N5D0

Short and Stiff guide https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002LE8CQM

Body tools: (I credit this as one of my best purchases ever) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HNMLQAG/

This guy is perfect for your setup. Gets you the 100w for your speakers and a respectable 350w for your sub.

Make sure you set your gains correctly. I'd leave some headroom on the speakers (target 90w) to avoid clipping.

This amp has fuses on it but you still need to fuse the power wire. Don't skimp on wiring!

This is a simple, clean, respectable little setup. I like it.

Oh yeah one last thing! I'd highly, highly suggest putting these on the shopping list if you don't have anything.

When I removed mine I used of these plastic trim tools.

i replaced both of mine on my 05. they're like $40 shipped on ebay and amazon. you need to buy a pry kit like this to pop it off and then it slides right in.

https://www.amazon.com/KINGLAKE-Panel-Removal-Radio-Installer/dp/B00HNMLQAG/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=pry+kit&qid=1549632120&sr=8-4


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5_-pebbIwk

I apologize in advance for this long post. None of these are "must gets", but they are what I got for my 2016 Premium forester. I'm posting this for my own future reference as well as to help some people who are wondering what accessories might be good for their new forester. I highly recommend ordering from Jackie from Annapolis Subaru @ 443-837-1422 as she can get you some good prices on the subaru accessories as well as WeatherTech products! I saved on WeatherTech shipping costs (~$20) by ordering through Jackie and the warranty is the same as if I had bought them through their website.

Please note that some of these accessory links are for my specific car year, model and configuration. I have a 2016 Premium forester without eyesight (affects the Covercraft/heatshield sunshade - they also have eyesight compatible sunshades!).

Also, I personally didn't get my windows tinted, but I think that is something that you should seriously consider doing :)

Speaker kit

Tweeter kit


WeatherTech DigitalFit floorliner (1st & 2nd row)


WeatherTech cargo/trunk liner (without bumper protector)

Weather Tech TechCare floorliner and floormat Cleaner/Protector Kit

Gorilla mud flaps

Covercraft's UVS100 sunscreen - use promo code FREESHIP

Exterior Auto Dimming Mirror w/ Approach Lighting

Luggage Compartment Cover (manual rear gate)

Rear bumper cover

Auto-Dimming Mirror with Compass and HomeLink

Rear Seat Back Protector

Two Home Depot 5 gallon homer bucket

Heatshield sunshade (driver/passenger, second row, rear windshield, sunroof) - note that their website only shows only one side window (driver/passenger), you need to call in to ask them to add the second row side window ones - on my invoice it says part #1425S-A and #1425S-B

Antigravity Batteries AG-XP-10 Multi-Function Power Supply and Jump Starter (check eBay to see if priced cheaper)

Viair 77P Portable Compressor Kit (check eBay to see if priced cheaper)

Amazon stuff:

EZ Pass Holder for VA Flex

Aux cable

Stickershield (parking stickers, etc)

Dropstop seat gap filler (driver/passenger side)

Door panel removal kit (for speaker kit install)

Two grit guards

Microfiber Drying towel

Microfiber cloths (3 pack)

Car wash shampoo

Wheel brush

Resqme (window breaker/seatbelt cutter)

Wheel cleaner

Microfiber wash mitt

Reindeer costume for Christmas

Headrest coat hanger

Road reflective triangles

Duct tape

Odor eliminator

Tire air pressure gauge

OBDII Scanner (Bluetooth)

First aid kit

I bought a cheap automotive pry tool set from Amazon for a couple of bucks. These are the ones I purchased: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HNMLQAG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

To take the driver's side panel off, I shimmied one pry tool at each end of the panel that runs perpendicular to the door, and they popped out. After that, you need to pull the window switches out. I couldn't get the clips with my fingers, so I popped them out with a pry tool.

The passenger is a little easier IMO. You need to pry out the aluminum finisher on the door handle first, then there's two 10mm bolts that you need to unbolt, then the door handle will come out. After that, you should be able to get the passenger switch cover by hand. The clips to get the switches out are the same.

After I dipped mine and put them back in the car, I found a good tutorial on it (figures, lol) by someone on Youtube named AnthonyJ350. I painted mine a fair bit differently, but dissablemly is mostly the same.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vopxhHPTGA

He also has a lot of other tutorials for our cars, so he might have a video on the center console. I've put in and taken out an aftermarket head unit in mine so I've done it, but I can't remember exactly what's in there.

I used something like this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HNMLQAG
An old credit card will probably work fine... I'd cut it to make it narrower.

I ran the control wire (just 4-wire phone cord with RJ11 connectors) back to the trunk of the vehicle when I ran my 4-gauge amp wire (this video helped a lot). I used trim removal tools to pull all the panels for that initial run.

For the control knob, I first removed the side panel to the left of the headlight switch that's only visible when the driver's door is open, then opened and dropped the small storage box above the driver's knee area by pinching the sides and pulling down. Once those are open you can route the wire up under the steering column and over to the gas pedal. I then followed the install manual for the Apex garage door button which were great. Just one note - when you get the shift boot off, all you need to do is push up from the underside of the buttons to dislodge them - don't try to remove the whole piece around the shifter, as it appears to be bolted somewhere to the rest of the console, contrary to their instructions. Here are pics of the final installand customization of the button module to accommodate the ACR1 control knob.

Links to everything I used for my installation:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01G8HUTCW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HNMLQAG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076F1WXRC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Rivets - Ginsco 102pcs 6.3mm 8mm 9mm 10mm Nylon Bumper Push Fasteners Rivet Clips Expansion Screws Replacement Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076BMVZ8R/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_aEMXCb5GHH8S3

Trim removal tools (good to have) - KINGLAKE 4Pcs Auto Door Clip Panel Trim Removal Tool Kits for Car Dash Radio Audio Installer Pry Tool https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HNMLQAG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_LEMXCbFPMGXH9

As for the rivets I ended up replacing the “permanent” ones with the skinniest ones in the linked set. In the future I can reuse these if I want to.

Here's a decent video on removing the front bumper - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUNlKmHgp9k

I watched and read as much as I could before diving into this. Let me tell you: it's fairly common sense once you do it. You almost could just go figure it out. I think I could have the bumper off in 15 minutes now that I've done it. Here's the main thing to know: once all fasteners are removed unclip the sides of the bumper outwards, the top upwards, and lastly the whole assembly forwards.

I saw the backs of the mesh grills and filed away the idea to change them some time later.

Location: NC, USA

Device: Nexus 6P 64GB (White)

Approved: 9/27

Ordered: 9/27

Ships: 9/28

Shipped: 10/3

ETA: 9/29-10/2

New ETA: 10/5

Replacement: Pixel XL (128 GB, Very Silver)

Process: Google Support

Warranty: Out of warranty, within Nexus Protect (have replaced phone once over a year ago under NP)

Status: Shipped! (10/3)

Battery drain for me. I was going to replace it under under NP (would've been second replacement), but found this thread first. They first said "well your phone is out of warranty but fortunately is still covered by Nexus Protect" but I told them the phone had to only barely be out of warranty and I wasn't go to pay the $70 for a known problem other people were getting free replacements for (I didn't mention the Pixel). They were very nice and gave me the "one-time exception" for a 128GB Silver Pixel XL which the representative said was the only color left and 'looked very nice'. Obviously pleased with how it turned out - credit to Google for really going above and beyond to make this right in the end, even though there's a lot of headache in-between for many.

Only worry is that they'll be upset with the scratches my screen has (small, made by sand) or say something like "there's nothing wrong with your phone" if maybe the 4th factory reset before I send it in fixes it. That remains to be seen.

Note: To anyone with a bend in the casing around buttons, just buy something like this and press it back in. If you are really worried it'll scuff (didn't for me) just use a paper towel barrier. These are also super handy to just have anyways. I had a bend near the lock button and another one near the volume button. Obviously I wouldn't bother if it is going back to Google though.

Get a piece of plastic (or a knife, with caution), stick it in a crevice, and just pry it off carefully. They pop off easily. These things are pretty useful.

If you like to work in your car, get these tools, they are inexpensive and useful for removing door panels, interior/exterior trims, bumper clips and more without scratching or marrring anything.

I found some plastic pry tools on Amazon that say they are for removing trim and panels in car interiors. Is that what you’re referring to? like this?

Yes, and easy enough to do yourself. It helps to have a trim tool to help pull panels and tuck wires in.

Sure. You're going to be running a power wire from the radar, across the top of your windshield, under the top part of your A-pillar, into the rubber trim, down to the side access, and into the fuse box. You're going to put an add-a-circuit in to put two fuses in one slot and share a fuse that turns on when the car is in accessory mode so the radar is only on when the car is on. These are the steps I took:



Step 1:
Mount the radar where you want it to be. I have mine above my mirror so it doesn't obstruct my windshield view at all and isn't visible from outside the car.



Step 2:
Plug the power wire into the radar.



Step 3:
Feel the top of the windshield where the headliner meets it. There's a roughly 1/4" gap there. Tuck the power wire into this gap, working your way towards the driver's side door. The red line is the path your wire will be taking.



Step 4:
When you get to the edge of the windshield, use one of the trim tools to gently pry the A-pillar cover just enough to allow you to tuck the wire into it. Get the wire flat and then push the cover back into place.



Step 5:
Tuck the wire in between the rubber trim on the door, working towards the dash.



Step 6:
Use the trim tool to pry off the side cover. It has 3 clips and should come out fairly easily.



Step 7:
Remove dash drawer by opening it and then squeezing the sides towards the back.



Step 8:
Pull out a fuse, put it in your add-a-circuit, then put the add-a-circuit plug where you pulled the fuse from. The red arrow points to the fuse I chose.



Step 9:
Turn on the car and verify that the radar powers up and down with the car.



Step 10:
Velcro strap the excess power wire and tuck it out of the way.



Step 11:
Replace the drawer and side panel



Stuff to buy:

Power wire:
https://www.amazon.com/Escort-Direct-Power-Radar-Detectors/dp/B0003NN83U/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1497974491&sr=8-2&keywords=9500ix+hardwire



Add a circuit:
https://www.amazon.com/Radar-Mount-Detector-Fusebox-Circuit/dp/B00UB9W92C/ref=pd_sim_107_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00UB9W92C&pd_rd_r=0K76S4T52SJB4ACR9V8M&pd_rd_w=AupqD&pd_rd_wg=ZwoBH&psc=1&refRID=0K76S4T52SJB4ACR9V8M



Fuse puller:
https://www.amazon.com/RoadPro-RPFP2-Fuse-Puller-Pack/dp/B00CSBUFOU/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1497975152&sr=8-5&keywords=fuse+puller



Trim tools:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HNMLQAG/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Yes, get a kit from Amazon (KINGLAKE Auto Door Clip Panel Trim Removal Tool Kits for Car Dash Radio Audio Installer Pry Tool 4Pcs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HNMLQAG?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf) or wrap a flat head screw driver with electrical tape. Start from the front clip on the left and work you way towards the back. The right side also has a front clip near the windshield and you have to work your way from back to front.

Also- get 3M clear auto tape to put under the mount feet(3M Clear Scotchgard Paint Protector Vinyl Wrap .5" Wide Tape Roll (.5" x 48") https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072KF647X?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf) to prevent scratching the paint.

I want to say I used a 3/8”bit to drill through the roof gutters. Bought new bits so they were very sharp.

I have this kit. I can probably use the fork looking ones for those clips. When I pull them out, should I just pull straight out? Perpendicular to the door

Car interior panel tools, like this: https://www.amazon.com/KINGLAKE-Panel-Removal-Radio-Installer/dp/B00HNMLQAG

Brain fart. I meant one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Jakemy-Professional-Opening-Electronics-JM-OP06/dp/B00ZWEAOSW/

I've also used plastic bicycle tire levers with some success, it'll depend how flush the knob is with the panel.

I got the interior LEDs from eBay. I'd strongly suggest a trim tool if you don't have one (Amazon or Harbor Freight). I later replaced the cargo area LED with a larger LED array for more brightness; the other LEDs are all great and are similar color range of the approach lights if you have them.

The sway bar cuts back on the wobble you might feel on the back end when you turn. For me it made it feel a bit more sedan-like. I read through this extensive thread and decided to give it a go. It's $100 so not too much of an investment considering the overwhelmingly positive reviews. Pretty easy to install with the right tools. Ramps help but aren't necessary.

For the headlamps I bought these H9 bulbs with these harnesses. Both bulbs will work but the connector is different. I opted for the affordable harness so I could cut those up instead of the factory connectors so the bulbs would fit.

I've not actually used my oil drain valve yet as I'm just shy of 5k miles. Did my first oil change at 3k to get it installed and I'll probably change it again at 6k to test it out and get my intervals back on the 6k multiples.

Again, install was straight forward and I did use a torque wrench to tighten. The nipple is still within the plastic shroud and I have no worry about it hitting anything (if it does I have other problems). No leaks or anything.

https://www.amazon.com/KINGLAKE-Panel-Removal-Radio-Installer/dp/B00HNMLQAG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1520380837&sr=8-3&keywords=panel+remover+tool

And personally I would try to do steering wheel controls, I doubt its $$$ just the labor of finding the right module and wiring it up.

I instated mine myself with this and powered it from the OBD by hotwiring with this. Never did it before. Just shove the wires into the gaps.

I did it the hard way. It really wasn't that hard. You will need a set of trim removal tools like these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HNMLQAG
and a drill bit and I think that was it. I don't even remember a screwdriver but you might have needed one. I followed a youtube video. I did it on a blazing hot day and get it done in 20 minutes. I remember my sweat dripping onto the rear cover thingy and evaporating as I looked down... I recommend doing it on a cool day because you will be under a big window :)

A set of trim removal tools make removing the gauge cluster so much easier. I've removed the gauge shroud a few times on my '92 and those flexible pry tools helped avoid cracking it.

I need to replace my speedometer cable too. The first time I did an LED swap in the gauge cluster I damaged the flexible circuit board and killed my idiot lights and tach. When I do the speedo cable, I'll remove the cluster just to avoid damaging this one's board.

Dude, it is not hard to take off the plastic.

Get a trim puller and a set of trim tools ...

eg

https://www.amazon.com/KINGLAKE-Panel-Removal-Radio-Installer/dp/B00HNMLQAG/

https://www.amazon.com/Ninth-City-Steel-Upholstery-Removal-Pliers/dp/B01LZQM1BB/