ISO 7736

Uniden BCT-15 mobile radio scanner with screw taps for ISO 7736 mounting brackets in a vehicle dashboard

International standard ISO 7736 defines a standard size for car audio head units. The standard was originally established by the German standards body Deutsches Institut für Normung as DIN 75490, and is therefore commonly referred to as the "DIN car radio size". It was adopted as an international standard in 1984.

Head units generally come in either single DIN (180 x 50 mm panel) or double DIN (180 x 100 mm panel) size. The depth is not standardized; as a result, some cars such as the Opel Manta have the correct sized front aperture but will accommodate few DIN sized radios other than the original due to the shallow depth; this despite the vehicle being manufactured as late as 1988. The US standard for a DIN radio is 2" x 7" and the Double DIN sized radio is a 4" x 7". Some radios in Japanese Kei cars do not conform to the DIN standard however.

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  Uniden Bearcat BCT-15

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  Blaupunkt Hamburg MP57

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  Single DIN spacer pocket

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  Rack braces and screw mounts exposed for single DIN installation

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  Double DIN combining a single DIN head unit and a single DIN compact disc player

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  Cobra 18 WX ST II CB mobile radio

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  Uniden BCT-15 installed into double DIN using a spacer pocket

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  Sony MEX-BT2500 installed into single DIN

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  Sony MEX-BT2500 head unit installed in upper single DIN, spacer pocket and Uniden BCT-15 radio scanner installed in lower double DIN

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  1.5 DIN OEM stereo with optional DIN sized CD player

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  Single DIN head unit

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  Alpine double DIN head unit

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  Pioneer FH-P80BT double DIN head unit, installed in a 1995 Volvo 960.

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  Volvo SC-800 double DIN head unit, installed in a 1995 Volvo 960.

Removal tools

For removing the unit, a pair of U-shaped devices are often used. The devices are inserted in the two pairs of holes, at either end of the stereo fascia, the action releasing the unit from the mounting and providing a pair of handles to pull the unit free. These tools vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Becker uses a pair of key-shaped removal tools, with one hole each.

See also

• 19-inch rack
• Connectors for car audio

References

• International standard ISO 7736: Road vehicles — Car radio for front installation — Installation space including connections. International Organization for Standardization, 1984.

External links

• Fit a Cobra 18 WX ST II CB radio in-dash in a Toyota Tacoma, with pictures of ISO 7736 bracket modifications
• Buy the ISO 7736 document from iso.org