Today I'm going to walk you through how I upgraded my old Pioneer DEH P-7300 with a brand spanking new Pioneer DEH-P7200HD. The old deck was pretty nice for it's time but I decided I needed something that I didn't have to keep burning CDs for. Here we see old faithful mounted in the cupholder spot. You can tell it's an earlier 6th generation Civic. The latter ones have the pocket. The radio harness EASILY reaches down here for all you that ever wondered about it.


First thing we want to do is remove the six screws holding the front section of the console down. Three on this side and three on the other. It will go a lot easier if you remove the screws from the rear section where the ebrake/armrest is. Trust me.


Remove your shift ****.


Removed. Like the cheap Ractive shift boot thingy? I didn't. But it's been there since I bought the car and it's hell to keep clean so I don't try anymore. The horribly painted (with tabs broken) console has been there just as long. Whatever.
Place all screws in the door/handle pocket right in back of you. The floor is a hungry black hole that nothing can escape once it falls into it. You've been warned.


Cheaply painted console removed. Why is all this rusted? Maybe I'll paint it one day. Not today.


See this? It's the stock harness attached to one half of the aftermarket adapter plug. This adapter allows you to NOT have to cut wires. For all you lazy bastards out there...USE ONE!!! It's only about $12-$14 for crissakes! I know you mutants shop(lift) at Walmart so you have no excuse not to get one.
Unplug the antenna harness and anything else like RCAs for your amplifiers, from the back of the old deck.


This...

Not this...


Unit in the house.


I had it mounted with just 2 screws. One on each side. Don't know why I didn't use all four. Remove these.


Here's what makes swapping out decks so easy. The white thingamabobs are Posi-Lock quick connectors. These things are infinitely re-usuable. You'll never have to crimp wires or use butt-connectors, only to have them come loose somehow, while you're installing your deck. Ever! Since we're reusing them and the adapter let's remove these for right now to separate the wiring adapter from the old radios harness. You only have to remove one side. That's the side connected to the old decks wires. Leave the other end of the connector attached to the adapter plug. I told you we would be re-using it. If you bought one new just attach all the wires. It SHOULD be self-explanatory.


This is what one looks like removed or as it is looks brand new when not attached to anything. Each unit comes in three pieces that screw together on the ends.


Another angle of it. You can see the metal core in the center piece that conducts the current through the connector.


Adapter totally removed. Looks like some kind of jellyfish.


Old unit ready to be put in storage for a backup or sold on the cheap. Yard sale anyone?


Shiny new deck with mounting sleeve. We won't need it. The sleeve of course.


Review the manufacturers instructions prior to hooking up wires. I don't care HOW many times you may have done this. The one time you DON'T will bite you in the ***. Usually the wires are matched color for color, especially the speaker wires, but that is not true 100% of the time when it comes to the power wires. Make absolutely sure they do if you don't want to burn/blow up your deck.


Remove the faceplate. Don't ask why. Just do it!!! I'll tell you why later.


Remove the bezel. It won't fit on the deck once you have it installed anyway. Don't believe me? Try it then come back and tell me so I can say I told you so.


Bezel removed.


Time to remove the mounting sleeve. You won't be using it if you mount the deck in this location.


Use the two "keys" that they provide you to unlock the sleeve from the deck. One is key is slid into each side of the unit to make this happen. Insert each into the little slot and push down until you hear a click.


Slide sleeve down off of unit. Just like pulling down a chicks skirt.


Sleeve is now free to be released back into the wild. Time to Nom. Be right back.


Okay. Time to attach the adapter harness to the new decks wiring harness.


If your deck's wires were not pre-cut, meaning the sheathing has already been separated, then go ahead and remove about a quarter inch of sheathing from the wires. If they were, you probably have about half an inch or more of exposed wiring. Cut some of the exposed wire down to about a quarter inch. If you have a spade connector attached to your decks ground wire, clip it off (yes, off!). We'll be attaching it directly to the ground wire of the adapter harness. You should NOT have to go to any other wire source in the car to get your deck to power up. Not the cigarette lighter. Not the dimmer switch. NOTHING!!! Be hardheaded if you want to. In 15+ years of using these harnesses I have yet to do so.


Once done, slide one of the Posi-Lock end caps over the newly cut and exposed wire coming off of the new decks harness.


Push exposed end of the decks corresponding (meaning "same color" to most of you because I know you didn't read the directions) wire up against the metal core inside of the Posi-Lock connector. Make sure the wire does not lose contact with the core while you screw the connector shut. This is when you thank your creator for giving you opposable thumbs.


Screw that end of the connector into the body of the Posi-Lock. Make it real tight and it will NEVER come off or works its way loose.


Finished surgery.


Slide new deck into mounting bracket.


Align mounting holes on both sides of unit with brackets and secure with the supplied screws (that I thought I took a picture of). When you mount your deck in the top location you never ever use these screws.


Attach wire harness to back of deck. Make sure it clicks into place.


Now your deck has a tail!


Back in the car...
Plug up the adapter harness plug up to the stock radio harness. Do the same for the antenna and any RCAs or other connections that you had on the old deck or any new ones you make want to install. Now would be a good time to plug up some spare RCAs just in case you plan on adding any amps to your setup.


NOW install faceplate. Why did I wait until now? It's because I have learned from past experience that when I DON'T it somehow always managed to get scratched during the install.


Cross your fingers (Sorry. No pic.)

Power up the deck by turning the key in the ignition. It's Alive!!! Turn deck back off. Don't ask why. Just do it!!!


Take mounting screws from door pocket and reinstall. Power up the deck again. Why? Yes you can ask now. This is to double check that the deck actually works in it's new home and isn't shorting out. Sometimes if you strip the wires too long some of the wire may be exposed OUTSIDE of the Posi-Lock connector and once you get it to this point is where it may short.


Once you are satisfied with your handiwork and that all functions of the deck work and your amp is still able to make your sub-woofer thump, begin the process of re-installing the console.

That's it!!! Enjoy your new deck and clean your car.

 

Nice.

 

Why mount the deck in that pocket area? I always wondered why people put the primary deck down there?

What is in the orig radio spot?

 

You could put gauges there or a digital display if you race your car. Makes it easier to monitor temps, etc. and watch the road. I've got a Tunerview where the radio is with my radio by the cupholder and i like the setup much better.

 

In the original spot I have a wideband, oil pressure and boost gauge. I had a slideout touch screen hooked to a carputer but the computer was too old to make the touchscreen actually work. If I ever upgrade the computer I'll install my Neptune software on it so I can tune on the fly.