The Red 205 Si

[Jared]

That radio is fine. You just need to make sure it is connected to the aerial with the coax on the back (and the integrity of the coax and plug). You do not need to have the little tools to extract it. If you can reach behind the plastics, at the back you will find the whole thing is held in place with one big nut on a 6mm stud poking out of the back of the console. Undo the nut and the whole thing (radio and surround) will slide out.

I would also suggest you check your speakers. When I checked the ones in the spares car I bought (92 Si, wrecked by a front impact) they were all shagged so couldn't use any of them in my GTI. I am telling you this because they were shagged by age not fiddling with the system. They were all intact (as in nobody had been in there) but the paper cones were all disintegrated around the outer edge. The Si was very well maintained as opposed to my GTi.

If you do however find the radio is shagged, I have an identical one or two spares (one out of my own Si, one out of the GTi).

That said, I would suggest if you want to change the radio, go for an OEM Honda out of early 2000 cars (doesn't matter which, they're all the same as long as they are single DIN). I would go for a full logic control but that's just me. Those are well made high quality radios. If you can get the speakers with the head unit, even better. You can get a unit with cassette or with CD, whatever blows your budget (expect to pay zip to 20 bucks). Don't be daft and go for aftermarket. Aftermarket will never beat OEM quality of a serious manufacturer who employs specialist engineers to spend time and money to make sure they get it right. Some had codes some didn't (it was up to the buyer to request the code be eliminated when purchasing the car new). Make sure you get the code if it has one and test it. Honda can sometimes help if you have the radio numbers or the car's VIN.

Thanks mate, I’ll give that a try

 

[Matthew]

and you will / may need the pin code for it?

 

[Jared]

and you will / may need the pin code for it?

Yes I reckon so, I’ve heard you can call a dealer with VIN etc and get it? I haven’t been able to find anything in the stack of docs I got with the car

 

[Matthew]

if they still have it / can get it. Look carefully will be on credit card sized thing. I can check and confirm if reqd.

 

[Jared]

if they still have it / can get it. Look carefully will be on credit card sized thing. I can check and confirm if reqd.

Just went through everything again. Nothing unfortunately

Did you mean you could look it up?

 

[Jared]

That radio is fine. You just need to make sure it is connected to the aerial with the coax on the back (and the integrity of the coax and plug). You do not need to have the little tools to extract it. If you can reach behind the plastics, at the back you will find the whole thing is held in place with one big nut on a 6mm stud poking out of the back of the console. Undo the nut and the whole thing (radio and surround) will slide out.

I would also suggest you check your speakers. When I checked the ones in the spares car I bought (92 Si, wrecked by a front impact) they were all shagged so couldn't use any of them in my GTI. I am telling you this because they were shagged by age not fiddling with the system. They were all intact (as in nobody had been in there) but the paper cones were all disintegrated around the outer edge. The Si was very well maintained as opposed to my GTi.

If you do however find the radio is shagged, I have an identical one or two spares (one out of my own Si, one out of the GTi).

That said, I would suggest if you want to change the radio, go for an OEM Honda out of early 2000 cars (doesn't matter which, they're all the same as long as they are single DIN). I would go for a full logic control but that's just me. Those are well made high quality radios. If you can get the speakers with the head unit, even better. You can get a unit with cassette or with CD, whatever blows your budget (expect to pay zip to 20 bucks). Don't be daft and go for aftermarket. Aftermarket will never beat OEM quality of a serious manufacturer who employs specialist engineers to spend time and money to make sure they get it right. Some had codes some didn't (it was up to the buyer to request the code be eliminated when purchasing the car new). Make sure you get the code if it has one and test it. Honda can sometimes help if you have the radio numbers or the car's VIN.

What was the best way to get behind it? I’m extremely nervous about pulling at the trim, feels like it’ll crack if I stare at it too long!

 

[Matthew]

there are screws holding the side pieces, no danger, undo and slide out.

 

[PeterT]

and you will / may need the pin code for it?

I read something recently, in another forum, there is a formula, based on the serial number. Something like add 1234 and 6. Useless info, I know. But at least you could start googling.

 

[Matthew]

yep, if you can remember it, its would solve a few issues. Something like CRC polynomials!

 

[PeterT]

"Early ones (radio/cassette) add 1234 and take 6 off a digit if over 6 so you can enter using button."

 

[schlitzaugen]

If you're lucky, you will find the code somewhere on the radio. Or you may find the credit card attached tot he owner's manual. My car came with the original bill of sale accompanied by the car manual and separately the radio manual with the pin card stuck inside the first page. That is what you're looking for.

Either way. It's only four digits with six possibilities. That's about 1300 possible combinations. Eliminate some obvious ones (same digit, digits in ascending order, in descending order) and you've got your work cut out. I actually did it once on a radio with 5 digits code (over 7500 combinations) and found the combination after entering about half the numbers. Problem is the radio locks after thee wrong tries and you have to completely remove power to reset it so you don't have to wait for a few minutes.

 

[Jared]

there are screws holding the side pieces, no danger, undo and slide out.

This side piece?

 

[schlitzaugen]

No. The one under it that comes all the way to the gear stick. It's in fact the entire centre panel that goes all the way around the stick and to the other side. You'll have to lift the g'stick gaiter to get to the main screws holding it down to the "transmission tunnel" so to speak. Don't need to pull the gaiter out (or the knob), just leave it flopping around the stick. To pull the gaiter, just prise up the plastic square trim at the base of the g'stick.

See how the radio is angled down? Imagine where the bottom end of the radio would be. That's where you want to get.

 

[Jared]

No. The one under it that comes all the way to the gear stick. It's in fact the entire centre panel that goes all the way around the stick and to the other side. You'll have to lift the g'stick gaiter to get to the main screws holding it down to the "transmission tunnel" so to speak. Don't need to pull the gaiter out (or the knob), just leave it flopping around the stick. To pull the gaiter, just prise up the plastic square trim at the base of the g'stick.

See how the radio is angled down? Imagine where the bottom end of the radio would be. That's where you want to get.

Ok, I’m still not getting it. Is that whole lower plastic trim/carpet piece around the tunnel supposed to be the bit I’m taking off? If I try and slide it to the back of the car it feels like it’s still fixed on somewhere?

 

[matara]

I think you undo the screws in red, then the block in blue comes out and you pull the whole lot back (yellow arrow), and with the block removed you can manouevre it over the handbrake.

If I recall correctly, there may be a couple of screws under the flap (orange)

 

[run205]

the brittle awful plastic on these dashes makes even looking at them stressful

all of the stereo's I've needed to remove simply slipped straight out
its supposed to have some system to lock it in place with tabs on the side etc
but they dont seem to do anything
are you sure yours wont pull out ? just put one or two fingers in the cassette slot and carefully pull out
maybe jiggle it a little
the aerial cable and electrical cable/plug will come out with the stereo to a certain point
then uplug them at the rear

from memory, the two bolts helpfully marked orange by matara are ONLY accessed thru the slot that your stereo sits in !
if I'm right then, getting the lower gearstick surround piece out wont help

 

[Jared]

the brittle awful plastic on these dashes makes even looking at them stressful

all of the stereo's I've needed to remove simply slipped straight out
its supposed to have some system to lock it in place with tabs on the side etc
but they dont seem to do anything
are you sure yours wont pull out ? just put one or two fingers in the cassette slot and carefully pull out
maybe jiggle it a little
the aerial cable and electrical cable/plug will come out with the stereo to a certain point
then uplug them at the rear

from memory, the two bolts helpfully marked orange by matara are ONLY accessed thru the slot that your stereo sits in !
if I'm right then, getting the lower gearstick surround piece out wont help

Yes that seems to be the case that the Orange-circled bolts are only accessible once the radio is removed.

I’ve tried jiggling but it seems to be pretty locked in place. I think I might need to work out what sort of key-things are required to pull it out properly

 

[schlitzaugen]

Yes, you need to take out that whole surround. You may have to check where it's held in place and look around there to find the screws you need to take out. I know you have to spread the side panels out a little bit to persuade it to come out, it doesn't just slide effortlessly out.

The stereo does have some system that you can use to take it out but I take it you don't have the right tools to do it and I can not advise what these tools are. On my car, I just pulled it out with a little bit of force, maybe mine had been taken out before, not sure. The stereo I have in now is from a different car and I removed the side clips so it doesn't lock in anymore. It is a good tight fit in the slot (all DIN stereos are) but it is now held form the back by that stud I told you about.

 

[run205]

yeah, your tabs on the sides are working as intended
I got 3 of these little stereo things in the owners manual when I bought a motor from the UK
they're supposed 2b for removing the stereo but can't work it out myself

instead maybe try:
get two nail files/long thin flat metal pieces, insert one each down the stereo side slits
this should depress each side tab
then extract the stubborn stereo..?

I just pulled out mine again
I had to pull it up from the sloping angle its on and then adjust to horizontal and then straight out

 

[AlexB]

yeah, your tabs on the sides are working as intended
I got 3 of these little stereo things in the owners manual when I bought a motor from the UK
they're supposed 2b for removing the stereo but can't work it out myself

instead maybe try:
get two nail files/long thin flat metal pieces, insert one each down the stereo side slits
this should depress each side tab
then extract the stubborn stereo..?

I just pulled out mine again
I had to pull it up from the sloping angle its on and then adjust to horizontal and then straight out

I think the UK have Clarion radios, Aus delivered have Eurovox. The U shape tool is similar to tool needed for later Eurovox units with 2 little holes on either side of radio instead of the vertical slot I can see in one of your pics. On the 205 and 306 Europox radios I've seen, this is the clip that you're trying to manipulate.