Removing old Car Radio - Honda Civic

Dagon

I'm trying to remove the standard Panasonic system that came with my Civic 98 EK, but it seems I will need a set of release keys. Does anyone know where I can get them or what kind I need? Or even if you can lend/sell me yours

Here are some photos of my radio. I've drawn a red circle around the small rectangular black holes that I think the keys will go into. They seem to be the only places that keys would seem to go:

http://homepage.eircom.net/~phoenixplayers/honda_civic/radio.htm

On ebay I found a standard ISO set, but don't know if they will fit mine. These keys seem to be for cars with 4 holes?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3293&item=5764778586&rd=1

Stephen

You should be able to get 'em at any motor factors for a couple of euros. 4-hole ones are the type used on Fords and a few others - for those you get 2 U-shaped keys (which you could make yourself using a wire hanger).

edit: just looked at your ebay link - those are the exact ones I got to remove my ford radio (4 holes). Cost me €2 in local motor factors.

jayok

Hi Dagon,

You're right in that you'll need the keys to remove the radio offically. But the place you are looking at to remove the radio is actually the wrong place. There's four places at the vertical sides of the radio where you insert the keys. Alternatively, you can do what I done and remove the plastic face on the radio (see they two screws holding it on). When removed you can then remove the cage that holds the radio in place - use a screwdriver you bend the metal holders back into place. In this configuration you'll actually remove the radio and the mounting cage. You will then be left with the plastic facia where you can put in the new radio or remount the cage for another radio.

No longer have a 98 Civic so can't show you this, but it should take 10-15 minutes to remove the radio.

Alternatively leave it unlocked on the quays for about an hour and they'll remove the radio for you!

J.

Ratchet

these are used by panasonic and pioneer




you can use something similar, as mentioned before locking mechanism is on both sides of the unit but u need to take off this radio faceplate

Dagon

jayok wrote:

Alternatively, you can do what I done and remove the plastic face on the radio (see they two screws holding it on).

Jay, I've tried this and after removing those two screws the plastic face still won't come off. I've tried and tried, but it's stuck fast. That's why I thought I needed the keys. I could force it off but I know something would break, which might be a problem if I want to pass the radio on to someone else... hmmmm..

jayok

I've tried this and after removing those two screws the plastic face still won't come off.

Hmmm... don't know best how to best to describe this. Ok the two screws hold on the plastic face and the clips on the plastic face hold the radio in place. When you remove the screws you should be able to pop off the face with a little effort take from one side, eg the left and prise from there. When the face comes off you will then see the clips that hold the main bulk of the radio and cage in. Using the spaces you've highlighted in your own picture you should be able to get a screwdriver in there you bend back the cage clips.

The unfortunate thing with this whole operation is you cannot see what best to do until the radio is actually removed. Once it's out you'll go, "Ahhh, no I see how to remove it!" :cool:

I suppose it's how far you want to go to forcefully remove the face. If you're worried about cracking it then you should probably get the clips. If not yank away!

J.

Ratchet

you don't remove entire face plate and you don't have to remove the screws

depending on the model you have to remove trim surrounding the unit(like on pioneer radios)

or you just use they keys without removing anything additional.

like on page 45 of this manual

http://service.us.panasonic.com/OPERMANPDF/CQR925EUC.PDF

just search Panasonic site for your model and you will get exact instructions

Dagon

Thanks loads for that Ratchet - very helpful link. I got my exact model on it too, and am just about to try out what it says (give very precise instructions as you've said).