Factory Antenna Replacement
 

The following are instructions for replacing the factory antenna on '96 - '00 Civics (may apply to other years, too).

1. The Easy Way. Do what everybody else already recommended: tie a string or line to the connector-end of the old antenna coax cable BEFORE you pull it out of the car. That way you'll have a line to pull the new antenna coax back down through the A-pillar.

2. The Hard Way. You're reading this because you didn't follow Instruction #1 above. What a blunder you've made! You've turned an hour's job into an all-day torture session with no end in sight. You've been cutting your knuckles and swearing trying to find a hole for the new coax cable to feed through, right? Don't worry, I've been there and there is a solution. Read on!

First, let's review what you should NOT do (because it won't help). One: do NOT remove the plastic A-Pillar trim. The coax cable does not hide behind the trim...there are no access holes for the coax cable to route through behind the trim...you cannot see anything more than you can with the trim installed; so don't bother removing it.

Two: do NOT remove the front fender. There are no holes or access panels hiding behind the front fender to get to the coax cable. Photo #1 shows what it looks like with the fender removed - that large oval access hole does NOT get you access to the antenna's coax cable...you can't get to anything more than you can with the fender on, so don't bother removing it.

Now, for what you SHOULD do. Inside the car, remove the lower left knee bolster panel (the panel below the steering wheel). With the driver's door open, look where the electrical cable feeds through the body (the body, not the door). On the inside of the car, find where that electrical cable comes out under the dash (above the left kick panel). Once you find it, you may also find a square piece of thick insulating foam crammed around that cable for noise insulation. Pull that foam out. The large square-shaped hole that the foam came out of is the hole where the antenna's coax cable needs to come out.

You'll need to make a device to stick down the A-piller from the opening in the roof where the antenna goes down to that opening in the kick panel where the foam and electrical cable goes. I made mine using the old antenna. Securely tie a piece of heavy string about 3 - 4 feet long to the end of the antenna (see photo). Stick it down the A-pillar until it cannot go any further. Then from inside the car, reach into that hole where the foam/electrical cable was and feel around for the end of the stick (the old antenna, or whatever you're shoving down the A-pillar). Hint: it helps to have someone else gently move the stick (antenna) around so you can feel for it. Once you have it, pull it through the hole opening just enough to grab the string you tied onto it. Tie-off the loose end of the string to something (so it cannot accidentally be pulled back up the A-pillar). Now pull the stick (old antenna) up and out of the A-pillar and untie the string from it.

Next, tie the string to the new antenna's coax-connector (see photo). Insert the coax cable into the roof opening and GENTLY pull the other end of the string to guide and pull the coax down the A-pillar. If you do everything correctly, the new coax cable will pull out the hole (see photo) and now you can connect it to the radio coax connector (see photo). Replace the foam insulation and the lower knee bolster panel. Voila!

mray, what a great first post!

Admin or Mod: I highly recommend that this thread be moved to the DIY section.

awesome thread. need to do this. i'll make sure to follow the easy way.

o ya it should be a DIY. i did this on my 99civic and i just used a tiny string.. well long story short it snagged on something and broke... turning the job into the PITA!!!!!! took alot of giggling wires and busted up knuckles!

just be sure to use some strong string/rope. and also it helps to use some electrical tape around the knotted string and the tip of the antena wire.... it just helps alittle when pulling the new antena thru the pillar smoother and also helps hold the knot tight.

I used the old cable to pull the new one down. I think the official instructions that came with the antenna also suggest this method.

Disconnect the cable from the radio and pull it out from under the dash so it is hanging free at the side of the car. Remove the screws holding the old antenna and pull it out until the plastic tube is out. Some of the old cable will still be accessible inside the car, but double check as you're pulling it. Cut the cable off the old antenna, leaving at least 6 inches of cable above the car roof. Throw the antenna part away. Tape the plug of the new cable to the end of the old cable that is outside the car. Use the old cable to pull the new cable down (push the new cable in while pulling on the old one.) Once you have the new plug inside the car, untape the old cable and discard it. Install the new antenna completely. Route the cable to the radio and plug it in.

Thanks! Been trying go figure where it came out. Thanks!