Re: I did this last year

I'm putting in a new head unit for the 2000 Boxster (which had a LoJack installed in 2000).

[ibb.co]

I'm supposed to move the climate control cables through the hole in the bottom of the picture (where all the other cables are poking out). you can see one of the red ends of the climate control cable trying to peek into the frame.

I removed the screw which should be at the top of the frame since it was pushing through and potentially diverting the cable; I'll replace it later.

Now that I have the cable down there, how in the world (in 20 degree weather) do I get all the connectors through that already crowded section?

Help!

Thanks everyone.


Andrew

apparently I can link the picture into the post

What a great post! It is nice to hear of people going back to 25-year old Boxsters and trying to spruce them up. I have a 2005, which I bought new, and I am just keeping it up. But where else could you turn for help??? Thanks Pedro, for keeping this venue alive.

I certainly hope that Andy can find an answer here.

But I tried at one time to run a cable through - that ended in almost disaster, and a good bit of time at the local dealer and lots of $$$. Be careful, and good luck.

from a post on another forum "ran the climate control wiring through the larger / lower gromet and the reach was good"

Thanks, Mike.

My issue is that the LoJack wires take up a lot of the (already tight) space coming through the lower gap and hanging in the space.

I’m going to try to shove all the wires to one side or the other (and hope I don’t break something) and try again when the weather is a little warmer.

Andrew

If I remember correctly, I had to make sure the routing of the cables from the upper right where they split from the loom to down below was correct. I pushed he cable ends through the bottom opening one at a time, biggest one first. But I first made sure to tape them up to make sure to avoid breaking off the fragile clips. The existing cables had to be lightly pushed to the side to get them through.

I'll see if I can find a picture.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/29/2026 06:40AM by Boxsterra. (view changes)

No hurry - it's 5 degrees F in the garage. I'll be waiting for a few warmer days before going at it again. She's waited 25 years for an upgrade, she can wait a few more weeks.


Andrew

and miraculously I did not take pictures either time, other than the plugs on the back before moving the unit and that's not particularly helpful.

However, I can tell you that the plugs will push through that slot, one at a time, biggest one first.

Did you have a LoJack already filling a portion of the gap?

but it's not installed in the center console

I've managed to get the HVAC cables down and out to the side:



I have no idea how to get it through here without breaking something:



I have now come across what looks like a molex plug that I think is part of the LoJack - or have I broken something:



It's attached via a different wire to this:



which I think is the LoJack.

Is it time to quit and take it to an installer / my mechanic?

I have to clear space to get these climate control plugs through the gap. This will give me the double DIN space above for the head unit.
I need to run a mic cable to the factory position - this requires unhooking the dash controls; then I need to run the GPS and XM radio cables out to the frunk and mount under where the wipers are.

Have I bitten off more than I can chew?


Andrew

It's hard to tell from your picture but I think that plug is expected to be there and not plugged into anything. It's for phone mute. A lot of people use it for Aux power down there.

Climate controls:

Take the biggest plug and wiggle it through that hole. Then do each subsequent one in decreasing order of size. They do fit and shouldn't require any significant forcing.

If the cables don't quite reach you can get a little more slack by wiggling the big clump of wires from which these plug wires diverge. It routes up and to the right. If you have the center console out you can see it in the back right. If not, you can see it by getting your head under the dash and looking up from just to the right of the center console.

Microphone wire:

The easiest way to access this is to unscrew the instrument cluster. It's only a few screws. Just make sure to put a towel on the dash because when you pick it up it has sharp pieces on the bottom that tend to scrape. You don't have to disconnect the cluster but you can if it's easier for you. With that lifted up you can route the cables up from the center console and into the stock microphone location.

You can do this.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/13/2026 07:15PM by Boxsterra. (view changes)

I appreciate the cheering, but I just spent 45 minutes trying to get the largest through - it just won't go.

I'll take another crack at it tomorrow, but I have a number of fat cables behind there. I'll pay for the plane ticket, can you be here tomorrow? .

Andrew

The hole you're trying to put them through are the lowest opening, right?



Can you describe the problem you're having? Are you just unable to fit it through or is the cable not reaching? You might have to hold the existing black corrugated cable to the side to get the plug through.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 03/13/2026 07:30PM by Boxsterra.
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I'm pulling it to the correct location. I'm pushing the multiple wires back there out of the way (or as far as they will go.
I have removed the lower cover so that I can (try) to grab the wires from the side - there just seem to be too many thick wires back there to make space. I don't want to go Medieval on them (I have pliers, but I don't have a blowtorch) for fear of breaking something else (there's a lot of crap back there).

Andrew

Before you try to get that plug through, please make sure to wrap it in tape. Otherwise, if it gets stuck and you have to back it out, pulling on the cable will break the little clip.

This is not my picture but this is what you're looking at, right? Perhaps you can post a picture of yours.

I have a cable you don't:





So, it is a little more cluttered in there - and the cables don't all follow a single, straight, push-'em-to-the-side path.

you can see the bundle of multi-colored wires on the right side of the second picture - this is the climate control cable/ends passed down from the top (but not through the hole).

Andrew

In that case I would look into either putting the biggest plug above that section (if there's enough slack) or removing the electrical plug to get it through. That does look like a bear.

The other possibility is if the black plastic place can be temporarily relocated, that may solve it. I can't remember how that's attached.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/17/2026 11:54PM by Boxsterra. (view changes)

I finally got them through!




Now to finish the job.


Andrew

Did you figure out a trick to it? Was it just a matter of finding more slack? Glad you got this resolved and it looks great.

It was a lot of pushing and pulling and using a lot more force than I ever would have dreamed reasonable or necessary.

Now I'm going to need to undo the dash cluster to run the microphone. Such a joy to step out of my comfort zone (yeah, that was sarcasm).

Thanks for everyone's support and advice.


Andrew

You can see straight through to the dash. I used picture wire to pull the microphone plug through from front to back.





The foam on the microphone holds it securely in the stock microphone grill piece.


I tried a bunch of locations (at the dash by the shifter, near the sun visor, on top of the steering wheel, etc.) and the stock location was definitely the best in terms of sound quality, even with the top down on the highway.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/30/2026 12:59PM by Boxsterra.
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Did you pull the screws or just feed a wire through and then pull the mic wire back out?

I thought i needed to unscrew everything.

You have some more pictures?


Andrew

It might not be strictly necessary but it's not hard to do and it makes wire routing easier. It's just 3 bolts to remove the cluster and I always make sure to put a towel under it as the underside of the cluster can easily scratch the dash.

I unplugged the wires for the cluster itself but in retrospect I don't think that is actually needed. Here are a few more pictures. I don't have a picture of it but the microphone wire goes down the big gaping hole underneath the cluster, same as the cluster wires.









Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/02/2026 06:40AM by Boxsterra.
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I ran the wiring for the antennae through the firewall into the driver's area - less hard than expected except getting the rubber grommet back in place (I think that's a two person job)

Where can I safely mount the two antenna using double sided tape? I'm not sure if the wipers have moving parts underneath this plastic cowl.



I'm thinking all the way to the right of the picture (extreme edge on driver's side) where I have made two blue marks on the picture. Will this interfere with anything? I really don't have access to the space between the wipers as I'm not sure how that piece is removed. I don't (obviously) want the wipers to get fouled by the cables.


Thanks for the input.


Andrew

I mounted the WiFi antenna in the A-pillar right next to the key remote antenna.



I mounted the GPS antenna in the stock location, which is under the plastic cover in the center of the dash right by the windshield.

Here is a pic of the cover



Here is the antenna without the cover on it



The location you circled in blue is exposed to the outside elements so you would have to make sure it is waterproof and the path into the passenger cabin is fully sealed. I don't see a reason to put it outside the cabin,



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 05/04/2026 02:57PM by Boxsterra.
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