Overview of the Honda Accord coupe

When it comes to practicality and utility, it's hard to beat a box. They're simple, they're practical, they're easy to work with, and they hold stuff. But, unless you're a bored housecat, boxes aren't a whole lot of fun. Same goes for 4-wheeled boxes, too, which is why it's so good to have vehicles like the Honda Accord coupe on the road.

Coupes — even Hondas — aren't terribly practical, really, which is part of their rakish charm. If you frequently need to haul plywood, a coupe is not for you. But if you need something that's sporty, sharp-looking, and reasonably fun to drive, you're definitely coupe material. And the ninth-generation Accord coupe actually does have some room for people and stuff if you need it, so if there's a sudden (hopefully brief) need for brass-tacks practicality, you'll be okay.

The Accord coupe's factory stereo systems aren't quite as nifty as the rest of the car, though. They'll probably work fine for the next couple of decades, but that's the best thing to be said for them. If you want sound that's as cool as the rest of this car, you'll need to step up to an all-new stereo system.

Thanks to an aftermarket dash kit (included at a discount with your Crutchfield purchase) you can swap out this receiver and retain the upper screen (Crutchfield Research Photo)

The factory stereo system

The Accord's stock stereos are pretty decent as such things go, whether you have a base receiver or the optional navigation receiver. In 2016, the Accord became the first of undoubtedly many popular cars to include Apple CarPlay™ as a factory option. Android Auto was also available that year, so like we said, the available receivers were decent. Probably better than decent, if we're honest about it. CarPlay and Android Auto? Nice!

Speaker-wise, the Accord coupe starts with a 6-speaker system and goes up to an optional 7-speaker system, which adds a subwoofer. Like the receivers, these speakers are thoroughly decent, but if you really care about sound, you'll want to swap out the entire system and add some aftermarket gear.

Detailed stereo and speaker removal instructions

With step-by-step disassembly instructions and plenty of up-close, detailed photos, our exclusive Crutchfield MasterSheet™ takes the guesswork out of removing the factory stereo and speakers. It's free with your Crutchfield order, or you can purchase one separately for just $9.99.

The receivers can be found in the center of the dash stack, below the screen than handles vehicle functions and works with the rear-view camera. Thanks to an aftermarket dash kit, which is included at a deep discount with your Crutchfield purchase, you can swap out the receiver and retain the use of that upper screen.

When you replace one of the eligible factory radios, you'll lose the factory AUX and USB inputs, plus the stock XM satellite radio and the nav system (if present). This sounds bad, but there are plenty of receivers that will give you all those functions and more, so don't worry about it.

Radio replacement is not recommended at all for 2016 or 2017 Accords equipped with the 7" LCD screen. But, like we said before, it's not that bad, so you can enjoy an impressive audio improvement when you replace the speakers.

The radio panel is held in place by a lot of retaining clips, so be patient (Crutchfield Research Photo)

Removing the factory radio

Removing and replacing any of the stock receivers is a reasonably uncomplicated job that requires only basic tools. Once you set the parking brake and disconnect the negative battery cable to prevent any electrical short, you're ready to review your Crutchfield MasterSheet and get to work.

Use a panel tool to pry out the receiver side panel to release four retaining clips. Disconnect the wiring harness and hose to remove the panel. Keep that panel tool handy, because the next thing is to start at the rear edge and pry up the top receiver trim panel. Be careful here, because you'll need to release ten retaining clips. Be patient and work carefully. Once that's done, you can remove the panel and remove the two Phillips screws exposed when you took the panel off.

Starting at the rear edges, pry out the console side trim panels to release five retaining clips on each panel, then remove the panels. Remove the two Phillips screws securing the console pocket to the dash and remove the pocket, then remove the two 8mm bolts securing the lower receiver brackets to the dash. With all that done, you're ready to pry out the factory radio and release six more retaining clips. Pull it out, disconnect everything, and set it aside.

When you buy your stereo at Crutchfield, you'll save quite a bit on the absolutely essential dash kit and wiring harness needed to replace the stock radio. To install the new piece, refer to your MasterSheet, plus the instructions included with the dash kit and the harness. Once everything's hooked up, be sure to test the receiver before you button everything up again. And if you run into trouble for any reason, remember that your Crutchfield purchase also includes free tech support for the life of your gear.

Tools needed: Panel tool, Phillips screwdriver, 8mm socket, ratchet and extension

Read our Car Stereo Buying Guide for shopping tips and advice.

Shop for car stereos that fit your Honda Accord

Steering wheel audio controls

In most cases, it's reasonably easy to retain your Honda's steering wheel audio controls when you install a new stereo. When you enter your vehicle information, our database will choose the adapter you need to make your factory steering wheel controls work with a compatible aftermarket receiver.

The deck speakers are top-mounted, so you'll need to remove the panel (Crutchfield Research Photo)

Removing the factory speakers

The Accord coupe has speakers in the doors and rear deck. They're reasonably easy to deal with, so this is a good DIY project.

The front door speakers are pretty easy to deal with (Crutchfield Research Photo)

Removing your Accord coupe's door speakers

You'll find a 6-3/4" woofer and a 3" tweeter in the doors of your Accord coupe. Replacing them with a set of aftermarket component speakers will result in noticeably better sound. The job's not that hard, and the results are worth it.

The first thing to do is remove the door panel, a process that starts at the top corner of the sail panel. Use a panel took to pry off that panel, disconnect the tweeter wiring harness, then remove the sail panel.

Moving down the door, use the pry point (you'll see it) to pry out the screw cover behind the door release. Once the cover's out of the way, remove the two exposed Phillips screws. Next, starting on the outside edge of the armrest, pry out the end cap and remove one exposed Phillips screw. Pry up the rubber mat inside the door pull cup and remove one exposed Phillips screw, then pry off the screw cover under the top of the door pull handle and remove one exposed Phillips screw.

With all of (okay, most of) the fiddly stuff out of the way, you're ready to pry out the sides and bottom of the door panel to release nine retaining clips. Disconnect the wiring harnesses, pry out the door lock and release assembly, then twist the courtesy light assembly to remove it. Set the door panel aside and get ready to remove the stock speakers.

All the speaker removal and replacement details can be found in your MasterSheet, but we do want to point out a few things you'll need to know beforehand.

You'll need to cut away this outer rim before installing a new speaker (Crutchfield Research Photo)

First off, there are no mounting brackets for the tweeters, so you'll either need to fabricate your own or use our universal backstraps to secure them in place. There's also no wiring harness adapter, so you'll need to use Posi-Products speaker connectors to connect the tweeters to the factory wiring.

Each woofer is secured by an 8mm screw, which is easy enough to remove. The other thing you'll need to remove is the plastic ring around grille on back of door panel. This ring has to go so that you can create room for your new speaker, so use a utility knife to (carefully) cut it away.

Once the speakers are installed, test them to make sure they're working correctly. Check the locks and windows, too, and if all's well, start putting the door back together by reversing the removal steps.

Tools needed: Panel tool, Phillips screwdriver, small flat blade screwdriver, 8mm socket, ratchet and extension

A trunk-side view of the rear deck speakers and a subwoofer (Crutchfield Research Photo)

Removing your Accord coupe's rear deck speakers

The rear deck speakers are 6-3/4" models, that can be replaced by a healthy variety of same-size models. The job's not hard, but there are a few steps involved, so you'll need to be patient and work carefully. You'll get there, but don't rush. There are a lot of retaining clips to deal with and you don't want to break anything.

Fold down the rear seat back, then open the coat hook and remove one exposed Phillips screw. Pry off the "SRS" airbag cover on rear pillar trim panel, then pinch the exposed metal clip and pull it out.

Grab your panel tool and, starting at the front edge, pry out the nine clips securing the rear pillar trim panel. Remove that panel, then do all the stuff you just did on the other side of the car.

Once that's done, pry out the five retaining clips on the front edge of rear deck panel, then pry up the front corners of the rear deck panel to release two clips. Pry up the rear deck panel to release eight more clips, then work the seat belt through the slot in the rear deck panel. Pull the panel toward the front of the car and remove it. And, finally, you can remove the 8mm bolts securing the speakers and remove them.

You will need to cut off the plastic rings on the underside of the deck panel to create the space needed for your new speakers. Once that's done, you can connect and secure the new speakers, then test them to make sure they're working. If they are, you're ready to put the deck back together. Make sure the seatbelts are working properly before you finish up, of course.

Tools needed: Panel tool, Phillips screwdriver, 8mm socket, ratchet and extension

Read our Car Speakers Buying Guide for more information.

Shop for speakers that fit your Honda Accord

The subwoofer isn't hard to remove, but it can be hard to replace (Crutchfield Research Photo)

Bass in your Accord coupe

If your Accord coupe is equipped with the stock 8" rear deck subwoofer, you'll get to it by doing all the things you did to get to the rear deck speakers. For that reason, we highly suggest that you replace all three speakers at once, just to save yourself some time down the road.

There's another reason we recommend that plan — this is not an easy thing to do once the deck's removed. The not-so-fun part of this job is that you'll need to modify the cavity to fit a new sub. The stock sub is a reasonable 8.573" in diameter, but it tapers steeply toward the magnet, and the 5.942" cutout diameter will be a problem.

There are solutions, but they're not exactly pleasant. You can cut the rear deck steel to obtain a 7.165" cutout diameter, plus you can cut off the plastic ring on the back of the grille to obtain a helpful height increase. And once that's done, you'll also need to fabricate a bracket for the new sub.

All in all, this is not a job for the average DIY-er. If you're not totally comfortable with cutting metal and fabricating brackets and whatnot, you're probably better off turning this job over to a car audio professional. Or, to be honest, skipping it altogether.

There's room in the trunk for a sub enclosure or a powered sub (Crutchfield Research Photo)

The easiest way to add bass is to leave the stock sub in place and boost your bass by other means. The Accord coupe's trunk offers a 44" W x 16" H x 20"/27" D space for a subwoofer box, which is enough to install some serious boomage. If you still need space for serious luggage, you can go with a more compact powered subwoofer.

You can learn more about building a bass system in our Car Subwoofer Buying Guide.

Tools needed (stock sub): Panel tool, Phillips screwdriver, 10mm socket, ratchet and extension, saw, professional help

This is a stock photo, of course. Your WeatherTech mats will fit your Accord perfectly.

Other options for your Accord Coupe

There are plenty of other ways to improve your Accord coupe. Here are just a few of the ways Crutchfield can help.

iPod® adapters and satellite radio are great options

Better sound is a wonderful thing, but not everyone is up for replacing the factory receiver. Not a problem. You can still add versatility and great sound to your Accord, especially if you’re okay with the idea of going CD-free. We offer several adapters that will allow you to use an iPod or other music player with your radio, or you can add a dock-and-play satellite radio. You can upgrade the speakers later for even better sound.

Add an amp for better sound

A new 4-channel amplifier will help you get the most out of your new speakers. You'll get cleaner power (and a lot more of it), which will result in much, much better sound. A mono amp can provide the juice you need for your new rear deck subwoofer, too. Learn more about adding amps to your system in our Car Amplifier Buying Guide.

Protect your floors with WeatherTech mats and liners

Factory floor mats are designed to fill a space as cheaply as possible, so they look lousy and wear out quickly. Replacing the worn-out old mats with quality WeatherTech mats and liners will help protect your Accord's carpeting from dirt, damage, and whatever else life throws at it. Plus, they look kinda sporty, which is a nice touch in a car like this.

Remote start and security systems

Adding remote start capability to your vehicle lets you warm it up in the winter or cool it down in the summer. The iDatastart system is incredibly convenient and makes it easier than ever to install a remote start system, so we highly recommend it. The module requires a vehicle-specific T-harness (sold separately) to connect with your vehicle's computer, security, and ignition systems, so we ask that you call to order so that we can make sure you get the right harness for your ride.

You can also talk to your Crutchfield Advisor about a security system. They’re not as easy to install (we usually suggest letting a professional do the job), but we can help you choose a system that’ll work in your vehicle.

Let's get started!

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