OK, I have a 98 DX hatch. I have installed power windows and locks in it by using a floor harness from a 96-98 EX. Now, from what I've read, I found out that the 96-98 keyless entry runs through the factory radio, which I no longer have. If I bought the unit off eBay (found one the other day for $35) what would I need to do in order to make keyless work?

Also, is the plug for the unit located on the floor harness?

 

Factory radio is not needed if your running an aftermarket alarm. If you swapped the harness over, I think you can just tap it into the harness for your alarm and it will run. Inside your climate control you should see two harness plugs, one for factory radio with keyless and the other without. However, for the EX that came with factory keyless entry, once the factory radio is unplugged, the dome light stops working in door mode and factory keyless. So in order to run a aftermarket head unit with dome light and factory keyless working, you will need a harness for an EX. You can find those on Amazon or your local bestbuy.

Since you have a DX, I don't think that will be an issue.

 

You need the dashboard wire harness and radio with a valet switch from a Civic EX, LX, or HX (USA) if you want the keyless system. The reason is that only these models have a radio with the keyless system and radio connector B.

 

I have a '98 EX that came with the factory keyless btw.

I wanted to change the radio though so I had to hide the original one behind the dash. Huge pain in the ***. It barely fits. You also have to install it in such a way that you can reach it again in case you need to reset the keyless.

The only way I could get it to fit was to take the front piece off. Then I'd have to put it back on to reprogram the keyless.

Eventually the wiring just tears up in the connection from the radio to the face.

Eventually I just ripped the whole radio out of there and gave up on having stock keyless.

It's just too much of a pain.

The keyless needs to be reprogrammed if it loses battery power or, in my experience, just randomly.

I'd skip the OE keyless if you want to have a different radio than stock.

 

I just left my OEM radio where it was and stuck the aftermarket deck where the cupholder is. I tried tucking it and it's not worth it. Did you use aftermarket harness to keep the dome light function?

I don't think DX has the dome light issue if you take off the OE radio.

 

I have mine positioned where you can pull the aftermarket radio out reach down in, the factory radio is pointed up and I can hit the valet button, not easy with big hands but I am used to it.

As for losing programming, I had a remote that was new and never used, I think it loses programming because of older remotes, try a new remote, not just a new battery, with my new remote it is much better.

 

I didn't want that because imo it looks ugly and cluttered.
Yep, mine was down in the lower section of the center console stack. I and others tried to get it to fit with the front. It was just too wide. Carrying around an additional radio in the car was just very clumsy.

Didn't want to buy a brand new remote, though I used several remotes on it. they all worked the same.

Just overall not worth the trouble when I could have a much cleaner and simpler to care for (plus more options) keyless/alarm system put in.

 

Thanks for all the help guys. If it's that much trouble, I'm not going to worry about it. Just figured if it would be a plug-n-play type deal then it'd be worth it.

 

Just go aftermarket.