Removing the factory phone - advice/pointers?

[nsxr1]

I just recently purchased my first NSX, a bone-stock 91 Sebring Silver (yeeeeeeeeehawwwwwww!). It has the original factory phone installed and I am planning to remove it. Can those of you who have already done this give me advice/pointers based on your experience? I would also like to replace the existing hands-free buttons behind the shifter with something more useful, like the stock coin holder. Is it necessary to remove the entire console to do this?

Thanks in advance...

 

[lithiumus]

I'm in the same situation... My guess having worked on other Honda's and Acura's... is that you will most likely have to take apart most of the center console to do this, though I don't think it will be a big deal.

 

[NSXDreamer2]

no center console removal...

it had 6, (or maybe 7) screws underneth the glove box, pretty straight forward, you will see them all, none of them are hidden; and that's all you needed to take off the whole box then work your way to remove the phone and the bracket. Now, the phone cord might not clear the hole of the base of the glove box, I heard with some jiggling it will clear, but I hated that thing so much and doubt that if there will be anyone else wanted it, I just cut it apart...

now cut a piece of those thin black carpet from your local hardware store and put it at the box base... DONE!!

IF you are cutting the wires, the whole process should take less than 20 mins!!! That's the first thing I did to my car after I bought it

 

[NSX2398]

If you want to remove the hands-free buttons, you'll have to remove the center console to get at the fasteners which are on the back side. I had my center console out for a re-finish and had to remove the hands-free in order to get the console out of the car. The good news is that there are a number of links on Prime with instructions on how to get the console out... might even be in the FAQ

 

[juejaimon]

Once you remove the "phone buttons" unit, you will discover that you have a coin tray underneath that has 3 small holes drilled in. You can plug these holes with the original fasteners that held the "phone buttons" unit in place or leave them off... the holes are pretty small.

 

[lithiumus]

You guys are awesome. I think I'm going to tackle this one tonight...

 

[nsxr1]

Yes, thanks very much to everyone for all your input . I'm sure I speak on behalf of all new NSX owners when I say that NSX Prime is an invaluable resource...

 

[Doug]

You will also have about 10lbs and 50 miles of wires, cords etc running from the cradle to the trunk and antenna. If I recall, there was also a hugh amplifier? of some sort that was larger than the phone. Amazing what happens to technology in such a short time.

 

[nsxr1]

Yes, there is a receiver in the trunk mounted next to the CD changer and an antenna mounted on the rear hatch. It really is hard to believe that just 14 years ago that stuff was state of the art in consumer technology. I can't wait to rip it all out...

 

[Big_nate]

I had a host of weird electrical problems after removing that amplifier thing in the trunk (lights on chime when brake pedal depressed, anyone?). Solution, I plugged it back in and everythings fine. Let me know if you experience the same problem and figure out a better way to fix it.

Nate

 

[mskrotzki]

I had no trouble removing ALL the pieces of the phone, which probably weigh in the order of 15 pounds. There is a bunch of stuff behind the seats, as well as in the trunk.

I had no electrical problems whatsoever, in answer to the previous question.

Remeber, the phone was a dealer installed option, so a person, not unlike you or me, installed the unit after the car was assembled -- or even delivered. It is really pretty simple.

I decided to keep it all undamaged, so I could reinstall it and make it work again. I doubt these cars will ever become real classics, but on the off chance that they do, having original parts to bring it back to as created condition, might be worth something some day.

 

[BryanZublin]

I decided to keep it all undamaged, so I could reinstall it and make it work again. I doubt these cars will ever become real classics, but on the off chance that they do, having original parts to bring it back to as created condition, might be worth something some day.

By the time the NSX is a classic, the analog cell phone technology will most likely be completely replaced by TDMA/CDMA digital technologies. The the "OEM" phone will be practically useless. Considering that it was a dealer installed option, perhaps the NSX is more "genuine" if it is removed?

 

[mskrotzki]

Ppoint well taken. Also, some really old cars today were delivered with a thermometer on the radiator cap -- or had them installed as an aftermarket device.

My only point was to not destroy the thing taking it out. It is just my right brained engineer's mind at work

 

[Beaknose]

My bone stock '91 still has the phone in it. I really have never thought about removing it since I feel it is unique for the car. Does removing the phone and all of it's electronics have an adverse effect on the car's value? If you owned an old Corvette with a wonderbar radio, would you remove that unit for the sake of an updated stereo? What do you all think?

John
'91 Red/Ivory

 

[nsxr1]

My bone stock '91 still has the phone in it. I really have never thought about removing it since I feel it is unique for the car. Does removing the phone and all of it's electronics have an adverse effect on the car's value? If you owned an old Corvette with a wonderbar radio, would you remove that unit for the sake of an updated stereo? What do you all think?

John
'91 Red/Ivory

I also have a bone stock 91 (Sebring Silver) with the factory phone installed. I am going to remove it because it takes up nearly all of the console storage space (as well as a little of the trunk space), not to mention the fact that the damn thing is and always will be absolutely useless. Someone said earlier on this thread that they experienced problems after removing their phone, but someone else said they did it with no problems whatsoever. My guess it that it should be OK to simply remove it since the phone was installed at the dealer, not at the factory.

As for the car's value, I don't see how removing a dealer-installed option could have an adverse effect. If anything, the car should be worth more in it's original factory configuration (i.e. without the phone).

 

[drew]

As for the car's value, I don't see how removing a dealer-installed option could have an adverse effect. If anything, the car should be worth more in it's original factory configuration (i.e. without the phone).

As a past collector of 65/66 Mustangs...weird dealer factory authorized options can be worth a lot of money. And having friends trying to find "tool kits" for their Ferrari's and paying $5K for $5 worth of tools and a cheap cover.

However, typically the NSX is probably not a car that is destined to be a "classic", but good examples will always be worth something.

Just think how rare a factory phone will be in 20 years, might not be worth the 20 years of storage space though. And "rare" doesn't mean "valuable" either...

 

[GEENSX]

How can I just disconnect the center speaker for the phone because when the radio is on I hear a hessing sound which is driving my crazy. I disconnect the amp in the truck but is still hear the hessing sound when the radio is on.

Thanks

 

[nsxr1]

The hissing sound in your center speaker indicates that your subwoofer amp has gone bad (that amp also drives the center speaker). You need to replace that amp, but for the short term you can just disconnect it. It is located under the forward foot rest area on the passenger side.

 

[GEENSX]

Thanks I'll check it out tomorrow.