How to Install an In-Dash Stereo in a 1998 Honda CRV

In the 1997 model year, Honda took a leap into the compact SUV marketplace when it released the CR-V, based on the Civics platform. The CR-V gave Honda buyers the ability to own a vehicle with the notorious reliability of a Civic and the utility of an SUV. The 1998 CR-V came standard with a 126-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and an AM-FM, four-speaker audio system. In the EX trim level the top trim the CR-V came standard with a CD player, which also had a security system that required you to enter a security code before the radio will work if it loses power. Replacing the radio on the 1998 CR-V is a detailed process that varies slightly between a CR-V with a manual transmission and one with an automatic transmission.

Instructions

Find the radios security card, the card that the dealership gave to the original owner when the car was new. If you do not have the security card, make certain you note the serial number of the radio once you remove it. You can find the serial number on the radios information placard affixed to the top of the radio.

Remove the two screws along the bottom of the drivers side under-dash cover, the panel nearest your knees while driving, using a Phillips screwdriver. Pry outward along the top of the panel with a flat-head screwdriver to unfasten its retaining clips. Disconnect the rear hatch glass opener wiring harness, then remove the panel from the vehicle.

Open the glove box and find the stoppers on the two outermost walls. Hold the glove box at about a 45-degree angle with your knee. Slide each of the glove box stops toward the rear of the vehicle to disengage them from the glove box wall and pull each stopper from the glove box.

Remove the two screws securing the glove box hinges to the dashboard using a Phillips screwdriver. Pull the glove box from the dashboard.

Proceed to Step 7 if your CR-V has a manual transmission. On an automatic transmission model, pry the push-in-style retaining clips from the sides of the lower console cover, the trim panel on the base of the center of the dashboard, using a flat-head screwdriver, then pull it outward firmly to disengage its retaining clips.

Open the center dashboard pocket, the pocket below the cup holders, and remove its six retaining screws with a Phillips screwdriver. Insert a flat-head screwdriver just above the top, passengers side screw hole in the pocket and pry downward lightly to disengage the retaining hook. Pull outward on the pocket to remove it along with the cup holder. Proceed to Step 10.

Unscrew the shifter knob from the manual gear shifter by hand. Remove the four center console-retaining screws one on either side nearest the rear of the SUV and two inside the center console storage pocket using a Phillips screwdriver. Pry the push-in-style retaining clips from either side of the front-most part of the center console, using a flat-head screwdriver.

Pull the center console rearward, then upward to guide it from the manual shifter. Remove the center console from the vehicle.

Remove the four screws securing the center upper pocket, the pocket just above the center console on a manual transmission model using the Phillips screwdriver. Pull the center upper pocket from the dashboard and out of the vehicle.

Remove the four screws securing the center dashboard lower cover, the large panel at the base of the dashboards center using a Phillips screwdriver there are two screws on the bottom of the cover and two on the right side. Pry the top drivers side and the top center of the cover outward with a flat-head screwdriver to disengage its retaining clips.

Pull the center dashboard lower cover outward just enough to access the wiring harnesses connecting to the various electrical components on the panel. Disconnect the wiring harnesses and remove the cover from the vehicle.

Look on the dashboard on either side of the center panel, the trim piece that surrounds the radio and climate controls, and find the two bolts. Remove these bolts with a ratchet and socket. Pry around the perimeter of the center panel with a flat-head screwdriver to unfasten its retaining clips and pull the panel out just enough to access the climate control and radio wiring.

Disconnect the two climate control wiring harnesses, the 16-pin radio wiring harness and the radios antenna wire. Remove the center panel with the radio attached to it.

Remove the four bolts securing the radio to the center panel and slide the radio and storage pocket from the center panel. Remove the two screws securing the storage pocket to the radio, using a Phillips screwdriver, and pull the pocket from the radio.

Guide the pocket onto the stereo, aligning its screw holes with the screw holes in the brackets. Tighten the pocket-retaining screws with a Phillips screwdriver.

Slide the radio and pocket into the center panel, aligning the bolt holes on the radio with those in the radio bracket attached to the center panel. Tighten the radio-retaining bolts until they are snug using a ratchet and socket.

Set the center panel close enough to the dashboard for the climate control and radio wiring to reach their receptacles. Connect the 16-pin harness to the radios receptacle and plug the antenna wire into the antenna inlet on the radio. Connect the climate control wiring harnesses.

Align the retaining clip on the center panel with the slots in the dashboard and press the panel onto the dashboard to engage the clips. Snug the two center panel bolts with a ratchet and socket.

Plug the wiring harnesses into their receptacles on the center dashboard lower cover, then align the retaining clips on the left side of the cover with the slots in the dashboard. Press the left side of the cover onto the dashboard to engage the retaining clips. Tighten the covers four retaining screws with a Phillips screwdriver to secure it.

Proceed to Step 8, if your CR-V has an automatic transmission. On a manual transmission model, guide the center upper pocket into place in the dashboard, guiding its locating pin into the locator hole in the dashboard. Tighten the pockets four retaining screws. Proceed to Step 10.

Guide the center console over the manual shifter, sliding the shifter through the hole in the top of the shifter boot, then slide the console forward to align its fastener holes with those in the dashboard. Tighten the four center console-retaining screws and press the two push-in-style retaining clips to secure it. Screw the gear shifter knob onto the gear shifter lever by hand. Proceed to Step 9.

Insert the center pocket and beverage holder into their cavity in the dashboard on automatic transmission models, aligning the locator pin with the locator hole in the dashboard and the retaining hook with its slot in the dashboard. Tighten the center pocket's six retaining screws.

Align the two retaining clips on the lower console cover with their slots in the dashboard. Press the lower cover onto the dashboard to snap the clips into place. Press the push-in-style pins into the holes on either side of the cover to secure it.

Guide the glove box into its cutout in the dashboard and align the bolt holes in the glove boxs hinges with those in the dashboard. Tighten the glove box hinge bolts to 7 foot-pounds using a torque wrench and socket.

Lift the glove box until the stopper holes are inside the cutout in the dashboard. Insert each stopper into its hole and slide each one forward to lock it into place.

Plug the rear hatch glass opener wiring harness to its receptacle in the drivers dashboard lower cover and lift the cover into place. Align the retaining clips along the top of the cover with their slots in the dashboard and press the panel onto the dashboard to lock the clips into place. Tighten the lower covers screws with a Philips screwdriver.

Contact your local Honda dealership with the vehicle identification number and the radio serial number if you could not find the radio security card. Alternatively, you can log onto Hondas Radio and Navigation Code Retrieval page to get the code with the information along with your ZIP code and phone number. To use this page, you must access it during normal business hours, which are Sunday through Friday from 4 a.m. to 9:p.m. Pacific Standard Time and 4 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Saturdays.

Turn the CR-Vs ignition to the Acc position and turn the radio on. Observe as the radios display reads Code.

Press and release the preset buttons that correspond with the radios security code. Once you enter the last number, the radio will operate as normal, if you entered the code correctly. If you enter the code incorrectly three times in a row, ERRE appears on the display and you must leave the radio and ignition on for one hour before you can attempt to unlock it again.