Hey my names zack i just bought an 2005 rx8 and decided to put my old sub in it and leave the existing sterio because it seems to be a pain to change it out. if anyone knows of a cheap way to put an aftermarket unit in and keep all of the factory options such as the screen above and the steering wheel buttons please advise. but my major problems was i ran the power line and put it through the fire wall by sliding it between the rubber grommet and the metal. i didnt damage the cable at all it worked flawlessly. then i ran the wire down the left hand side of the car to the trunk. i went to start the car and it woudlnt start. after it got towed to the dealer and repaired it turns out the ignition relay was bad. does anyone know how this could happen. i dont want it to happen again for sure. i never even hooked the positive wire up. i am so confused. i've dealt with systems b4 and never have i ever had this happen. i owned the car for less then 24 hours and it needed a tow. its only got 12k miles on it. wth!

 

zack.

I didn't see the part where you disconnected the negative battery cable...

I did read where you said that you didn't connect the amp - so there is no way that you could've hurt the starter relay. IMHO, from what you said, the two things are not related. It was a fluke.

However, before starting any work on the car.... Disconnect the negative battery cable!

(after you reconnect the battery, your steering warning light will be on. To reset - just turn the ignition on; steer full lock clockwise, then counterclockwise; ignition off).


EDIT: Protect that positive wire through the firewall. Leaving it against the sharp metal is a guarantee of future problems.

 

Welcome to the board!!!

To replace the stock headunit, you need to buy the Metra RX8 dash kit. Think it's going for around $200. Then you will need to by the steering wheel control interface box for whatever brand headunit you're using. About $50. It'll take about 3 hours to install if you're experienced and take your time. If you're a beginner, set aside a day or take it to a professional.