Fitting a new Stereo.

[I Am Milk]

Afternoon ladies and gents.


I've been given a new stereo (to replace my ancient tape player) in my MX-5 for my birthday.

I'd like to fit it myself to save the £35 I've been quoted for fitting. I've had a poke around, but I have absolutely no idea how to get the old stereo out.

Any tips?

Ta.

[J-Tuner]

I just swapped my old kenwood tape deck for a sony CD/iPod unit and i went and got the release tools from halfords... fitting the new one took literally 5 mins. No harness adaptors required

[MX-5 Lazza]

Go to a car stereo dealer and ask them to remove it for you. Most will do that for free.

[niva441]

If you've got the original Mazda Stereo, you'll need an ISO wiring adaptor to plug into the back. Other than that it's a straightforward, pull one unit out, push the other in.

[I Am Milk]

Nah it's not the original mazda item, it's some stty tape deck.


It won't pull out by hand, feels like there is too much resistance.

I'll try again tomorrow.

[Gizmo!]

Usually there is a slot about halfway up both sides. Slide something long and flat into these slots (thin screwdrivers are ideal), stick your fingers carefully into the tape slot and pull.

You may have to remove a casing from around the edge first - these usually just pull off.

If none of the above looks feasible, take one of the side panels off the centre box and have a look up from behind.

[I Am Milk]

Cheers Gizmo, exactly the sort of advice I was looking for!

Thanks.

[mike9009]

Hi 'You are Milk'

Here is a bit I have copied off Miata.net to remove the stereo. I used these instructions to remove the original stereo from my 1991 Eunos. Not sure if it helps?

Removal of console
In order to remove the console piece which covers the radio, it is first necessary to remove the central piece over the transmission tunnel. Remove the screws inside the handrest storage compartment, the one under the ashtray piece, and the two screws on the sides near the front, and remove the shift knob. The center piece can now be removed. There is a wire connected to the ashtray light which needs to be disconnected before completely lifting the piece away. The next step is to remove both central eyeball vents. In order to do this, simply insert something though the vents that will allow to pull them out. A bent coat hanger works well, so does a string. Now pull (hard!) the vents out. If this doesn't seem to work (never worked for me), another removal method is the following: Get a very small flat screwdriver and wrap it in some cloth (to protect the dash); insert the blade between the outer circle of the vents and twist. The vents should pop right out. Once the vents are out, remove one screw behind each. At this point, the central piece of the console can be removed.

A bit of a PITA but it was the only way to get my original stereo out....
Good luck

Mike

[Gad-Westy]

As a slight warning, I replaced the (aftermarket) stereo in our Eunos when we bought it and the wiring behind was a complete mess and no iso adaptor or even original harness plug. To compound the problem, it seems mazda swapped the the wiring colour convention a few times over the early years of the MX5's production and identifying which wires were which (even pairing speaker wires) was a right pain!

If there is a proper wiring harness/connector behind there you'll be fine, if there isn't I'd say £35 to fit would be a bargain!

[johnnyboy666]

I'm guessing it is a face off clarion unit, that's what came in mine and was still in the car till I bought it last year. It is a single din unit in a cage but you have to remove all the centre console and transmission tunnel trim to get it out. It sounds a lot scarier than it actually is. If you give it a google I think there is a pictoral guide on one of the miata sites.

On the transmission tunnel cover there are screws either side at the front, 1 under the ashtray and 2 in the cubby box that houses the fuel flap/boot release. This should them come off.

That should get you started the rest is a case of screw finding but it's not too hard, I was going to write the lot out but I can't remember the whole process. fan controls have to pop off buthey just pull out. The only tricky bit is the ball vents. I suggest pulling up from the bottom till you can slip a screwdriver behind them to release one of the catches that holds the vent in then they just pop out.

Hope that helps!

John

Edited by johnnyboy666 on Friday 29th January 11:37

Edited by johnnyboy666 on Friday 29th January 11:39

Edited by johnnyboy666 on Friday 29th January 11:39

[I Am Milk]

Cheers for the advice everyone.

I was going to attempt this today, but I went out and got st faced last night, so decided I should just stay in bed.


I shall attempt it tomorrow.

I have no fear about taking my interior apart, I've done it a few times already with this car


I'll let you know how it's gone.

[DennisTheMenace]

UK spec or jap ? uk spec cars came with clarion units fitted , i still have my original unit . They are mounted in a cage so you just need the radio keys to remove it . if its jap , you will need to removethe centre console then the centre stack , the radio is held in by 4 bolts and its screwed to a metal bracket .

[slim_boy_fat]

DennisTheMenace said:

UK spec or jap ? uk spec cars came with clarion units fitted , i still have my original unit . They are mounted in a cage so you just need the radio keys to remove it . if its jap , you will need to removethe centre console then the centre stack , the radio is held in by 4 bolts and its screwed to a metal bracket .

Thats good news, i have been putting off geting a new head unit as i had heard it was a pain to fit. Mine is a UK car with the face off clarion, the lights dont work so i cant see anything, which is a pain!

Will get a new unit ordered tomorrow!!

Cheers

Edited by slim_boy_fat on Sunday 31st January 07:53

[I Am Milk]

Well,

An uninteresting and dull update.

It's an eunos, but it's not the original eunos stereo.

I've just purchased the relevant removal tool from e-bay for the huge sum of £1.95, so I'll let you know when they get here and see if that saves me taking the dash out.

[NeoVR]

Its pretty straightforward... but depends on how the previous radio was fitted.

Mine has a old sony "flashy light" stereo installed... badly, the HU is just screwed directly into the old double-din cage, so it sticks out and a non-fitting cubby box is underneath.. i had to remove the centre console to get to it.. and quite why whoever installed it couldnt figure out that if you have two red wires and two yellow wires how they should connect together i dont konw! lol.

[Gad-Westy]

NeoVR said:

Its pretty straightforward... but depends on how the previous radio was fitted.

Mine has a old sony "flashy light" stereo installed... badly, the HU is just screwed directly into the old double-din cage, so it sticks out and a non-fitting cubby box is underneath.. i had to remove the centre console to get to it.. and quite why whoever installed it couldnt figure out that if you have two red wires and two yellow wires how they should connect together i dont konw! lol.

Sounds like our's when we got it. Had a ghastly silver painted cheap chinese stereo that was perched on top of a non fitting cubby hole (it was actually completely the wrong size). The whole lot was left to dangle in the space behind the centre console. The wiring looked like it had been done by pure guess work and all the terminations and connections were made with just insulating tape and the copper tied in knots. It was no suprise that it didn't work but it was somewhat suprising that nothing had caught fire. It was a proper job!