How do you remove the rear shelf carpet thing in a 1998 Dodge Neon and change the speakers?

Answer 1

Well I just did this myself yesterday.

Tools you'll need: 2 pairs of pliers, flat-head screwdriver, #8 socket and wrench OR small-handled star screwdriver, wire cutters and electrical tape/Electrical conjoiners (if your new speaker doesn't have the 2-port connection)

BEFORE working on your system, use the two pairs of pliers to dis-connect the NEGATIVE wire from your car's battery. The head around the terminal might be a little rusty, but it needs to come off, and back on later.

1) pop off rear plastice seat-belt holders with the flat-head screwdriver. Be careful, as there's three plastic inserts hooking into the frame. Two at the top, and one at the bottom.

2) pull up the carpeting covering the factory speakers. It shouldn't be that difficult, as there's no glue or clips holding it down.

3)using either the #8 socket and wrench or the small-handled star screwdriver, take out the four screws on each speaker.

4)un-plug the speakers from the wiring. All it takes is slipping the flat-head screwdriver in between the plastic lever holding the two connections together, then giving the two sides a slight tug apart.

5)smack the bottom of the speakers upwards to break the bond of the black gunk that holds the speakers to the frame. BE CAREFUL. If you give it too great of a smack, you could break out the rear window.

6)set in your new speakers and, depending on which type you had to replace them, you may have to cut the plastic connecter off the stock wiring and splice them in using the electrical tape or electrical conjoiners.

7)set the carpeting back in place up top and pop the seatbelt holders back in.

8) Re-connect the battery.

It took me, a complete amateur 2 hours to hook up my new Panasonic 240W speakers, with a lot of fumbling, re-reading directions, and searching for the right tools. If you're prepared beforehand, and keep this list handy, it should take you only 1h 15mins or less. Search wikianswers for my entry on 'How do you change door speakers on 1998 Dodge Neon' as well.

-Doug Elliott, 1998 Dodge Neon, Aug 01/08 entry

Notes: This is not the proper way to remove the rear shelf of a 1st generation (95-99) Neon. This may work in some cases, but certainly not in all. Most rear shelves will be tightly pinned into position by the "back" of the back seat. If yours just lifts up out of there, great, your backseat may be loose.. be warned.

What you actually should have to do, is remove the "seat" of the backseat. It just pops up off. This exposes bolts at the bottom of the "back" of the backseat. Take a T55 Torx socket, preferably attach to an electric/air powered impact wrench, failing that use a 1/2" ratchet with a breaker bar, this should be fairly hard to remove. There will be two of these bolts under the seat that the back attaches to, the seat belts also connect here.

After those two bolts are out, open the pull down panel in the seat back to the trunk and lift up under the headrest with your hands to slide the backseat out of its position on the frame, may have to pound it up out of position with the palm of your hand/rubber mallet. Take the seat out. Now detach the seat belt plastic cosmetics with a flat head. Remove the plastic plugs attaching the carpet to the frame and the shelf is now free to be moved.

This is the proper way, if you try the other method with a tight backseat, you WILL tear the rear shelf. Best of luck :)