No More Relocating Stock Head Unit

[bassboss]

I don't know if it has been posted yet or if any of you peeps have heard of it yet, but there is now a adatper you can buy for GM cars and it allows you to toss out the old stock unit.

I can't remember the name of it but i will get more details on it in the next couple of days.

I do know that it costs approx $145 cdn . it's only for 2002- up as far as i know right now. and it's only takes like 10 min to inistall.

when i get the brand and other stuff i'll post it up here so you guys will have a better idea of what i'm talking about.

[FormulaNERD]

yea, this is old news, but thanks for the info.

and it's only for 02 and up because 02 and up are the only models with RAP and chimes through the stereo (the whole reason to relocate the stocker in the first place )

[brsexton]

Here is one I found on crutchfield..... http://www.crutchfield.com/S-tqTNSNb62Wd/c...asp?i=120GMRC01

It was 2001 and up. I had to relocate my radio for the chimes to work. I might be interested in getting either one.

[eag182]

So if you get rid of the stereo 02 and up you have no more door chimes? Where's this at for the earlier ones? My door chiming need to DIE.

[FormulaNERD]

well the speaker is in the dash, kinda, and if you kill it you'll also lose chimes for low fuel, check engine, etc.

[doubleN0alero]

who needs the chimes anyhow? they only annoy the hell out of me...this way i can wash my car, keep my door open while i'm working or cleaning and no stupid bell in my ear.

[mikegett]

It can differ between models as to what you may loose. The norm seems to be the chimes, and check engine light. In 2001 GM introduced a CAM network into the vehicles. This enables various electronic devices to be networked together through a local device. The later the car, the more intricate the system. This is also how the new theft lock on the radios work. The radio is encoded with a serial from the CAM. Without the CAM's serial key, the HU wont' turn on. All aleros after 2001 have the cam. However, only the radios with RAD will comunicate with it. It is a pain in the ass for upgrading, but the technology is cool. Each of the radios can be connected to a PC via serial connection and a special cable for firmware updates. The newer HU we make for the Navigator will program everything from your seat warmer to your climate control. This means that as new software like mp3 becomes available firmware updates can be possible.

[bassboss]

well i was also told by a service tech that in the 2002 up models, if you do not have the stock stero or the harness thing that gets rid of the stock head unit you can't do a diagnostics properly. there is somethiing integrated into the stock unit that is intergrated into the diagnostics thing. so getting rid of the stock uint altogether is not a good idea unless you install one of those adapters.

I was also told this by several car audio placesa and custom auto shops

[cherrington17]

i changed mine out, put yanked the yellow and black wires that would go to my door speaker, and put a small computer beep speaker under my shifter. so if it does go off, its a very quiet bing from the middle of my car, instead of loud and from the door. :thumbsup:

[mike2002]

ive got a 2001, with the RAP/chimes in the front door speaker. instead of buying that expensive junk just to keep annoying chimes, i just hardwired the deck in the car.

i pulled the stock HU plug out and tucked it back into the dash, nothing is plugged or tapped into it. then i ran a wire to my ignition column and tapped into the dark green wire for ignition power. then i ran 3 wires back to the trunk where my amp is, the power, the ground and the remote turn on. if you dont have a amp, then you'd have to find 12volts and ground somewhere else, its not hard, i was running rca's back there anyways so it wasn't any extra work



thankfully, i lost all chimes. i have no other problems so far that ive noticed. mikegett, are you saying my check engine light wont work? i havn't checked to see if it turns on when i start the car like it normally does

[mikegett]

It all depends on what the radio is programed to run. We don't produce any models that were in a alero. Each GM vehicle (and model class) is different as to what the CAM controls. The easiest way to know what may be affected is to unplug the radio and see what diagnostics you loose. When you turn on your car it goes through a diagnostic. If a light on your dash (like your check engine) doesn't turn on or stays on then it probably goes through the CAM and radio. The only thing that I seemed to loose was the RAP chimes. 2003 olds GLS with xm radio.

[bassboss]

I'll have to try that before i go and buy anything expensive. the info you guys gave is great and it may save me a bit of cash if i don't need either one. thanks guys. i'll let tyou now how it goes for futher discussion purposes

[phaelium]

Hey,

Sorry to beat a dead horse/topic here, but I have a 2000 alero and so from what I'm reading from you guys, I don't have to keep the stocky in at all? I'm thinking about an LCD head unit so I'll be happy to not have to relocate anything.

Thanks

[Fast Eddie]

Originally posted by mikegett@Mar 16 2005, 04:36 PM
It can differ between models as to what you may loose. The norm seems to be the chimes, and check engine light. In 2001 GM introduced a CAM network into the vehicles. This enables various electronic devices to be networked together through a local device. The later the car, the more intricate the system. This is also how the new theft lock on the radios work. The radio is encoded with a serial from the CAM. Without the CAM's serial key, the HU wont' turn on. All aleros after 2001 have the cam. However, only the radios with RAD will comunicate with it. It is a pain in the ass for upgrading, but the technology is cool. Each of the radios can be connected to a PC via serial connection and a special cable for firmware updates. The newer HU we make for the Navigator will program everything from your seat warmer to your climate control. This means that as new software like mp3 becomes available firmware updates can be possible.

Quoted post

Umm WTF is CAM??!! are your trying to say GM implemented CAN, controller area network? cuz that is what ties the PCM, the BCM, and other stuff together on many GM cars now (including the radio).

yea...but is it worth it?!!? hell no...it's like $100 vs the RDS relocation harness which is $60....to me $40 is money WELL saved just to take an extra 10 mins outta your time to run the harness to the trunk.

i have one of those myself, cuz my alero came with teh damned class 2 system which routes all your warning chimes into one of your stereo's speakers, specifically your driver side door speaker. and mine is an 01 and yes it works cuz i still have all my chimes. btw $145 is a bit pricey cuz i got mine for $69.95 though i did get a discount, go to Ultimate Electronics and you can buy that same thing for exactly $99.95

[turtles_ride]

so i don't have to worry about this with a 2000 either, i just have the cd/tape/radio HU.

lol, I'll ask again. I have a 2000 Alero GL and want to upgrade the audio system. I've talked to two seperate installers, one is saying that with a 2000 when you remove the stock HU, you won't lose ANYTHING, nothing is tied into it. The second installer is saying it is necessary to mount the stock HU in the trunk to keep all the chimes and check engine light from working. From what I've read it seems that only 2001+ models are affected by changing the HU. Anyone know the answer for sure?

Thanks guys.

ok ill answer this one as i have a 01 alero GL coupe wtih the sun and sound package and full aftermarket gear. #1. stick your key in the ignition. #2. open your driver's side door. #3. listen to where the warning chime is coming from. if the chime is coming from the dash behind the head unit then you do NOT have the class 2 system and the factory head unit is nothing but a worthless POS that you can take out and replace with only a basic scosche wiring harness. if the chime is emanating from the driver's side door speaker then you have the class 2 system and to keep all your warning chimes you need to EITHER: A. Relocate the stock HU, or B. buy a GMRC01 which will reroute all your warning chimes thru that little test speaker they give you with the GMRC01 package for $99.95. find the place where the warning chimes emanate before doing anything. kevin