Honda Accord Radio Back light Fix Tutorial

[@peters2255]

Saw your video and decided to try it out on my 2003 Accord. I tired to solder on a wire but it seemed like a difficult process. I read other comments that just used a blob of solder around the affected area. I had my doubts as to whether this would work but figured I had nothing to lose. To my astonishment the fix worked and my screen jumped to life. This is the greatest video on You Tube.. I also took the opportunity to add a iPod connector to the radio. Thanks for sharing........

[@mitchcox]

This fix was performed about a day before I posted it on KZbin in March of 2012. So over a year ago. My display is still going strong and I have had no issues. Glad I am able to help so many people out there. I had no idea so many people were having the same problem.

[@GarretBobbyFurguson]

How long did the display end up lasting?

[@jasoninoa]

Thank you Mitch! I just fix my 04 Honda accord coupe EX which I bought 3 weeks ago with a bad backlight radio. Now my radio is working thanks to you and other good people out there who are willing to help!

[@BroBob1254]

THANK YOU SO MUCH! I just did this repair to my wife's 2004 Accord and it works again! I did not use a wire! I pulled out the blown resistor and ran a bead of solder across the connections! GREAT HELPFUL VIDEO! YOU ROCK!!!!!

[@AdrienneVH1]

Thanks for the walk thru. It took me about 1 hour to disassemble, 30 minutes to solder and 30 minutes to reassemble. Crazy how one little fuze is responsible for this whole problem. I do not have a steady hand - so i ended up removing the fuze and making a line of solder between the connectors where the fuze used to be. I've never been so happy to see a flashing clock appear on my dash! cheers

[@coppertop2007]

I did this about 10 minutes ago and everything lit up like a Christmas tree. The only thing I did differently (and it was mentioned in the comments) was I put a bead of solder between the contacts because the wire wasn't working out. My family thought I was nuts for attempting it, but thought it was cool it worked. You saved me $500.00 Mitch! Thank you!

[@QtheMoment]

Worked perfectly for me. Excellent instructions. I cut the fuse out and solder a bridge over the contacts. I had some help from a neighbor as the soldering area required a very small soldering iron and some patience. I had neither one! Once it was soldered, reinstalling it was literally a snap! Save me a bundle. Thanks for this excellent video!

[@fishcrank1]

Outstanding and very informative! I was quoted $758.50 to repair may radio which has had no display since I bought the car 2 years ago. Took me about an hour and a half and Boom, Fishcrank said let there be light,,,,, and there was light! Can't thank you enough, Two thumbs up, Except for these little mishaps, Honda rulz! Mitch you are a gentleman and now a scholar!

[@hrray3]

Thanks for taking the time to post this. I removed the resistor and replaced with a jumper wire to fix mine. Took a few tries but I got it soldered. The video doesn't do justice to how small these parts actually are. Had to break out the reading glasses and a magnifying glass. Thanks Again!

[@joshhwwaaaaaa]

I can't believe this!!! I purchased second face plate thinking that was the issue and when it was installed still didn't work. Turns out it is the radio itself. Thank you very much for posting this. And thank you to sjfriedl for posting the part number for a .25 cent fix.

[@diegoacevedo3172]

I tried it with a 1/2 watt 10ohm resister from Radio Shack. Worked like a charm. Paid $1.49 for the resister compared to hundreds of dollars. Thanks for the video!

[@jamesschwabenbauer9311]

Great video. At 170k miles, the radio light went in my 04 accord. Following you excellent tutorial, I was able to bridge the fuse with a piece of wire. Seems like Ed Dylke (below post) did it the right way, getting the fuse replaced. but for all the longer I plan on keeping it, bridging worked just fine. Thanks for taking the time to publish this. Saved me a bundle.

[@artschwabenbauer6628]

Congrats on getting the job done by doing some research. Feels good to save money, right?

[@mitchcox]

Thanks for the great comments! I am still amazed of how many people my video has helped and continue to help. This is awesome!!

[@nevetsnotsgnivil]

Great job on the video! One word of advice for everyone: don't try to solder in a jumper wire the way it's shown in the video. It's better and easier to first remove the heat sink by desoldering its legs at four points, two at either end, then remove the transistor that's directly behind the fuse link. That way your path is clear to safely remove the blown link and replace it with a SINGLE STRAND OF COPPER! Don't use any more than that or you will risk further damage in the event of an overload.

[@tedtronson]

Mitch, Thank you for sharing this video. After a quick desoldering of the failed fuse I used a thick trace of solder across the points making sure to let the heat fuse the solder to the points. It looks clean and is much easier than soldering a wire into the tight spot. I put the radio back in and all is good. One thing to note if a person holds the CD button on the head unit it will turn the backlight off only on the head unit. 5-10 second hold of CD will turn it back on. Thanks again!

[@mitchcox]

Thanks for the comment! I am glad this video is helping so many people. I had no idea the number of people affected by this issue. Take care!

[@tedtronson]

You're welcome proast1. One thing you could do when you pull the head unit apart again is take a picture with your phone, if it has a decent camera (8MP or better), to take a closer look. It allows good light on the board and gives the capability to zoom in and see if you are touching any other points on the board causing a short. It could also be a cold solder joint to the board. Reheat the solder and again ensure it is clean on both sides of the board.

[@jamesandrade429]

just finished this repair !! I totaly renoved the "fuse/resistor and bridged over it GREAT INSTRUCTIONS

[@mitchcox]

Glad my video helped you out and it was a success!

[@danthefireman007]

I saw your video last night and this afternoon I followed step by step and it worked!! I haven't had a working screen in over a year

[@oujerzy]

Totally worked man. To this day I curse the dealership and the $250+ they wanted to charge me for what I ended up fixing for FREE thanks to your instructional video. Good contribution to the DIY auto world bro :)

[@eddylke4043]

Very good video. I could not find tools to remove the assembly around the radio so had a car audio shop remove for me ($20). I then used your excellent video to disassemble the radio. Just a point, the failed piece is definitely not a resistor. It is a 2.3 amp fuse. I took the circuit board to an electronic music repair shop. They confirmed that the circuit was open at the fuse indicating it had failed. They installed a new 3.0 amp fuse for me soldering it in professionally. I have now reassembled the radio and plan to place back in the car tomorrow.

[@yochanchanboii]

Do you happen to know what what the voltage on that 3.0 amp fuse ?

[@macses]

Just finished fixing, ran bead of solder across the two points. Was thrilled when the lights came back on. Thanks so much!

[@Bfr2345]

Video did the trick... About an hour and a little soldering, and the display is working like new!

[@mitchcox]

Mine has been going strong over a year now. Glad it worked for you. Please give the video a thumbs up. Thanks!!

[@DennisHunt]

I just followed your steps and yep.. backlight and heat control buttons are now all lit up again! Thanks for the great video!

[@robhopkins7547]

I finally go around to pulling the radio out and putting the jumper wire on. Been about 2 weeks now. Still going strong. Thanks for the awesome video!!

[@mitchcox]

several people have tried to determine what type of resistor or fuse is used. I do not think I have ever seen a definite answer to this question. I am pretty sure it is a 2.3 amp resistor. I bridged mine and it has been a year and still working fine. Good luck. Hope it works for you.

[@MrClaytonabel]

My wife thanks you for this fix. The faulty backlight wasn't enough to justify replacing the stereo, but it was enough to get her irritated her at an otherwise excellent car. I would have been clueless on figuring out which component was faulty! If you try this, though, get thinnest solder and soldering tip you can find.

[@bobbob8765]

Hi, long time since you made this but still helping people. Did mine today and worked great. Thanks buddy. 👍

[@mitchcox]

Wow. Great to hear that my video continues to help nice People. Thanks for watching and sharing your experience. I appreciate you. Take care.

[@MrSparge]

Worked for me and my 2004 Accord. Thanks a ton! I didn't think it was going to work because mine didn't have the same resistor as yours shows. Mine was even smaller and beige color but it was labeled the same on the board and surrounded by what appears to be all the same components so I tried to solder a wire, no luck and went with the "glob of solder" to bridge both ends. I also noticed the bottom of the board showed a lot of brown/burnt/heated areas. I was sure it wouldn't work but I put it all back together and viola! Works great! Thanks!

[@MrSparge]

Ouch! It lasted one day :-( Backlight is out again. I suspect it's because I just did a solder-blob and it's probably not a good connect. I can't solder with a microscope so I'm out of luck. Anyone know where I can get a replacement circuit board?

[@bbbhmb]

Thanks Mitch. I watched your video, and yesterday, fixed the same problem on my Honda Accord 2003 factory stereo. Working well so far!

[@bbbhmb]

Thanks for sharing. I had the same problem in my 2003 Accord and was able to solder a wire in there and fixed the problem with the help of your instructions in this video.

[@mitchcox]

Awesome! It is great to hear that I am helping so many people. I really appreciate the nice comment. Take care.

[@107proof]

I took a piece of wire and soldered one end to each side of the bad resistor. This bridges the circuit. It is explained and shown in the video. Thanks.

[@v.n.8217]

I did this fix on a 2003 Accord LX w/ basic radio+CD changer and standard (non-auto temp control) HVAC when we lost lights to both the radio and HVAC controls (I believe, it's been quite some time ago). Worked great with a bypass wire. To make it easier to solder the wire in place, if you are handy with soldering and can use a solder sucker or solder removal wick, I unsoldered the 4 heatsink bracket (large) connection points from the bottom and simply lifted the metal heat bracket off, carefully bent back the closest transistor, did the resistor bypass solder, then reverted and soldered the heatsink bracket back in place. I now have a 2004 Accord EX w/ radio that includes Sirius XM+CD changer, and advanced (auto temp control) HVAC that has a problem where only the HVAC buttons and dials aren't lighting but all the radio controls and LCD are fine. I did the bypass wire but it didn't work, then researched further and found I may be missing some of the individual lighting resistors that are known to fall off due to cold solder joints cracking. So if your radio lights work but not HVAC/climate control, it may be that. I'll try to post if I'm able to find/fix the missing resistor(s) problem and it works.

[@oboredone]

Dude mission acomplished you helped me save $400.00 a home run Thankyou.

[@ChiefYetti]

Great walkthrough, very clear. I copied Corey Gardner and just put a bead of solder between the two connections. My radio is now working!!! Thanks a million! (I have a 2004 Honda Accord V6 Sedan LX, 135k miles)

[@JasonJayJJ1]

I have a 2004 Accord Coupe Ex, same back-light problem everyone here is talking about. When you soldered between the two connections, did you cut out the old resistor or did you just bead the solder over the old resistor to connect? Would it be okay to leave the old resistor in place and just blob solder over the it to make a new connection? Thanks!

[@mitchcox]

Yes Nathan. It should fix it. Mine was completely dark. Buttons included. All fixed now. Of course there could be a rare chance that it is something else, from the amount of successes this video has generated I would say the chances of it fixing your issue are high.

[@anthonyfischetti2116]

great job on the instructions, fix took about 2 hours and a 1" pc. of wire. All the lights now work including the button nights Thanks for the help

[@mitchcox]

Thanks for the nice comment! Glad I was able to help you out. Please share this video wherever you can. You never know who you may end up helping. I can't believe so many people are having this issue. Its crazy!! Take it easy..

[@anthonyfischetti2116]

I sent it to my friend who owns a mechanic shop. Hope it helps many

[@mitchcox]

Awesome! Thanks!

[@kszeng]

Okay~ This video seems really helpful to me. My car's radio back light blacked out a week ago as well as push buttons. I'm going to disassemble the radio as the video does. and I hope the circuit has the same resistor problem. Otherwise it's gonna take me a couple of hours to test every branch.

[@lineartechbd1600]

i want to offer some advice. 1. you don't need wire just put a big blob of solder to short the two connections. that does the same thing and there is no need to solder the wire. 2.if you are going to solder wire, run the two pieces of wire out the back and put on an external fuse that you can easily get to the next time. you can even mount a fuse holder on the rear. 3. a 3amp or 5amp fuse is better than no fuse 4. what caused this fuse to blow in the first place? 5. circuit breaker is better

[@justaguy2356]

Nice video, I completed this repair on my Honda Accord yesterday. I'll add that the resistor that needs repairing is much smaller in person than it appears in the video, so be prepared. Instead of adding a jumper wire I found it much easier just to remove that resistor from the board, once removed, you will see the two contacts that need to be bridged. Create a soldering blob and connect those two contacts with it and then you are done. I think the soldering blob will hold much better over time than the jumper wire. Also, removing the trim pieces is the hardest part, make sure you purchase a trim removal kit from your local autozone, makes the job much easier!

[@raynemaeker1]

how do you remove the resister? just pry it up or unsolder?

[@justaguy2356]

I just pryed the resistor up with a small flat head screwdriver. Be gentle when you are prying on it so that you don't harm any other hardware around that resistor.

[@raynemaeker1]

thank you

[@homer14]

Thanks. worked like a charm. I recommend cutting a small tiny piece of wire the length of the prior fuse and just lay it on there and solder it in place.

[@mitchcox]

Awesome!! I am happy to hear that my video helped you fix your radio. It really is crazy how many people have this problem and how many people my video has helped. Thank you for letting me know it went well. Take care.

[@SkS77r]

Guys, glad that it work for you, but on my 2005 Accord LX single CD unit i cant find this resistor (R797), even similar... Anybody knows fix for this one?

[@mitchcox]

Thanks for the nice comments. I'm glad it helped you fix your radio.

[@bufettphan]

Applied this fix today on my wife's radio, thanks a million!

[@bufettphan]

And my soldering is doodoo, so I had to remove the resistor and just put a glob of solder between the connectors. :)

[@edmo6777]

Backlight is fixed thanks to your awesome video! I did not undo the ribbon cable just gently laid circuit board on top of unit.

[@JNPUS]

Thanks for the video. I was able to fix the back light of my 2004 honda accord. During the attempt to stick jumper wire, the resistor came out though. And then I joined the two points with the solder metal itself without using the jumper wire and that worked just fine. Mission was accomplished as soon as I plugged the radio back into the dashboard and entered the code.

[@mitchcox]

Jitendra Pandey Awesome! Glad I could help a fellow Accord owner fix their radio and save some cash. Thanks for letting me know it went well. Take care.

[@SammSammm1]

Excellent video mate. Worked a treat. Used a simple bit of thin electrical wire. Saved me alot of repair money. THANKS!!!!!!

[@mitchcox]

Awesome! Thanks for the comment. Glad I could help!

[@mitchcox]

No problem, Glad it worked for you and saved you some money. Happy Holidays to you all.

[@trentallman984]

Buy a Koolertron radio, bolts right in, gives you touchscreen, maps, bluetooth, backup camera. Easy to put in, gives you a modern car. My son's motherboard didn't look like this, 2006 model. We got on from the junkyard that drained the battery. Finally bought the Koolertron and my boy is quite Happy with it.

[@mitchcox]

One of the main reasons I didn’t replace the unit with an aftermarket unit is because the climate controls are also controlled in the radio unit. And at the time of recording this video, there weren’t a lot of good options for aftermarket units that would work. Thank you though. It may be helpful to users today that are still having the issue. Take care.

[@mitchcox]

I also didn’t want to spend $500+ to replace the unit and fix the issue when I could fix it for free.

[@trentallman984]

@@mitchcox the way most cars do it now is to mix the controls together. Honda makes a great car, but a radio that is designed to fail. You either have to find one designed for the car, or put one in the hole below. The Koolertron does the AC. You have to specify dual or single AC though. It is as simple to put in as a Honda orginal. If you have any questions, I am willing to help.

[@trentallman984]

@@mitchcox we paid $351 plus $12 for the backup camera. Did all the labor though.

[@hendogg1114]

thanks for this tutorial, very well done! one question though, when was it fixed and has anything happened to the jumper ever since the fix?

[@marshallejackson]

Thanks for posting this video. . . I'm looking forward to using your jumper solution when I have a few spare hours. Just to clarify some electronics terminology for everyone. Resistors are measured in Ohms (not Amps). Amps are a measure of current. Fuses are measured in Amps. . . so, I would guess that that componant is a fuse. That being said, if you jumper the fuse, something that the fuse was designed to protect is no longer being protected. Obviously, that can be a problem.

[@larrynjack]

Hi Mitch...great video. Unfortunately, and I didn't know this until I took it apart on the bench...my radio is different on the inside. It doesnt have that ribbon cable, as well as several other differences. Mine is a similar problem but it is intermittent. Ideas? Any help much appreciated.

[@tju2mtu]

I finally took everything apart and was ready to solder the wire. I then found myself having a broken solder. Sigh! :(. I pulled off that little 2.3 amp resistor and planned to melt some tin to connect the resistor area, but again, the tip of my solder just wouldn't heat to a temperature high enough to melt the tin. But for those of you who want to try, do not get discouraged. Fairly easy to follow.

[@dupek7037]

Thanks for the video, saved a lot of money. To add, its a Fuse and can buy it on eBay. Search for "ICP-S2.3TN FUSE 2.3A 50V SMD FAST 2.3 ICP-S2.3"

[@z.n.singer3003]

So...assuming I buy the fuse, how...dangerous is this repair for a new guy? I refer to the safety of the radio, this is not work I do very often. All the 'carefully' stuff makes me kinda nervous lol. Getting right into the guts here.

[@karlgeorge5471]

Do we solder it in after heating up and removing the old one?

[@YASUAKI2206]

Hi, Mitch. I followed the instructions and was able to fix the backlight. I am wondering whether your radio is still working. Thank so much for this helpful video.

[@mitchcox]

Yes, I can't believe it has been over 2 years since I made this video. My radio is still working. I also cannot believe my video has helped so many people. Thanks for letting me know it helped you! Take care.

[@disc2120]

Just did this on my 2003 accord. Works like new. While I was in there I added a gta car kit pure Bluetooth kit so now I have a working radio with integrated Bluetooth.

[@mitchcox]

@tullisgood I did NOT remove the bad resistor I just soldered the wire on each side of it. I just bypassed it. I am sure there are electrical engineers out there that would probably call me crazy (or other names) for bypassing it instead of replacing it. But it works! Good luck.

[@elishafrank]

God bless you sweet one.. saved me a world of heartache ...followed ur instructions.. ..FIXED..!! Who's da man..u da man ..who's da man..u da man .. :-) :-)

[@christysnow7878]

Thank you soo much Mitch for posting this video, It has saved me a ton of money!!! Just wondered how you found out what resistor was the backlight?

[@oujerzy]

I'm so glad I found this video before I forked over the money to Honda. I'm gonna pull it out this weekend and take the fuse down to radio shack to see if they can match it. Still no official consensus as to whether its a fuse or resistor and the exact specs of that item??

[@tullisgood]

A million thankyous for this video. I have had the issue for a long time and I am looking forward to taking the plunge to fix this. A quick question... did you actually remove the bad resistor/fuse or did you just jump it with the wire, with the resistor/fuse still attached? Thanks again for your video.

[@jodini5]

THANK YOU! You just made me look like a stud because I fixed my wife's car!

[@mitchcox]

Ha.Ha.Glad i could help!

[@penninaj]

Thank you very much! Spent my Thanksgiving working on this and it is completely fixed and back to normal. Much appreciated for putting the time in to put this video up to help us all out. Thanks again and happy holidays!

[@sjfriedl]

The bad part is neither a resistor nor a fuse; it's a varistor and appears to be a Rohm Electronics ICP-S2.3 (rated for 2.3A, internal resistance 0.026 ohms), and it's available from places like Digi-Key (just search for the part number on their site). Looks like about 25 cents. Thank you for this useful guide; I was able to fix a friend's radio (though I used a jumper wire rather than the varistor).

[@mitchcox]

All I did was solder a jumper wire from one side of the resistor to the other. I thought about replacing it with but had no idea what exactly it was, fuse or resistor, then I didn't know what size to put on there, the current one was not sufficient. So I just bridged it and so far so good. Also, since the HVAC system is built in with the radio, replacing it with an aftermarket radio is not an option. Plus this fix cost nothing but time. Much cheaper than buying a replacement unit.

[@WAR2GUY]

Thank you for the video. Very thorough. How did you remove the bad component. I don't think I have anything small enough to cut it out, or did you de-solder it?

[@tju2mtu]

Mine didn't completely go out, but it's too dim to be seen. Do you think it could also fix my problem? Also, can you suggest me a video on how to remove that radio unit from the car? Did you use special tools? Thanks a million. You are brilliant!

[@usasupra23]

All fixed, thank you. It was hard to fit the wire, and solder gun tip in that area but I managed somehow. I hope it lasts 2 or more years. Any reports of anyone having it fail again?

[@davidwatko4046]

I’ve got to fix mind on a 04 Accord, can hardly wait! Thanks for the video!

[@mitchcox]

Good luck.

[@arthursmith643]

I don’t know if it will work for you but I held in my load and eject buttons at the same time for the CD for a about 30 seconds then let them go. They didn’t work at first but the light came on a minute later. Try that a few times. i

[@Zoeysmydog]

Thanks for the video. It was a great help. Although I do not believe that to be resistor. Although the board is labeled for a resistor, the part actually on the board looks to be a fuse (rated at 2.5 amps). Resistors are not expressed in amp but rather ohms. That would explain why a jumper fixes the problem and there's no 2.5 ohm resistor.

[@athiam152]

Do you still have the diagram?

[@jasonmuscarello8305]

I just desoldered the resister,and put a glob of solder to the two connections. Haven’t tried it yet,as it was a radio I replaced for someone else. Maybe I’ll be able to try it again sometime soon!🤷🏼‍♂️🤞🏻

[@mitchcox]

Good luck. Sounds like it should work.

[@cascholz1]

Thanks, and useful but several issues: 1. Always follow good ESD protection procedures when working around semiconductor electronics - learn what these are but certainly wear non-synthetic clothes (slightly damp cotton is good), don't work on a plastic surface (when working at home one can lay down kitchen foil covered by a lightly damp cotton towel) to reduce static fields and sudden discharges, don't touch circuitry with your fingers or tools, and use ESD safe soldering equipment to avoid zapping semiconductors. If humidity is low (indoors in the winter) spray a mist of water around the area to help discharge surfaces. ESD damage ranges from immediate to something latent resulting premature failure down the road. 2. Is that a resistor or a fuse? The label on the board suggests a resistor, R797 (the manufactures identity label for it in the circuit, not its value), but if the A following 2.3 indicates "Amperes" (and it might not) it could be a fuse. One can the parts value and specs from the radio's schematic (the dealer or their repair shop may be able to tell you and may have the part, and the radio manufacturer might provide the schematic or just tell you what you need to know). Either way, there is a reason why the manufacturer spent good money to put it there - it may be controlling the current or voltage bias on another component or is there to protect damage to more expensive components or prevent fire in the event of failure. In general replacing a component with a wire is not likely to lead to good things. 3. If a fuse, it could blow again and one might find it convenient to rewire it to an externally mounted socket. If a resistor, consider replacing it with one of the same resistance but higher wattage so it will run cooler, or rewire it to a more easily accessed location. 4. Having a radio repair shop replace the component once you've opened the chassis might be money well spent if you can't manage the above. 5. The disassembly section was very helpful.

[@helbertg.1795]

THANK YOU SO MUCH . Just repaired my 2004 Accord and it works great!!!!!! Thanks for the awesome video!!

[@institutomedallamilagrosa1072]

Gracias, tu explicación es impecable y la solución gratuita. Fue perfecto. Saludos desde Argentina ( Thank you, your explanation is impeccable and the solution is free. It was perfect. Greetings from Argentina)

[@mitchcox]

Thanks for watching! I am glad it helped you. It took a lot of internet searching to find the solution. There wasn't a video on it so I decided to make one. I am glad I took the time to video it, I cant believe how many other people have this issue. It is crazy!!

[@nouredinerassoul1028]

Hello Mitch thanks a lot, works well. I did it yesterday, bypass the resistor. But actually no battery.. Do you think I have a leak to the electrical earth ?

[@mitchcox]

Not sure what you mean by no battery. But Glad my video helped you! Thanks for the comment!

[@thesmoothieking]

You are the man Bro! Thanks to you and your videos, I was able to fix my daughter 2003 Accord using your guide. Thank you very much.

[@mitchcox]

You're welcome. I used a jumper wire as well. Still going strong!

[@karlgeorge5471]

Mitch cox I know you posted this 7 years ago but just wondering how long it worked let you know of you may still have the car?

[@choniesucb]

This trick, worked great on my 2004 Honda accord 6 disc changer.

[@mitchcox]

Still going strong! Good luck. Hope it works for you.

[@terror2448]

It is actually a 1 ohm resistor. That is the specification you need to know. Since a chunk of solder soaked wire is somewhere around .5 ohm, it works just fine and doesn't get nearly as hot.

[@rogerhensley2164]

I read that is is actually a 0.1 ohm fusible resistor so it is there mostly to act as a fuse. If the power resistor to which it feeds should develop a short however then LOOK OUT !!!

[@joshhwwaaaaaa]

sjfriedl 3 weeks ago The bad part is neither a resistor nor a fuse; it's a varistor and appears to be a Rohm Electronics ICP-S2.3 (rated for 2.3A, internal resistance 0.026 ohms), and it's available from places like Digi-Key (just search for the part number on their site). Looks like about 25 cents. Thank you for this useful guide; I was able to fix a friend's radio (though I used a jumper wire rather than the varistor).

[@usasupra23]

I will try this next week on mine. Any radio removal videos?

[@mitchcox]

I am glad I could help, Do me a favor and LIKE and SHARE this video so others can benefit from it. Thanks!!

[@mitchcox]

They didnt recall it but did extend the warranty on the radio for a couple years, so if you had the problem within 5 or 7 years or 100K miles then it was covered free of charge. Mine was past 100K miles and 7 years when I had the issue. So it was going to be $300+ to fix it.

[@linuxquinonez]

Hi, i tested this yesterday and it works, i just have a question, it works if you welded below the fuse would think simpler?, i dont now electronica or welding.

[@linuxquinonez]

i means on the other side of the mainboard

[@mitchcox]

It should work, as long as the resistor points go through to the bottom. You just have to make sure you are connecting the right points or otherwise it could cause more damage.

[@carlsanch3ify]

Hey Mitch, mine just gave out and I'm going to try your solution.Any problems as of today on the radio fix?

[@mitchcox]

I would think so, good luck and let me know how it goes.

[@Allinone-vd9ck]

work for me thanks! now I have back light, but dont want to read the disc anymore, did I mess up something?

[@GavnDadShow]

Though this video doesn't help with my specific problem, I will follow it until the back light step. I think my son shoved a coin into the disc drive. I'm going to have to open it and find out if that's the reason why I can't add a disc into the drive. The drive is shut closed not allowing entry. No discs are in the 6 slots and the radio plays fine. Anyways, great video!

[@jaquab003]

Thanks for the video, I'll be attempting the 'fix' on mine Quick question, once re-installing the stereo unit, did you have to enter in the code for the radio to work?

[@mitchcox]

yes, you will need the radio code in order to make it work again.

[@jaquab003]

mitch cox Ahh okay. Where might I get the code? I've seen a video, but it confused me more, maybe you'll be able to explain it easier? Thanks for replying so quickly.

[@mitchcox]

radio-navicode.honda.com/

[@jaquab003]

mitch cox Does this site still work with an Australian model Accord Euro? Edit: Considering it says this, "©2014 American Honda Motor Co., Inc. All information contained herein applies to U.S. vehicles only. Please see our Privacy Policy and Legal Terms and Conditions. For non-U.S.-distributor information go to Honda Worldwide."

[@jaquab003]

I gave it a go, and it worked. Soldering in that tight spot was a bitch, though.

[@johnle2]

THANK YOU SIR. Just repaired my 2004 Accord and it works great

[@rickxs619]

Nice DIY on radio display how did you knew wich resistor was bad i have a 2004 acura tsx and it looks like is the same board

[@mitchcox]

If it is the same board I would recommend trying the same resistor. If yours is already broken then it cant hurt to try it. Right? let me know how it goes.

[@ChipeoJarabacoa]

This fix works just did it yesterday... It's a tough spot to soldder.. But I works :)

[@HungNguyen-zg4zd]

Follow your instruction, wire jumper it, and voila, backlight back on. Thank you so much

[@mitchcox]

I didn't remove the bad component, I just bypassed it with a piece of wire. Thanks for watching and I hope it works for you. Good luck, it is a tight space to work in.

[@Unholyvamp-Stormscale]

My question is, how do you figure out which one is blown in the first place?

[@1162younes]

R797

[@mitchcox]

Well, the backlight on mine was completely gone, I could still see the numbers on the display if the sun hit it just right or if I shined a flashlight at the right angle. The display still worked, it was the backlight that lit the display that was out. This may be what your referring too. You can still see it, but only when the sunlight hits it. If you can still see it at night, then your issue is a little different then mine. I had no lighting at all on the display.

[@onlymarkallen]

Hey there, I really like your vid. I have the same problem with my 2004 LX. Can you tell me what model Accord you have. My stereo is the more simplistic of the two offered. I wondered if yours was the higher end version or one like mine. Thanks!

[@drshiff]

Hi Mitch, nice video! Have you ever determined is this was a resistor (measured on ohms) or a fuse (rated in amps). Seems unlikely to be a fuse, as its not very user replaceable. If it is a resistor, then the value is measured in ohms and rated in watts for current carrying capacity. Would be nice to replace with a factory original spec device if possible. In any case, how long has yours worked using the hardwire approach? Thxs!!

[@mitchcox]

I have not determined what it is. check the other comments, I think someone stated what it was. I fixed mine when this video went up and it is still going strong with no issues. So almost 2 years now!! wow! Time flies. Thanks for the nice comment and good luck.

[@baumblue]

Mitch - Can not THANK YOU enough - it worked

[@mitchcox]

you have to removed the front steering wheel cover, but be careful and disconnect the battery, wait 20 minutes then disconnect the airbag. Its under the steering wheel in a little door. I may try to make a video, its hard to explain.