Best buy messed up radio installation! need help!

The alarm just started going off again while it was just sitting in the driveway. It doesnt beep on and off like an alarm normally does, it is just one continues beep. I disconnected the battery for now so hopefully it wont go off again. I looked at the wires connected to the radio and noticed that at least one of them are cut so maybe this missing connection is adding to the problem? Again, any help appreciated Sally

You DON'T take the radio out. They did that as the alarm and keyless entry are integrated into the stock radio.

What you NEED to do is fix whatever you messed up trying to take the radio out.

Although I'm not a big Best Buy fan, if your Civic is like my son's '97, the original stereo has to stay connected for the car's remote control to work. Without the original, your remote will not lock and unlock the car. Did you reconnect everything just as it was? No loose connections? Just a thought.

Mike

Best Buy installed a new radio. Instead of removing the old radio they stuffed it under the passenger seat. Is this true that the original radio cant be removed?

Sally

Per your original post, the old radio, regardless of where they "stuffed" it is still wired. That is not out of laziness or incompetence.

You can remove it, but you will lose your alarm and keyless entry.

Your choice.

"Steve" wrote

That's what the man said. The original radio's connections are integral to the operation of the keyless entry, dome lights, and, in your case, the alarm(s). It was all working correctly before you started cutting wires, right? Put everything back the way you found it, and no one will get hurt.

In my '97 Civic EX 5-speed, the installers of my new radio strapped the original radio to the new one and kept all the original wiring intact. All worked perfectly.

Didnt cut wires. Just unplugged the radio and the horn started blowing. I do suspect a wire came loose but I have to wait untill daylight to inspect closer.

The problem with leaving the original is that they put it under the seat and you cannot slide the seat forward or backward. The car is a coupe and not being able to slide the seat forward for access to the rear is a problem. Also, if the alarm was disabled by removing the radio that would be one thing but when the radio is unplugged the horn sounds continually.

9:00 pm last night, with the car just sitting in the driveway the horn went off and I had to get my dad to disconect the battery.

If Best Buy had strapped the old radio onto the new one and it was out of the way there wouldnt be a problem.

So Honda makes no provisions for removing the factory radio? There is no "jumper" you could plug into the harness that would allow you to remove the radio and still maintain the function of those other items?

I'll look today and see if I can locate the old radio in a more"convenient" location.

thanks for the info...

sally

It took some digging but I found a .pdf that gives detail about this radio and how to deal with it.

YOU ARE CORRECT!

sorry I just think its such a bad idea to involve the radio that I couldnt believe it.

thanks again.

sally

Sally,

When I replaced my original stereo in my '97 Civic, I put the old stereo in the dash behind the heater controls. There should be enough room to slip it back behind there. I just found a nice snug spot so that the stereo didn't bounce around. Not that that was a problem since there isn't a lot of room back there.

Mike

"Steve" wrote

You're welcome. Glad we could help solve your problem.

and in the case of my '97 Civic, the dome light is also routed through the OEM radio. I re-installed the OEM radio and moved on. Rosscoe

I agree, it stinks. Honda did wise up, this setup was used only in '96 through '98.