996 and Boxster Single DIN Radio Instructions

Removing the Factory Radio

To remove the factory radio you’ll need the Becker radio removal tools, these are flat metal “keys” that fit into slots on either side of the radio’s face, near the bottom of the unit. Some radios have these slots behind the radio’s detachable face, so remove the face first if it’s detachable. The keys are reversible, and are labeled “top L”, and “top R”, so you can use either key on either side, just make sure that you get the corresponding key’s side “up”. Then simply use the keys to pull the unit out. The factory radio doesn’t have a mounting sleeve, so once it’s removed, that’s all there is to it. It unplugs at the back, a number of plugs and antenna.

Becker Radio Removal Keys Come with All of Our Kits

So there's no reason to track some down on your own.  

 

 

Very important (98-02):

Peer into the radio opening, and you’ll see usually a single wire connected to a male terminal and metal tab on the left side of this opening (usually brown w/blue stripe). This is part of the anti-theft system, and if you merely install a new radio and the chassis of the radio rests against this “tab”, the factory alarm will not fully arm, it’ll think that the radio is/has been stolen. Before installing your new radio (unless it’s another factory Becker piece with an insulated section that rests against this tab) unplug the wire from that terminal and tape it off to ensure that it doesn’t make contact with metal or ground.

The Wire Harness

When installing a new radio, you’ll need the correct wire harness and a European antenna adapter. We supply both. The mounting sleeve for your new radio will mount in the opening first. Then bend out a few tabs to hold the sleeve in place. Wire your new radio to the harness adapter on a bench or table (note: make sure to connect the power antenna turn on lead to the radio’s power antenna output, this will turn on the factory windshield antenna booster, and also connect the yellow constant/memory lead on your new radio.

Your kit will come with a wiring harness that has been pined and configured for your specific vehicle generation and trim level.

'01 - '02 Bose Subwoofer 

On '01 and '02 Bose equipped cars the factory Bose subwoofer has it's own dedicated amplifier. This amplifier is fed audio signal from the primary amplifier that powers the rest of the speakers in the vehicle. It is advisable to run a dedicated subwoofer signal cable from the new radio directly to the Bose subwoofer amplifier. We sell a harness that lets you do just that. The Bose subwoofer will work without running this cable but will not be adjustable level independent of the other speakers. The Bose subwoofer level can sometimes be too high in relation to the other speakers if this cable is not used. You can find the full installation article for this modification here: '01 - '02 Bose subwoofer retention cable for 996. 

'98 - '02 

If you purchased your kit with a radio the wire harness will already be soldered to the vehicle interface harness for you. Just plug it in. If you purchased the kit from us but have your own radio; you will need to make the connections from the vehicle interface harness to your radio harness.

These vehicles are true plug and play. Simply plug in the supplied harnesses and you are done.

All Years

The harness that we supply with your kit is setup to work with:

  • Base Radio (no door speakers).
  • Hi-Fi Sound System (door speakers but no separate subwoofer or Bose logo on door grills). 
  • Bose Sound System (Bose badge on door speaker grills, subwoofer behind rear seat in a coupe or in passenger's side foot well on cabriolet).

The large black female plug will mate with two different plugs from the vehicle. The first is the power plug. The second is the vehicle's speaker plug. Depending on the trim level of your car you may or may not have a populated speaker plug.

wire colors for the large black plug if you did not purchase a radio with your kit are:

  • Yellow = 12 Volts Constant Power
  • Red = 12 Volts Accessory Power
  • Black = Ground
  • Orange/White = Illumination 
  • Blue = Factory Antenna Amplifier turn-on
  • Blue/White = Factory Amplifier turn-on
  • White = Front Left Positive 
  • White/Black = Front Left Negative
  • Grey = Front Right Positive
  • Grey/Black = Front Right Negative
  • Green = Rear Left Positve
  • Green/Black = Rear Left  Negative
  • Violet = Rear Right Positive 
  • Violet/Black Rear Right Negative

 

Next connect the vehicles Yellow plug to the supplied Red plug. Note that the red plug is much larger than the yellow plug. The yellow plug should be located all the way to one side. Your vehicle may have other plugs that are along side the yellow plug (Blue and or Green). These plug are not needed but you can keep them in place if you like. These extra connections are for factory options such as a factory CD changer. Factory CD changers are not compatible with aftermarket radios. Some vehicles do not have a Yellow plug at all. If your vehicle does not have a yellow plug, do not be concerned. It is not needed for your application.

 

On the back side of the red plug you will see a Blue/White wire. This is the remote turn-on circuit for the factory amplifier. There are also 4 RCA connections. They are as follows:

  • White = Left Front
  • Grey = Right Front
  • Green = Left Rear
  • Violet = Right Rear

'03-'05 Vehicles

 This generation of vehicles uses fiberoptic MOST bus for the factory radio accessory and illumination circuits. Harnesses for these kits come with two additional circuits added that must be connected.

 

  • Red = Key-In Accessory
  • Orange = Illumination

Red Key-In Accessory

This wire must be run directly to the ignition switch. Remove the heater duct under the driver's side of the dash. This duct section is easily removed, lie on the driver floor and slide the duct toward the left side of the car to disengage the inboard end-then slide it toward the middle of the car to disengage the outboard end where it connects to the short elbow leading to the left corner dash vent.  This will allow better visibility and access. If you look at the back side of the ignition switch from under the dash you will find a double jacketed Orange wire. Tap into this Orange wire for accessory. This circuit will show 12 volts whenever the key is turned on and keeps power until the key is removed from the ignition cylinder. 

This connection has been lengthened to reach from the radio location to the ignition switch. A 5 amp fuse and holder has been pre-installed for you. 

Below: the back side of the ignition switch. Looking up from under the dash.

 Orange Illumination

This wire must be run directly to an illumination source. This can be found at the cigarette lighter socket next to the radio. The cigarette lighter socket will have 3 wires running to it. The two thick wires are power. The thick brown wire is ground, and the third thin wire is illumination. This wire is typically grey with a blue stripe. Some vehicles are grey with a red stripe. Verify with a voltmeter to confirm. Connect the Orange wire from the radio harness to this circuit.