So, Nobody replied to my post looking for advice about dissembling the dash to access the car stereo. Never fear, Crutchfield promised DETAILED instructions for how to do so without breaking it. So I paid the extra $10 to get the item from them so I could get the instructions. However, in step 2, the part where they could have told me how to remove the power outlet trimpanel, it says "Pry off panel". Great. Prying off the cover leaves me with four plastic tabs broken off the cover and lodged in the tab socket in the dash. Worse yet, the broken off tabs WILL NOT come out of their sockets (which are made of cheap-a$$ plastic so they're about to break too). WTF was honda thinking by using thes un-removeable snap tabs? Dang it, WTF is wrong with a screw head showing here and there so we could actually work on these f-ing cars without breaking the crap out of them?

AARGH!

Ok thanks for letting me vent. Now anyone had success with these superman tabs and can help me? Thanks.

PS, anyone know where I can buy a new F-ing trimpanel?

Whoa there. Take a deep breath. I know those Honda dashes are tricky. I took apart the dash to install a new head unit in my 2001 Honda Accord and my roommate's 2001 Honda CRV. Not the easiest dashes to pry apart.

My best resource was handaaccessories.com. They provide PDFs of OFFICIAL HONDA install instructions for honda factory stereo components. There are step by step diagrams on how to disassemble the dash. Hopefully these are more useful than the Crutchfield instructions.

http://www.handaaccessories.com/civelec01.html
Good luck.

Any time you do your own installation you run the risk of breaking things. Trust me, I never like factory audio systems and refuse to pay someone else to do replace them for me. So don't feel too bad, most cars are not built to be taken apart.

I doubt many people have been in the dash of an HCH, but is there any chance you could take some pictures of the trouble area and post them up? Maybe someone will have an idea of what to do if we can get a good look. And if not, at least it might save a few dozen other people the same problem if they know what they're getting into ahead of time.

**EDIT**

Just realized we're talking about a first gen, not second gen HCH. There might be some better onfo on another general Civic forum on the net that would apply.

Yeah, I hate all forms of CS tabs with secret non intuitive ways to remove them(or worse, requiring some special tool! Why not just use small captured screws; everyone would know how to take them out.
I feel your pain. Luck,Charlie

Oh believe you me, I took some deep breaths. I took a shower and cleared my head, and then had a breakthrough. [This is an important lesson I learned from reading "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance". When the job starts to head south, take a break and clear your head before you dig yourself deeper.]

I figured out the problem. The Crutchfield instructions were wrong, or at least meant for a different model. They showed that whole trimpanel was mounted with plastic snap tabs, and that prying with the appropriate force one could pop them out. Unfortunately on my car four of them were not tabs at all, but screwed in from the back side. I had to dissemble the trim around the gear shift and remove the center console to get at the back side to remove the screws. The instructions for the '03 EX model were closer to being correct than the hybrid docs.

So, my solution will be to drill four holes, one in each corner of the trimpanel where the tabs broke off, and put clip-on nuts where the screws used to come through from the back. Then I'll use black screws to re-attach my broken trimpanel. I think it will look ok. If not then I can still buy a new trimpanel.

I have done a lot of work on car dashboards. I used to install radios, computers, carphone kits and other electronics in police cars and fire trucks for a living. I have seen a lot of naked dashboards, but I've never seen one that made me do that much work to get at the radio. Freaking ridiculous. In any case I will be notifying Crutchfield that they need to update their instructions.

Thanks to all for the venting session. I will try to get pics of the innards when I go back to fix the trim panel. I am still waiting for a better cable to finish the job, so I need to open it up again anyway.

This turned out to be a really good ipod solution so those of you who are considering an ipod in a Gen1 might be interested. I'll post pics of that setup too.

Oh man, don't I wish. I really don't mind the look of a screw head anyway. Color match it and everything's fine with me. Plus most car interiors are looking pretty industrial nowadays anyway, the screws would only add to the look IMO.

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/...SENGER+SIDE%29

Sorry, can't find the part for the 04. But the part itself is only about $7.00. You can get it at the dealer.

Here is a picture. What number is the part thats broke?

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/...5b01_b3715.gif

My hydroponics experiment

You ever notice how hard it is to lip read cartoon characters?
"Crazy is what the sane call Delta Flyer"

Thanks for that link. Nice diagram. I broke number 12, which is not on the price list. Actually it's number 31 for just the trim panel by itself. You're right, $6.38 is pretty cheap. Or is that not the list for the '04? What did you mean by that?

I might have a solution though, read my follow-up above about finding a new way to screw the panel on. Actually this might be better than getting the factory replacement because it will allow me to remove this trim without dissembling the gear shift and center console trim.