Double DIN in stock position
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Joined: Apr 2008
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Double DIN in stock position
Hi all!
To my knowledge, my S2000 is now the ONLY S2000 in the world to have a double DIN touchscreen receiver installed in the stock position, which still preserving the airbag system AND keeping the air vents.
After a lot of sweat, tears, and nail biting, I'm thrilled to say that it's all finally done. Now comes the fun part... posting pictures!
To catch everyone up, I had decided a while ago to put a double DIN receiver in my S2000. I am a little bit of a gadget nerd... I had GPS hanging off the windshield and Satellite radio hanging under the rearview mirror. I liked having everything in the car, but I didn't like the clutter. One of the great things about owning an S2000 is the simplicity and functionality (unless we are talking about the "mode" thing to the left of the steering wheel... is that a knob? Or a button?).
Anyway, I started researching options on double DIN installs in S2000's. For anyone else who has browsed some of these, you probably saw this one first:
I wondered why they cut the dash.. after doing some research, I discovered the problem. Under the single DIN receiver that comes stock in the S2000 is the SRS ECU box. Its mounted in the center of the car under the radio, completely level, facing forward, because there is an impact sensor inside that can deploy the airbags. The Honda engineers put it there because the center of the car is the most likely area to survive a crash, and the ECU has to be able to deploy to airbags to save your life.
Therefore, there is a trade-off S2000 owners have to make if they want a double DIN... either cut the dash, where there is room, or give up your airbag system. If you choose to go this route, this is one of the coolest examples I found:
After talking with several Honda techs at the Stealership, including a guy who has worked on S2000's since they came to America, I enlisted the help of Norsky over at Hi Tek Car Stuff (www.hitekcarstuff.com) to try something that to my knowledge has never been done in an S2000: A double DIN install that would allow me to keep my center air vents, keep my airbags, and not slice my dash.
Figuring out the install took us a while or two. We wanted to move slowly and think things through before we started this project, because frankly, I didn't want to misjudge something and have the airbags blow up in my face. That is not a cheap problem to fix.
Once we had done our research and thought through our game plan, we started work. After a lot of sweat and heart pounding-nail biting moments, we arrived at the finished product:
My new setup has a lot of incredibly cool features. Here's a few:
1.) I can change the TTS files, to give my car's GPS any voice I want. Kit from Knight Rider? Just upload and go!
2.) Lots of the features are customizable, right down to the color my head unit glows. Here's one of the cool features, in fact:
3.) The head unit manages my GPS, Ipod (connection is in the glove box), sat radio, and accepts input from jump drives and SD cards.
4.) It connects to the internet in real time with Microsoft Live! to route me around traffic accidents and update me on the weather. I can also check movie times, or even find the lowest gas prices and have my GPS route me there. Too cool!
5.) The best parts: my center air vents still work, and look... no SRS light!
Yes, I know my dash looks very dusty in this picture. I'll try to take some better ones after I get her detailed. =)
To my knowledge, my S2000 is now the ONLY S2000 in the world to have a double DIN touchscreen receiver installed in the stock position, which still preserving the airbag system AND keeping the air vents.
After a lot of sweat, tears, and nail biting, I'm thrilled to say that it's all finally done. Now comes the fun part... posting pictures!
To catch everyone up, I had decided a while ago to put a double DIN receiver in my S2000. I am a little bit of a gadget nerd... I had GPS hanging off the windshield and Satellite radio hanging under the rearview mirror. I liked having everything in the car, but I didn't like the clutter. One of the great things about owning an S2000 is the simplicity and functionality (unless we are talking about the "mode" thing to the left of the steering wheel... is that a knob? Or a button?).
Anyway, I started researching options on double DIN installs in S2000's. For anyone else who has browsed some of these, you probably saw this one first:
I wondered why they cut the dash.. after doing some research, I discovered the problem. Under the single DIN receiver that comes stock in the S2000 is the SRS ECU box. Its mounted in the center of the car under the radio, completely level, facing forward, because there is an impact sensor inside that can deploy the airbags. The Honda engineers put it there because the center of the car is the most likely area to survive a crash, and the ECU has to be able to deploy to airbags to save your life.
Therefore, there is a trade-off S2000 owners have to make if they want a double DIN... either cut the dash, where there is room, or give up your airbag system. If you choose to go this route, this is one of the coolest examples I found:
After talking with several Honda techs at the Stealership, including a guy who has worked on S2000's since they came to America, I enlisted the help of Norsky over at Hi Tek Car Stuff (www.hitekcarstuff.com) to try something that to my knowledge has never been done in an S2000: A double DIN install that would allow me to keep my center air vents, keep my airbags, and not slice my dash.
Figuring out the install took us a while or two. We wanted to move slowly and think things through before we started this project, because frankly, I didn't want to misjudge something and have the airbags blow up in my face. That is not a cheap problem to fix.
Once we had done our research and thought through our game plan, we started work. After a lot of sweat and heart pounding-nail biting moments, we arrived at the finished product:
My new setup has a lot of incredibly cool features. Here's a few:
1.) I can change the TTS files, to give my car's GPS any voice I want. Kit from Knight Rider? Just upload and go!
2.) Lots of the features are customizable, right down to the color my head unit glows. Here's one of the cool features, in fact:
3.) The head unit manages my GPS, Ipod (connection is in the glove box), sat radio, and accepts input from jump drives and SD cards.
4.) It connects to the internet in real time with Microsoft Live! to route me around traffic accidents and update me on the weather. I can also check movie times, or even find the lowest gas prices and have my GPS route me there. Too cool!
5.) The best parts: my center air vents still work, and look... no SRS light!
Yes, I know my dash looks very dusty in this picture. I'll try to take some better ones after I get her detailed. =)
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 4,331
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From: Tallahassee, FL
You had to relocate the SRS unit, right? That unit looks like it is RIIIIGHT at the level of the carpet. I also dont think it will work with an AP2 console, either. Nice work, though. 
Mine sites RIGHT on top of the SRS module (as low as it can go).
I can confirm it will fit, that low, if the SRS unit is relocated. There is plenty of room in there, if you cut the cross brace out.
John
Mine sites RIGHT on top of the SRS module (as low as it can go).
I can confirm it will fit, that low, if the SRS unit is relocated. There is plenty of room in there, if you cut the cross brace out.
John
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Registered User
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 69
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Yes, we moved the SRS unit.
There is an impact sensor inside the SRS ECU, so there are some rules to moving it. You cannot lengthen the wires, and you must install it completely level.
Yes, we cut the brace behind the receiver. It was painful to watch, but a lot less painful that cutting into the dash I think. =)
The SRS ECU is the biggest problem. If you are looking at this mod or have questions, the guy you want to talk to is Norsky who owns the shop that did it. I've enver met a guy who is more knowledgeable about these upgrades. You can find his phone number on his website, www.hitekcarstuff.com.
I don't work for hitek, but they did do great work and would be a great resource for those of you looking to do something similar.
Another cool thing we were able to do is plug a laptop into the receiver and hack the image.res file. This let us change the entire look of the display. Here's what my display looks like now:
I chose a silver, red, and black color scheme because it matches my car. Pretty cool, ya? =)
There is an impact sensor inside the SRS ECU, so there are some rules to moving it. You cannot lengthen the wires, and you must install it completely level.
Yes, we cut the brace behind the receiver. It was painful to watch, but a lot less painful that cutting into the dash I think. =)
The SRS ECU is the biggest problem. If you are looking at this mod or have questions, the guy you want to talk to is Norsky who owns the shop that did it. I've enver met a guy who is more knowledgeable about these upgrades. You can find his phone number on his website, www.hitekcarstuff.com.
I don't work for hitek, but they did do great work and would be a great resource for those of you looking to do something similar.
Another cool thing we were able to do is plug a laptop into the receiver and hack the image.res file. This let us change the entire look of the display. Here's what my display looks like now:
I chose a silver, red, and black color scheme because it matches my car. Pretty cool, ya? =)
