Honda radio not working correctly

I just purchased a 1990 Honda Accord. The radio does not always work. The antenna does not go all the way down. When I try to turn the radio on, nothing happens. Then all of the sudden while I an driving it may come on and the antenna mast goes all the way up. Then the radio may cut off again but this time the station still reads on the screen. I believe it is not always getting power or there is a short inside the radio. Has anyone else had this problem? If so, how do I pull out the radio? Thanks for your help!

I am having the exact same problem in my 96 honda accord LX, except the antenna is not one of those automatically-retractable ones. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated, as I am not about to invest in a new head unit if it's a wiring problem. Also posted this question on honda-tech.com:banghead:

You could have a loose plug (s)in the back of the radio. If the radio display lights up, it has power. So if you don't hear anything the wiring to the speakers might be intermittant. (plug). Same goes for the antenna not going up. If the radio is turned off, the antenna will go down. If it doesn't, you probably need a new antenna rod. Is it a Honda radio or a aftermarket unit? Radios are now so cheap (under a $100; with a CD player) I would not even mess with trying to repair the radio. Just get a aftermarket unit.

good call, i'll check behind the unit. it's a factory unit, but i'm not about to spend any money on an aftermarket piece if it means having to gut the electrical system. funny thing is, this 96 lx coupe does NOT have an antenna, or anything resembling a place to put one; all the bodywork is continuous without any holes or places where an antenna would go. wtf? i normally have (or rahter, had) great radio reception. although saturday it worked just fine for half an hour straight. did not test out whether the sound went out while going over potholes or anything like that, i.e. if loose wires were becoming disconnected.

I had a similar problem with my '90 Accord. I found that when I jammed the radio deep into the dash the rear speakers work great, and If i adjust it the front ones work too. I've pretty much figured out it must be a soldering problem, but I don't know how to pull the radio out and put it back without hurting it, and i don't know what parts I need, anyone got any helo o n that part?

crutchfield.com will give you free instructions (pdf) on how to take apart the center console. on a '90, it might just be a matter of inserting paper-clips into the sides of the head unit and pulling. i used to have an '89 integra (AKA the in-acura; god rest her soul), and that was the way it was designed.

The 90-93 Honda factory radio is held in with two screws at the back of the radio which is a bitch to get to. So Honda recommends removing the center console (where the shifter is) then the ash tray and ashtray holder. If you look into the hole where the ashtray was you will see the bracket where it is mounted to the the console with one screw. Loosen it and then pull the radio and the black box under the radio out as one piece. After the radio clears the console, remove the combined plug and then the antenna connector from the radio. The combined plug has a release latch, so make sure you push it down to release it before pulling on the plug that goes into the radio. You can do resistance checks on the speakers at the combined plug. You can also check for power and grounds. If all checks out, look to a aftermarketd replacement. They are about $100 and with harness adapter and mounting kit face the whole package can be had for $140 and then you will have a better more capable unit then what they made in the early 90s.