STi stereo install tips?
 

So, how do I remove the plastic fascia that covers the screws holding in the headunit? Do I remove the big screw under the ashtray and the screw under the cupholder, or does that one just remove said cupholder?

I have a stereo coming in from IkeSound and am anxious to install it, but first I must know how to install it...also, if anyone has install tips for the components in the front and the 4" in the rear, like do the rear need speaker baffles?

Anyway, I got rearended in my 2 week old STi this evening by some lzr w/out insurance or a drivers license. Reported that crap at the Police Station as hit-and-run...hopefully the vehicle is insured cuz I sure got the license plate...if I thought the wait for the STi was bad, I can't imagine the wait for STi parts...

:eek:

To install the head unit. Open the cup holder and unsrew the two srews holding it in and reomve it. Then the trim around the radio including the heater and A/C controls just pops out. You might have to pry at it a little bit but it just clips out. Then there is 6 srew that hold the pocket and the stereo in( or were the stere is supposed to be). Then just plug your stereo up bolt it in and pop everything back in. Hope that helps plus that sucks about getting rear ended. Good luck

For the speakers, if you didn't get them already, i'd go down to the dealers, or subaruparts.com, and order 16 of part #84985B

[URL=http://www.subaruparts.com/diag/?model=5A&year=2002&style=WRX&body=sedan&scn=8&category=862-1]Check out the diagram here[/URL]

Its the square grommets that fit into the door which gives you the screw holes to mount the speakers, the ones i ordered 2 weeks ago are backordered all the way to japan, since portland HQ is out of them and it seems like everywhere else is.

As for installing components, depending on what speakers you are getting, you may or may not get a spacer/adapter, if you don't, then you'll need to fabricate a spacer/adapter, as our cars use a trianglular screw pattern and some speakers use a square 4 screw pattern.

For the head unit, i would definately recommend getting a wiring harness and connecting that to your hu's wiring harness. The part in question is a harness made by metra, and should be avaliable at most places where you get car audio parts. Ask for an 02/03 harness for the wrx, and they should give you one that just is labeled for 94-96 imprezas, that would be the correct one (unless they packaged it and now it says 02, in which case thats fine too) The colors of the wires should match up with the ones on your harness, if not, then consult the hu's manual and just line them up.

I used quick disconnects from radio shack and crimped them onto the wires since i was pretty sure i'd make a mistake matching up the wires, but even a stupid monkey like me did it right the first time, so anyone should be able to do it.

The whole hu install with the crimping and the connecting took 15 minutes.

You can get the little square plastic nuts at almost any auto parts store but they don't always have them. I was lucky enough to find 3 packs of them for like a 1.50 a pack. I found the part number
Made by Motormite. They are for screw sizes #8 or #10. Here is the part number for the package, 45834