NB OEM stereo removal

spotz · Post by **spotz** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 9:07 pm

How can I remove the original Mazda radio/cd/cassette?
This is as far as I got

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/t ... tereo1.jpg
sorry it's out of focus. Digital cam focusing sucks
this http://www.madracki.com/miata/moddualdin.html doesn't seem to apply

Do I have to remove the surrounding dashboard? Or?

MX5PWR · Post by **MX5PWR** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 9:16 pm

Where you removed the thin side plates, you insert stout wire or long nails which will release the springs that hold the unit in place. You do not have to remove the surround at all. The unit will have the wring connectors in behind the unit.
Good luck.

spotz · Post by **spotz** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 7:49 pm

I wriggled & jiggled, but without any success. The whole unit could be moved several mm's from side to side in the console. At no time did it even hint at any willingness to allow itself to be removed. I'm contemplating on leaving it up the "the pro's"

On the plus side I did discover why I cannot get my favourite station ( I listen to 90.0 classic hits fm ). It's an odd ( not even ) radio. In that it whilst it seems capable of receiving all & sundry, it only gives good sound to odd frequencies. IE 90.7 gives good sound, but 90.6 will not ( the sound will be mostly compost ).

poison · Post by **poison** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 8:16 pm

spotz wrote:..... why I cannot get my favourite station ( I listen to 90.0 classic hits fm )

You would probably need to get a British Racing Green MX5 to listen to Classic Hits, as they both suck

spotz · Post by **spotz** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 8:28 pm

If that's what it takes ... After all there's a sucker born every day

Euen · Post by **Euen** » Sun Oct 15, 2006 2:18 pm

Spotz, if your car is an import with the original Jap radio in it then it could be that the band shifter may be slightly off tune. A new NZ spec radio should fix that.

Regarding the comments about using wire down the side to release the spring clips, a lot of aftermarket radios come with a couple of "tools" that can be used to release the springs. The ones I have seen are about 100 to 120mm long and about 5mm x 1.5mm section and fit into slots on either side of the radio. Not sure if this applies to the radio you are trying to remove though.

Cheers
Euen

RD5T3R · Post by **RD5T3R** » Sun Oct 15, 2006 5:19 pm

From my experience the panel trim needs to come off because the radio is actually screwed to the frame not sprung loaded. That means the gear lever console comes out first to get to the screws below it. Then the trim, then the radio.

If it is one of the spring loaded models there's at least 20 different release keys so go see an expert radio fitter or you'll be there for hours!!!

I concur with the dodgy bandwidth issue too. A band expander would help but you still get the funny numbering so go get a decent model made for the local market and you'll be happier in the long run.

Good luck.

spotz · Post by **spotz** » Sun Oct 15, 2006 9:18 pm

thanks RD5T3R. I noticed a couple of tabs on the top of the unit, which might be holding the trim in place. But didn't have time to investigate any further. Will try next weekend. I have seen screws half hidden by the unit, and cannot tell if they're holding it or it's bracket in position.

Euen. The car is an imported Mazdaspeed version. If I can't remove the face using the tabs I've found, then it'll have to go to the pro's

. In the meantime I've found a station I can listen to. I do have a nz new unit from my old car which is currently on trademe. I prefer it as not only did it cost $500 back in march, but in can play MP3's. So I can go on holiday with fewer "CD's".

MX5PWR · Post by **MX5PWR** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 7:30 am

The series I had the unit screwed in, however the series II is spring loaded with no screws. It might take a bit of playing around, I used pices of welding rod in weach hole, you have to have a piece in all holes at the same time to release the unit. Removing the trim does not give you any more access to the unit, it is also spring loaded and can break easy if you are not carefull with applying even presure at all spring points at the same time.

the bear · Post by **the bear** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 8:02 pm

The trick to getting the radio/cd unit out is this:

Find yourself 4 nails, just the right diameter to fit in those 4 holes exposed when the little side trims come off. Insert all 4 nails, and press them inward till you feel the spring clip "give" a little. Then place a hand against each pair of nails and press outward (away from the centre of the radio), then maintaining this outward pressure, pull the radio out using the nails.

I had a stuck CD changer, and removed the radio in 5 mins flat, unstuck the changer, and refitted it. All working nicely now, and not an auto electrician in sight!

Hope this helps!

spotz · Post by **spotz** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 9:59 pm

good & bad news in random order ...

There are tabs, that can be "nailed". I took the glovebox out & snuck a look in behind. However this unit has eight

holes for them, 4 on each side ( at times like I need to be an octopus ). And to make matters worse it feels like at least 2 and possibly 3 of the tabs are AWOL

.

I did try 2 types of wire, which weren't strong enough. And nails, which needed octopus hands.

Whilst doing all this I also had a quick look to see if the dash was easy to remove, without reading "the instructions"

. I couldn't see how.

I've also found that the gear lever console doesn't have to come out, before removing the screws at the bottom of the centre console. Removing the trim surrounding the gear lever & gently pushing the plastic down will allow enough room to unscrew

.

spotz · Post by **spotz** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 10:11 pm

I've also been wondering if this unit could be from Bose

. As the doors do vibrate to the sound of music. If it is, I'll have to replace the speakers as well. Is there any easy way of working out if it's Bose or better? The only ID on the front that might help is 1207. The Audiologic FM Radio Band Expander is model BQ10 .

Grant · Post by **Grant** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 11:20 pm

The Bose one in my 1998 NB has Bose written on the head unit and on the door
speaker covers. The amplifier is mounted on the transmission tunnel in front
of the gear lever. I left the amp there when I replaced my Bose head unit as
I couldn't be bothered removing it. Just unplugged it and used the speaker
wires to save me running new ones. The wire is quite a small gauge though so
beats me how the very low impedance Bose system worked correctly with the
inherent resistance in the wire. 8 inch speakers will fit in place of the
very low impedance Bose door speakers which require the Bose amplifier to
work correctly as it contains equalisation to correct the frequency response
of the speakers. They still sound bad though, very muddy bass but lots of
it.

Grant.

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spotz · Post by **spotz** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 10:24 pm

Bingo

I got it out this afternoon, using the 2 screwdriver method shown here
http://www.fosketts.net/stephen/miata/n ... index.html

It's now on trademe.

Does anyone know what the black connector I'm holding in this photo does?
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/t ... plug1s.jpg 120k
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y295/t ... plug1b.jpg 595k
It was attached to the rear of the old unit.

The new unit will be bolted in, somehow

KSCRIM · Post by **KSCRIM** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 12:34 am

That connector is the main earth wire for the Head unit. The OEM radio has a tab on the back for it to connect to. I made a tab up and fitted it under one of the screws on the rear of the Head unit I fitted to my 98NB when I got rid of the JDM OEM Bose HU. (fed up with poor performance with a band expander)
It is fairly important to have the proper earth connected to get the best performance from the radio, (and minimise the chances of earth loop whine).

poison · Post by **poison** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 1:50 am

It's an earth wire, some stereo's have a tab on the chassis of them for this earth, the white plug has one already anyway. Best install is to go to Repco and buy an adaptor for about $18 that goes from your brand of choice, ie; Alpine to the Mazda plug.

New stereos come with a small mounting frame that the stereo slides into, these are piece of cake to install, just read the manual, but you will also need to buy a storage holder or something from Mazda to fill half the hole as the original stereo is double DIN and the new ones usually only single DIN.

If it comes with a rubber sleeved metal screw for the back of the stereo do use it, it fits into the slot at the back of the now empty stereo hole http://www.fosketts.net/stephen/miata/n ... ep%209.jpg.
And takes the weight off the mounting frame.

Gazza

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kiwikazza · Post by **kiwikazza** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 9:30 pm

Hi have puchased a lovely banana rama 1990 roadster. The speakers in the head rest vibrate when the volume goes up. Is there anyway I can recify this and if so how? cheers

poison · Post by **poison** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 12:28 am

Common failure, look around the top of the headrest and you will find a zip under the trim. A little stiff, but open that and fold down the front to reveal the speakers. Just pull tem out and unscrew them from the little boxes and get new ones from Ross at www.mx5mart.co.nz it's an easy swap.

Or if you want to upgrade you have to find some 3inch speakers and cut the foam, for most people the original type will be fine.

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