Ford vehicles are consistently simple with regards to stereo removal and installation. For the actual extraction of the factory installed radio, you will need only a pair of inexpensive and widely available tools to perform the task. The 1998 Ford Taurus requires a slightly different procedure for removing the radio. While you can remove the radio from most other Ford vehicles without affecting the surrounding trim panels, the Taurus requires that the panels be removed as well. The operation is still performed using the Ford radio removal tools, so it is still a relatively simple removal.
Lift the hood of the Ford Taurus and disconnect the grounding cable from the battery using the 10 mm wrench. Place the grounding cable away from the battery to avoid shorting the system while removing the stereo.
Remove the climate control knobs from the dashboard of the Ford by prying them from the climate control panel of the blade of a flat head screwdriver.
Insert the Ford radio removal tools into the holes on the far corners of the oval dash panel that surrounds the stereo. A radio removal tool can be purchased at any car audio supplier store, both on-line and through brick and mortar outlets.
Pull the tools away from each other (outward) while pulling the radio from the dashboard. The entire dash panel will slide from the dashboard until the wiring connections to the rear of the radio are visible.
Disconnect the wiring to the back of the radio. The antenna and power supply cables are single wires that can be pulled free by hand. The speaker wires are grouped by plastic binders. Pull the binders instead of the wires.
Remove the two screws on either side of the stereo deck using a Phillips head screwdriver, to free the radio from the mounting bracket.
